when it again suspended on account of the occupation of the country by the Federal troops.

The college was reopened October 2, 1865; for the necessary expenses of the reopening, the Governor borrowed in behalf of the institution the sum of twenty thousand dollars.

The Legislature acknowledged the indebtedness of the State to the seminary of the interest on the permanent fund of one hundred and thirty-six thousand dollars for the years 1863, 1864, and 1865, and authorized the payment of this to the amount of $25,800. In addition to this special appropriations were made as follows: Five thousand dollars for repairs, five thousand dollars for apparatus, one thousand dollars for current expenses, and $15,600 for the maintenance of fifty-two cadets, or three hundred dollars each, to as many as should attend, not exceeding fifty-two.1

In 1866-67 the number of beneficiary cadets was fixed equal to the number of representatives in the Legislature from each parish, and the amount paid to each student was four hundred dollars. The Legislature appropriated over thirty-six thousand dollars to meet the expenses of these cadets, besides giving ten thousand dollars for special purposes.

In 1867-68 the Legislature provided for the support of ninety cadets at the above rates, thirty-six thousand dollars, and the following session appropriated twenty-five thousand dollars for buildings and improvements.

In 1870 there was appropriated the sum of twenty thousand dollars to the seminary, and allowed $35,700 for the support of cadets. In 1871 there was appropriated twenty thousand dollars to the university2 at large, ten thousand dollars for apparatus, and $46,200 allowed for the support of cadets.

It seems that the Legislature failed to make the usual appropriations for the support of the university for several years subsequent to 1871 and consequently the life of the institution was at a low ebb.

FOUNDING OF THE AGRICULTURAL AND MECHANICAL COLLEGE.

The Agricultural and Mechanical College was founded in 1874, and its union with the university in 1876 brought new life to this institution. The agricultural college was opened temporarily at New Orleans, but retained its separate existence for only three years, to the date of its organic union with the university at Baton Rouge.

The new university was organized in 1877 and reorganized in 1880. It was placed under control of twelve supervisors appointed by the Governor, in addition to three ex-officio members, viz, the president of

'Fay: History of Education in Louisiana; part of the facts on this subject have been taken from Mr. Fay's manuscript, which was kindly lent the writer.

? The name of the seminary was changed in 1871 to that of university,

the faculty, the Superintendent of Public Instruction and the Governor of the State.

The proceeds of two hundred and ten thousand acres of land donated to the State by Congress yielded a net return of $182,313.03 in United States currency. This was invested in State bonds, making a fund of three hundred and twenty-seven thousand dollars, drawing six per cent. interest. Two years later (1875) these bonds were converted by constitutional amendment into new consolidated State bonds to the amount of $796,200, bearing seven per cent. interest. Again in 1879, this investment was converted by constitutional enactments into a simple obligation and the original sum ($182,313.03) was entered upon the auditor's book to the credit of the university at an interest of five per cent. The bonds were destroyed.

The first investment yielded an income of $19,620, the second $13,734, and the last $9,115.65, the present income.3

4

Since the organization of the new institution known as the State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, it receives its support from three sources, viz, from four per cent. on one hundred and thirty-six thousand dollars, the seminary fund; five per cent. on $182,313, the agricultural college fund, and the annual appropriation of ten thousand dollars per annum5 out of the public treasury since 1879.6 The income from these sources amounted in 1881-82 to $24,556, and in 1886-87 to the same. The appropriation of the Legislature for 1889 is ten thousand dollars, and for 1890 the same; provided that two thousand dollars of each appropriation be used for necessary building repairs. In addition to the above amount the sum of four hundred and fifty dollars is appropriated for insurance.

SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY.

This school was organized by the Legislature in 1880 for the education of the colored race. At its foundation the Legislature granted an annual appropriation of ten thousand dollars for its support.

The school has grown with wonderful rapidity, and is a monument of the present good will of the State toward the education of all citizens. The Legislature in 1888 increased the appropriation for the years 1889 and 1890 to seventy-five thousand dollars each.

SUMMARY OF APPROPRIATIONS.

It is quite impossible to make an estimate of the sums spent in Louisiana by the State for higher education. But we can at least estimate the several recognized State institutions.

i

Report of the Board of Supervisors, p. 3.
Ibid.

3 Regents' Report, 1888, p. 33.

+ Ibid., 1882.

5 Poore, Constitutions,

6 Report of the Commissioner of Education, 1881, p. 88.

7 Acts of the Assembly, 1888, No. 48. • Ibid.

Tulane University

State Seminary of Learning and Military Academy

State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College
Southern University

Total appropriations ..

$155,500

299, 090 120,000

220,000

794,590

Col. William P. Johnston estimates the amount received by the Agricultural and Mechanical College at Baton Rouge to be over one million dollars; this probably includes the incomes on the Congressional donation. In a memorial made to the General Assembly in 1860 by the Governor of Louisiana it is stated that more than three million dollars had been spent on colleges and academies. As before stated, Mr. Farrar, in an address delivered June 30, 1880, estimated that over two million dollars had been spent in this way. It is very difficult to arrive at any exact statement concerning the amount spent for higher education, for indeed the academies and some of those called colleges would be classified under the head of secondary instruction.

TEXAS.

The peculiar conditions attached to the admission of Texas into the Union enabled her to retain the title to her public lands, and thus to have entire control of all reservations for public education. However, the method pursued here did not differ materially from that pursued by other States under the ordinance and policy of 1787.

In the year 1839, while Texas was yet an independent republic, the Legislature enacted1 that there should be granted to each county then organized three leagues of land for the purpose of establishing a primary school or academy. These lands were to be located in the county receiving the benefit of the grant if such suitable land could be there obtained, otherwise they were to be located in any of the public lands of the State and were to be located and surveyed at the public expense. The lands were to be surveyed in tracts of not less than one hundred and sixty acres each. In the following year the grant was enlarged to four leagues for each county and in 1850 the act 3 was made general for all newly organized counties.

The chief justice and two associate justices of each county were made ex officio school commissioners to adjust and apply the land grant to the support of the schools heretofore mentioned.*

This peculiar method of forming a school board out of the judiciary

1 Laws of 1839, p. 120.

2 The square league was the unit of land measure used by Spain, in all the Spanish American provinces.

3 Laws of 1850.

Laws of 1840, p. 146.

arose from the Spanish system of alcaldes who, as judges, had various other duties of administration attached. By this plan the better organized counties had schools at an early date, but it was not until 1854 that a law1 was enacted to institute a system of free schools throughout the State. But the provision of the State was entirely inadequate for the maintenance of the schools formed, about four-fifths of their support being derived from tuition. This plan was followed until the inception of the Civil War, when the entire disorganization followed.

CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISIONS.

The school system formed in 1854 was based upon the provisions of the Constitution of 1845, which declares that "a general diffusion of knowledge being essential to the preservation of the rights and liberties of the people, it shall be the duty of the Legislature of this State to make suitable provision for the support and maintenance of public schools."3

"The Legislature shall as soon as practicable establish free schools throughout the State and shall furnish means for their support by taxation on property; and it shall be the duty of the Legislature to set apart not less than one-tenth of the annual revenue of the State derived from taxation as a perpetual fund, which perpetual fund shall be appropriated for the support of free public schools." 4

The Constitution of 1836 was silent on the subject of education, but that of 1866 and the amendment of 1869 repeated in general the sentiments of that of 1845; but it was not until 1876 that specific provisions were made for the support of higher education. These provisions we will speak of under the subject of

THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS.

The laws of 1839, granting public lands for the support of free schools also granted that three leagues of land should be set apart for the establishment and endowment of two colleges or universities. However, nothing was done toward the establishment of a university until 1858, when a law was passed for the organization of said institution. The next legislation on the subject occurred after the interval had elapsed, set apart by the course of human events for the adjustment of political difficulties. This legislation, embodied in the Constitution of 1866, decreed that the land set apart for the endowment of universities shall be preserved, and authorized such legal provisions by the Legislature as will organize and put into operation the university."6

1 Laws of 1854.

2 Report of Commissioner of Education, 1876, p. 384.

3 Constitution of 1845, Art. X, sec. 1.

4 Constitution of 1845, Art. X, sec. 2.

5 Laws of 1839.

6 Constitution of 1866, Art. X, sec. 8.

PUBLIC LANDS.

In addition to the three leagues of land granted in 1839, every tenth section of lands granted or that might be granted to railroad companies or to the Galveston and Brazos Navigation Company was reserved for the benefit of the university.

It is estimated that this grant would have reached the magnificent proportions of one million six hundred thousand acres, "situated in the most thickly settled parts of the State, and worth, perhaps, on an average five dollars per acre." Unfortunately for the university the grant of the tenth sections was withdrawn by the Constitution of 1876, and in lieu thereof one million acres of the unappropriated public do main were ordered set apart and appropriated for the endowment, maintenance, and support of the university."

By an act of April 10, 1883, another million acres of land was set apart out of that portion of the public land devoted to the payment of the public debt to constitute a part of the permanent endowment fund of the University of Texas.

Out of the original grant of three leagues "there have been sold and patented 147,238 acres; sold and unpatented, 67,416 acres; in conflict, 21,762.5 acres."3

There were located of the tenth-section grants of the Galveston and Brazos Navigation Company nine and four-tenths sections, situated mainly in the eastern portions of the State and bringing no revenue at present.4

Of the first million-acre grant of 1876 only 71,040 acres are leased; these bring a revenue of $3,524.96, the remaining 928,960 acres being wholly unproductive. The second million-acre grant remains entire, none of it having been either sold or leased.

The total remaining grant of 1,928,960 acres is nearly all grazing land.

From the regents' reports of 1886 it seems that the present income of the university from its magnificent landed endowment is only $47,552.54, part of which is from matriculation fees, amounting in 1887 to about $3,200.6

From the same report we glean the following items which are presented here in order to show the method pursued by the Legislature in the treatment of the university grant.

First, the Legislature appropriated the fund for the uses of the State to the amount of $145,761.90, as follows:7