62 MICHIGAN STATE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE 



growing through it. As I remember it, the crack was then 

 small and only partly across the stone, and the tree was about 

 the size of a finger. It was the frequent resting-place on the 

 trips to and from Lansing. I suspect that the growth of the 

 tree is largely due to the mud scraped from the shoes of the way- 

 farers, which furnished soil and water and created a sort of 

 common ownership in the many contributors. I doubt if any 

 boy in subsequent years passes the stone and tree without think- 

 ing of college days. 



Lansing had no railroads. The nearest were the Detroit 

 and Milwaukee at St. Johns, and the Michigan Central at 

 Jackson. Most of the boys came by these routes. From Jack- 

 son to Eaton Rapids there was a plank road, but it had so many 

 broken or missing planks that for a good deal of the way the 

 square edges of the plank made it worse than the round logs 

 of a corduroy. From Eaton Rapids to Lansing it was mainly 

 mud holes. We regarded ourselves as fortunate if we got our 

 trunks through, even by carrying a pole or rail for considerable 

 distances to pry the old stage out of mud holes. 



Personally, I did not know as to the road from St. Johns. 

 I only recall that when there was a comparison between those 

 from the north and from the south, one would conclude that 

 both were among the worst in the state. It is fair to state that 

 the vacations in those days were in the spring and fall, and so 

 at the seasons of the year when the roads were at their worst. 



The dedication exercises were held May 13, 1857, in the 

 college room usually known as the chapel. This room has 

 been the general meeting-place for all sorts of gatherings for 

 fifty years. At the dedication it was crowded to its limit, and 

 many stood about the doors, both inside and out. With two 

 others I stood in the south center window, the platform being 

 on the north, or opposite, side. 



The next day those wishing to enter the College met in this 

 same room as requested by the president. They were required, 



