1890.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 4. 279 



applied "to the endowment, support and maintenance 

 of at least one college, where the leading object shall 

 be, without excluding scientific and classical studies, and 

 including military tactics, to teach such branches of learn- 

 ing as are related to agriculture and the mechanic arts, 

 in such manner as the legislatures of the States may 

 respectively prescribe, in order to promote the liberal and 

 practical education of the industrial classes in the several 

 pursuits and professions of life." 



Act of the Legislature. 



In accordance with this grant, an act was passed by the 

 Massachusetts Legislature, and approved April 29, 1863, 

 accepting this grant, and constituting certain carefully 

 selected gentlemen (whose names appear in the act*), with 

 their associates and successors, a body corporate, under the 

 name of the " Massachusetts As^ricultural College." 



The Legislature also provided that all moneys received 

 by virtue of this act (accepting the grant) , for the sale of 

 land scrip, should be deposited with the treasurer of the 

 Commonwealth, who should invest the same as a perpetual 

 fund for the promotion of education, according to the act of 

 Congress. 



The College Located. 



The town of Amherst having raised the sum of $75,000 

 in aid of the enterprise, the college was located there ; the 

 necessary buildings for beginning the work wxre erected, and 

 the college began with its first class Oct. 2, 1867. 



After more than twenty years of earnest effort, and with 

 a varied experience, having had its ups and downs, like 

 many other worthy enterprises, the college at the present 

 time is equal if not superior to any of the kind in this 

 countr3^ The college buildings occupy a commanding site, 

 about a mile north of the central village, and the surround- 

 ing scenery is enchantingly romantic. The college is 

 supplied Avith a competent corps of teachers, who are, 

 without exception, we believe, faithful and enthusiastic in 

 their work of preparing young men for practical life. 



* 1863, chapter 220. 



