Re: [DL] Character Question

[Munch Wolf <munchwolf@yahoo.com>]

--- Ross Coburn <coburn@sympatico.ca> wrote:
> I would expect that Purdue, if open at the time,
> would be the pre-eminent RR
> school...  they *did* (and still do, actually) carry
> the nickname
> 'Boilermakers' for a reason, y'know...

Since I presently work for Purdue I figured I'd chime
up.  Quick Purdue history found at:
http://www.purdue.edu/OOP/facts/facts_history.html

July 2, 1862. President Lincoln signed the Morrill
Act, by which the federal government offered to turn
over public lands to any state that would use the
proceeds from their sale to maintain a college to
teach agriculture and the "mechanic arts." 
           
1865. Indiana General Assembly voted to participate in
this plan and took steps to establish such an
institution. 
           
May 6, 1869. Assembly decided to locate the
institution near Lafayette and accepted $150,000 from
John Purdue, $50,000 from Tippecanoe County, and 100
acres of land from local residents. Legislators
established the institute and named it Purdue
University. 
           
September 16, 1874. Classes began with six
instructors, 39 students. 

September 12, 1876.  John Purdue, the principle
benefactor in founding the University died in
Lafayette, IN.


The only weird part of Purdue's history which fits the
current timeline that I noticed is that Richard Owen
was the school's President from 1872-1874, and Abraham
C. Shortridge was Purdue's President from 1874-1875. 
Well classes didn't start until 1874, so what was
Richard Owen doing for 2 years?  And why did he leave
as soon as school started?

-Munch Wolf

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