Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1902-04-24

assent of the Legislature was required,
but the Legislature of Delaware, for
some cause, passed no act giving assent
until March 14th, 1867, nearly five
years after the congressional donation
had been offered. 1t was doubtless on
account of the want of suitable build
ings for college purposes, and the then
financial condition of the State, that
the General Assembly withheld assent
so long.
It was an epoch in the history of
Delaware College which had u com
modious building and IN adequate
amount of valuable apparatus and
which for II years had remained un-
occupied. The board of trustees now
saw an opportunity for u still closer
connection with the State, and the
advantage to be derived from more
complete control of the institution by
the State. The trustees therefor pro-
posed to convey to the State u joint
and equal interest in the grounds,
buildings, libraries, apparatus and
vested funds, upon condition that the
derived from tho sale Of land in board
Of trustees, not more than ono-half of
whom should DO representatives Of the
and the other half representatives of
the original corporation. III was thus
proposed to meet the requirements of
the act Of Congress by enabling the
State to provide the buildings, grounds
and Appliances necessary to carry out
its objects.
The proposition of the trustees was
accepted by the Legislature, and Della
ware College was adopted as the nsti-
tuition to be provided Us an agricultural
college in accordance with the act of
Congress. An act of reincorporation
was passed in 1869, by which the presi-
dent of the college and the governor Of
4 the State were constituted members
ex- oLiicio of the board Of trustees. In
| the same year an act supplemental TO
that Of 1867 was passed, prescribing the
manner in which members Of the
! legislature should in their respective
! hundreds appoint to the 30 free scholar
| SHIPS which were allowed to the State.
the institution thus re established was
I opened for students September l4th,
1870, under the presidency Of Hon. w.
\ II. Purnell, LII, d., who was an
alumnis of the college. He continued
4 in charge Of the institution until June,
\ 1888, and was succeeded by the Rev.
John II. Caldwell, ID. d., who at the
! time Of his election on the 18th of July
was presiding elder of the Easton
I district, Wilmington Methodist Con
| ference.
/ Subsequent acts of legislation we're
that of 1871, making tho professor OF
chemistry eX-oflicio State chemists that
of the same year. which limited the
number of State students to 10 from
each county, ind struck out the pre-
vious requirement. that they should be
appointed annually; in the same yeai
an act was passed directing all the
! funds arising from the sale of land
SCRIP to be transferred to the State
treasurer and held by him in his
official capacity, and the governor was
required by resolution to issue to the
| president of the college, upon his
requisition, such arms, equipments ano
military stores belonging to the State
rs may be required from time to time
for the purpose of instruction, In 1877
49, eco annually for two years wert
appropriated to the college for norma
department. This department did moi
succeed well and this appropriation was
not renewed. BY the act of 1875 the
president of the college was made ex,
oiiicio president Of the State Board d
Education, In 1877 the old bonds. 8;
in number amounting to S93, 00e, were
all cancelled, and, in their stead, {
certificate Of Indebtedness was directed
TO be issued to the president of tn,
board of trustees for that sum. On thi,
amount 6 per centrum is paid semi
annually, on the first of January ant
July.
L., II !. i 4 II