User:AreJay/Purdue

Purdue University (Purdue) is a land-grant, public university in West Lafayette, Indiana, United States. Purdue was founded in 1869 when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act which offered public lands to any state that would establish a college for teaching agriculture and mechanics, accepted a donation of land and money from Lafayette businessman John Purdue. Today, Purdue is the largest university in Indiana in terms of student enrollment and is the flagship campus of the Purdue University System.

Academically, Purdue is ranked among the world's top universities. Purdue is particularly noted for its engineering, agriculture and management schools, which, according to U.S. News & World Report rank 8th, 2nd and 18th respectively in the nation. Also notable among its numerous research facilities and centers are Discovery Park, home to several interdisciplinary science and entrepreneurship programs, and the Purdue Research Park, a large industrial research park with close ties to the university. The university's academic research expenditure, which is in excess of $300 million, is one of the highest in the nation. Purdue is also noted for its football and basketball athletic teams. As of 2005, Purdue's in-state and out-of-state tuition, though consistant with that of its peer universities, has nearly doubled since 1996.

Acceptance and establishment
On February 28, 1956, Justin Smith Morrill (R), a Representative from Vermont authored legislation to investigate the feasibility of "establishing one or more national agricultural schools upon the basis of naval and military schools". Morrill's document, which later matured into the Morrill Act, was signed into effect by President Lincon on July 2, 1862. The Act offered public lands to any state that would establish a national institution to teach agriculture and mechanics.

The establishment of an "agricultural university" in the state of Indiana was taken up by the Indiana General Assembly the following year and was met with considerable opposition. Popular state consensus at the time was to utilize Morrill Act funds to further expand Indiana University along the lines suggested by the act. By 1865, several localities throughout the state were seeking the establishment of an agricultural college. The Stockwell Collegiate Institute in Tippecanoe County offered its buildings and 160 acres. Battle Ground Institute in the same county offered a total of $100,000 in land and buildings. John Purdue, a Lafayette businessman, approached the General Assembly about his willingness to contribute $100,000 "out of his own purse" (in addition to the Tippecanoe county pledges) subject to two provisions: that the college be located at Battle Ground, the approximate site of the Battle of Tippecanoe (1811), and that the college "by law have his surname identified with the corporate name of the college". John Purdue's offer was accepted on May 4, 1869 by a 32-10 vote in the Senate and on May 6, 1869 (officially recognized as the university's founding date) by the House of Representatives by a 76-19 vote.

Founding years
Purdue University opened on September 16, 1874 with a student enrollment of about 40. The few buildings on campus included the Boarding Hall (Ladies Hall), a dormitory for men (Purdue Hall) and the Science Building. The university board commissioned a Cincinnati archtect, James K Wilson, to contruct what would become known as University Hall. The board also sanctioned the contruction of a military hall and gymnasium as well as a boiler and gas house, with necessary equipment. Richard Owen, appointed the university's first president in 1872, died before classes officially started in 1874, and was replaced by Abraham Shortage, the superindentent of Indianapolis schools. William Morgan, John Hussey and Harvey Wiley were the first to be given professorships at the university. By the time Stortridge died in 1875, student enrollment had increased to 65. After Stortridge's death, Emerson E White, an educator from Ohio was appointed president in 1976, as business interests lured interim president John Hougham away from Purdue to Manhattan, Kansas. White announced his plan for structurally reorganizing the university. He proposed the establishment of three new departments &msash; the University Academy for preparation for entry into a College of General Science, and the Special Schools of Science and Technology which included programs of study in agriculture, horticulture, civil engineering, physics, mechanics, chemistry and natural history. White excercized rigid control of student life on campus which included forbidding students from joining Greek or secret societies. Despite the restrictions, Purdue's first fraternity, the Delta Delta Chapter of Sigma Chi was secretly formed on March 9, 1875. White's anti-fraternity stance led to a bitter judicial arbitration with the pro-fraternity lobby. White, who emerged from the battle in defeat, resigned in 1883 realizing the that prolonging the legal battle would only add more strain to the University's finances. His resignation failed to sway the Indiana General Assembly and in 1883, no state funds were made available to Purdue.