Justin Smith Morrill: Father of the Land-Grant Colleges

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MSU Press, Jul 31, 1999 - Biography & Autobiography - 245 pages

Smith Morrill: Almost every land-grant college or university in the United States has a building named for him; but are his contributions truly recognized and understood? Here is the first biography on this renowned statesman in six decades. Representative and then senator from Vermont, Morrill began his tenure in Congress in 1855 and served continuously for forty-three years. His thirty- one years in the upper chamber alone earned him the title "Father of the Senate." Coy F. Cross reveals a complex and influential political figure who, as chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, and then the Senate Finance Committee, influenced American economic policy for nearly fifty years.
Morrill's most-recognized achievements are the pieces of legislation that bear his name: the Morrill land-grant college acts of 1862 and 1890. His legacy, inspired by the Jeffersonian ideal of an educated electorate, revolutionized American higher education. Prior to this legislation, colleges and universities were open primarily to affluent white men and studies were limited largely to medicine, theology, and philosophy. Morrill's land-grant acts eventually opened American higher education to the working class, women, minorities, and immigrants. Since 1862, more than 20 million people have graduated from the 104 land-grant colleges and universities spawned by his grand vision. In this long-overdue study, Cross shows the "Father of Land-Grant Colleges" to be one of America's formative nineteenth- century political figures.

 

Selected pages

Contents

Title Page
9
MR Morrill GOES TO WASHINGTON
THE MORRILL TARIFF
THE IRREPRESSIBLE CONFLICT
THE LANDGRANT COLLEGE ACT
THE POLITICIAN INSIDE THE PUBLIC SERVANT
SENATOR MORRILL
BEAUTIFYING WASHINGTON
EPLOGUE
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Justin Smith Morrill: Father of the Land-Grant Colleges
Coy F. Cross
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agricultural Allan Nevins amendment American Tariff Controversies April became believed Blaine Burlington Free Press candidate Capitol Chase Congress congressional Constitution December Democrats Dewey duties election February Fessenden Financial History friends Gentleman from Vermont Governor Grant greenbacks House of Representatives Hoyer Ibid income James January John Johnson Judge Harris July June Justin Morrill Justin Smith Morrill Kansas Land-Grant College Act land-grant colleges legal tender legislation Library Lincoln Louise March measure million Montpelier Morrill Collection Morrill explained Morrill Homestead Morrill Tariff Morrill to Ruth Morrill wrote Morrill’s Nevins opposed percent Poland political polygamy President Press proposed public land Q lbid Q Morrill Q Parker rates Reconstruction resolution revenue Ruth Morrill Senate session Sherman slave slavery slavery’s Solomon Foot South southern speech Stanwood Strafford Sumner Swan tariff bill territories Thaddeus Stevens treasury secretary treaty Union United University of Vermont vote voters Washington Whig William wool York

About the author (1999)

Coy F. Cross is a professional historian employed by the U.S. Air Force, as 9th Reconnaissance Wing Historian.

Bibliographic information

TitleJustin Smith Morrill: Father of the Land-Grant Colleges
AuthorsCoy F. Cross II, Coy F Cross
PublisherMSU Press, 1999
ISBN0870139053, 9780870139055
Length245 pages
Subjects › 

Biography & Autobiography / General
Biography & Autobiography / Political
  
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