ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 22 1 



"The object of it all was to promote the liberal and practical educa- 

 tion of the industrial classes." And in 1368 Illinois established its col- 

 lege under the name of the Illinois Industrial University. 



FOUNDING. 



While no difficulty was experienced in securing teachers for scientific 

 and classical courses it was found almost impossible to find teachers or 

 literature for the agricultural department. Principles of agricultural 

 science familiar now to every progressive farmer, were at that time undis- 

 covered. Under these conditions the college of agriculture had a precar- 

 ious existence. 



After a struggle of twenty-one years relief came through an act of 

 congressi commonly called the Hatch Act, by which $15,000 was apprc- 

 priated to each of the states to establish "Agricultural Experiment Sta- 

 tions" under the direction of the college of Agriculture. A second meas- 

 ure of relief was found in another act of congress by which an appropria- 

 tion was made for the further endowment and support of the colleges of 

 agriculture and mechanic arts. It was generally supposed that the agri- 

 cultural college of Illinois was then on a basis that would make it a credit 

 to the state, but when in February, 1898, the Illinois Farmers' Institute 

 held its annual meeting at the University, to the surprise and disappoint- 

 ment of the farmers: present it was found that the buildings belonging to 

 the Agricultural College consisted of three wooden barns. The necessity^ 

 of having a department in our Stale University in which the sons of 

 farmers, or those wishing to fit themselves for agricultural pursuits could 

 have the advantage of scientific instruction equal in every respect to 

 other departments was recognized and in the following September at a 

 meeting of the Board of Directors of the Illinois Farmers' Institute it was 

 determined to ask the legislature for an appropriation by which the Agri- 

 cultural College could be placed on a basis fitting to the rank wliich this 

 state holds in agricultural productions. Accordingly a committee from 

 the State Farmers' Institute asked the legislature for an appropriation of 

 $150,000 for a building for the College of Agriculture. 



