KANSAS STATE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE 

 THROUGH FIVE ADMINISTRATIONS 



The College has had six presidents, viz: Joseph Denison, 1863- 

 1873; John A. Anderson, 1873-1878; George T. Pairchild, 1879- 

 1897; Thomas E. Will, 1897-1899; Ernest R. Nichols, 1899-1909; 

 and Henry J. Waters, 1909 to the present. Prof. Milan L. 

 Ward was acting president from the spring of 1878 to November, 

 1879, and President Nichols served his first year, 1899-1900, in the 

 same capacity. 



The Denison Administration 



The Agricultural College being at first but Bluemont Central 

 College rechristened and nation-endowed, retaining its old Faculty 

 in part, continued with its old ideals to a large extent. It is im- 

 portant to recognize, however, that the charter of Bluemont Col- 

 lege provided for "an agricultural department, with separate pro- 

 fessors, to test soils, experiment in the raising of crops, the culti- 

 vation of trees, etc., upon a farm set apart for the purpose, so as to 

 bring out to the utmost practical results, the agricultural advan- 

 tages of Kansas, especially the capabilities of the high prairie 

 lands." 



The first annual report to the superintendent of public instruc- 

 tion emphasized the importance of making a beginning at once in 

 the agricultural department. The legislature was asked to make 

 appropriations for this, but did not. The federal land endowment 

 of the College was looked upon as relieving the State from any 

 appropriations. As the land had not been sold, there was no in- 

 come from it at first, and the College became involved in debt. The 

 legislature made appropriations to lend the College money for run- 

 ning expenses, the same to be repaid later from the interest in- 

 come. In 1870, the amounts that had been advanced were appro- 

 priated to the College for the purpose of developing the agricultural 

 department. However, as the College did not have the money, the 

 appropriation did little but extinguish the debt. In April, 1871, 

 Manhattan township voted $12,000 to buy land for farming. With 

 this, and some money from the interest fund, the present College 

 campus was purchased, and also 160 acres on Wild Cat creek. The 

 latter seems not to have been retained, perhaps was never wholly 

 paid for. 



In 1867, 500 forest trees and 200 apple trees were planted, also 

 small numbers of other fruit trees. Additional plantings were 

 made in 1869 and 1871, and in 1872 an experimental forest was 

 set. At the end of the year, 36,570 trees were growing in the 

 forest, and the shelter belts. The vineyard at the same time con- 

 tained 1280 vines, mostly Concord. Numerous fruit trees of the 



