Repository: UIHistories Project: Book - History of the University (Powell) [PAGE 33]

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10

History University of Illinois

reach of the sons of the soil an education that would lead to an understanding of the soil. A convention met in Lansing, June 3, 1850, for the purpose of revising the state constitution. In the revised constitution is found the following provision: " T h e Legislature shall encourage the promotion of intellectual, scientific, and agricultural improvement, and shall as soon as practicable provide for the establishment of an agricultural school. " T h e Legislature may appropriate the twenty-two sections of Salt Springs lands now unappropriated, or the money arising from the sale of the same, when such lands have been already sold, and any land which may hereafter be granted or appropriated for such purpose for the support and maintenance of such school, and may make the same a branch of the University, for instruction in agriculture and the natural sciences connected therewith, and place the same under the supervision of the regents of the University.'* Thus provision that could not be disregarded was made. It took the legislature five years to move in response to this provision but finally in 1855 it passed the act that resulted in the opening of an agricultural college in 1857. Thus the first state agricultural college in the United States was opened for work. The period 1840-1850 found Illinois still a frontier state. The citizens of an undeveloped country are not likely to form themselves into societies and clubs. New settlers usually find that warding off starvation, cold, disease, and storm occupies them completely. Yet the vigorous men who first came to till the soil of Illinois were early alive to the benefits of cooperation. In 1842, in spite of the difficulties in the way, agricultural societies had been organized in nineteen counties. Most of them held annual meetings connected with cattle shows and fairs during the autumn of the year. There was also the Union agricultural society embracing within its corporate limits nine coun•Beal, History of the Michigan, Agricultural College, 1:6. Albert E. Macomber, an early friend of J. B. Williams, claims that the latter was responsible for the provision in the constitution which provided for the establishment of an agricultural college, ibid., 36.