INTRODUCTORY. I
Agricultural and Mechanical Colleges in the United States
owe their origin to an act of Congress, entitled "An act do-
nating public lands to the several States and Territories
which may provide colleges for the benefit of agriculture and
the mechanic arts," approved july 2, 1862. The amount
of land donated was 30,000 acres for each Representative in
the National Congress. Under this allotment Kentucky
received 330,000 acres. Several years elapsed before the
Commonwealth established an Agricultural and Mechanical
College under the act. 'When established, it was not placed
upon an independent basis, but was made one of the Col-
leges of Kentucky University, to which Institution the
annual interest of the proceeds of the Congressional land
grant were to be given for the purpose of carrying on its
operations. The land scrip had meanwhile been sold for
hfty cents per acre, and the amount received—$165,000——
invested in six per cent. Kentucky State bonds, of which
` the State became the custodian in trust for the College. I
The connection with Kentucky University continued till
i 1878, when the act of 1865, making it one of the colleges
of said University, was repealed, and a Commission was
appointed to recommend to the Legislature of 1879-,80 a
plan of organization for an Institution including an Agri-
cultural and Mechanical College such as the necessities of
the Commonwealth require. The city of Lexington offered
to the Commission (which was also authorized to recom-
mend to the General Assembly the place, which, all things
considered, offered the best and greatest inducements for
the future and permanent location of the College) the City
Park, containing fifty~two acres of land, within the limits of