The On Feb. 20, 1828-less than five months after the adjournment of the Conference-the people of Lebanon, a village of about 200 souls, to anticipate the action of this committee, determined, independent of church affiliations, that the seat of this proposed institution of learning should be located in their midst. Articles of association were promptly formulated by Rev. A. W. Casad, to which subscriptions were solicited "for the erection of an edifice for a seminary of learning to be conducted as nearly as may be, on the plan of Augusta college, Kentucky." The articles provided that "Any subscriber in the sum of ten dollars should become a shareholder-shares to be transferable," that each shareholder should be "entitled to send one scholar for each share, free of house rent, and charges for the public library, etc.; also shall be free from charge for fuel." building was to be two stories in height and "not less than thirty-six by forty-eight feet, with two wings of suitable dimensions for convenience, to be commenced as soon as $600 dollars is subscribed." 1t was further provided that "The Illinois Conference is respectfully solicited to take the institution under its fostering care," etc., with the added statement that "It is very desirable that the Missouri Annual conference should unite with the Illinois conference and make it a conference seminary for both conferences" The final provision runs as follows: "In case the Conferences do not signify, by special communication to the secretary of the institution, their intention to aid the institution by the first of October, the stockholders shall, on notice, convene and select a suitable number of managers and other officers whose powers and duties shall be delegated to them by the stockholders."* To these Articles of Organization, still preserved, are appended the names of 104 persons-three of them women-whose subscriptions toward establishing the institution aggregated the sum of $1,385.00. As evidence of the systematic zeal with which these early pioneers were pushing this educational enterprise the subscribers met, on March 1st, and elected the following persons as trustees: Samuel H. Thompson, Nicholas Horner, George Lowe, Theophilus M. Nichols, Joshua Barnes, John Thomas, sr., Samuel C. Stites and David S. Witter. At this meeting it was resolved to erect an edifice, and A. W. Casad, Nathan Horner and George Lowe were appointed a committee to purchase a certain eight acre tract of land owned by Richard Bradsby, provided the same might be secured at a figure not exceeding $3.00 per acre; the committee also being authorized to let the contract for the erection of the building. On November 8th. the Conference not having, at its session in the preceding October, taken the institution under "its fostering care," as expressed in the Articles of Organization, the stockholders held a meeting and elected thirty-three managers, of which body the Rev. Samuel H. Thompson was made president, David S. Witter secretary and Nathan Horner treasurer. *For Articles in full, and signatures, see appendix.-Exhibit 1. The managers were chosen from a wide area of territory and embraced some of the most conspicuous persons connected with the early day history of the State, as will be seen from the names here given: Rev. John Dew, Rev. Joshua Barnes, Col. Andrew Bankson, James Riggin, Thomas Ray, David L. West, Col. E. B. Clemson, Rev. Samuel Mitchell, sr., Wm. Padfield and Wm. Bradsby, of the County of St. Clair; Rev. Peter Cartwright and Charles R. Matheny, of Sangamon county; Hall Mason, Rev. Washingtun C. Ballard, John C. Dugger and Major Isaac Furgeson, of Madison county; Rev. Aaron Wood, of Mt. Carmel; Hon. Shadrach Bond, of Kaskaskia; Rev. Smith L. Robinson, of Kaskaskia Circuit; John Tillson, jr., of Hillsboro; Peter Hubbard, of Bond county Charles Slade and Pomroy Easton, of Carlyle; John Logan, of Jackson county; Major John Phillips, of Washington county; Col E. C. Berry, of Vandalia; Dr. Thomas Stanton, of Waterloo; Rev. Zadock Casey, of Jefferson county; Rev. Andrew Monroe, Major John O'Fallon and George W. Kerr, of St. Louis City; Rev. Alexander McCallister, of St. Louis county, and Rev. Jesse Green, of Missouri District. At the same session an elaborate Constitution* was formed, defining, in detail, the powers and privileges of the organization, as also By-laws and Rules were adopted. The nature of the work, both as to the Preparatory and College Departments, was indicated and the importance of employing some one capable of "teaching the higher branches of Mathematics, Natural and Moral Philosophy, and the Latin and Greek Languages" was emphasized. This was in keeping with the provision contained in the original Articles that the "Seminary of Learning" should be conducted "as near as may be on the plan of Augusta College, Kentucky," then in operation with full courses of collegiate studies.† That no time should be lost in waiting for the completion of the building-preliminary steps for the erection of which had already been taken the two school houses of the village were rented, and on Nov. 24, 1828, with Mr. M. R. Ames-subsequently Bishop-as principal, and Miss McMurphy, assistant, McKendree College, then known as "Lebanon Seminary," was opened for public patronage. The year was divided into two sessions of five months-each session being followed by one month's vacation. The terms of tuition were fixed for the "lower branches at $5.00 per session." and for the "higher branches," embracing Mathematics, Natural and Moral Philosophy and the Latin and Greek Languages, "at $7.00 per session." The close of the first term showed an enrollment of 72 students, five of whom were women, yielding a revenue of $164.41. The principal received, as compensation for his services, $115.00, and the assistant $83.33. The Board of Managers, by resolution, highly complimented Miss McMurphy for her excellence as a teacher, and appointed a *For full text of Constitution see Appendix.-Exhibit 2. +Augusta College, founded in 1822, was the successor of Cokesbury College, founded by the Methodists, near Baltimore Md., in 1785, and destroyed by an incendiary fire in 1795. Augusta College, yielding to the unfortunate influences created by the acrimonious discussion of the slavery question, closed its doors in 1844, leaving McKendree the oldest existing college having its origin under Methodist auspices. |