Texas A&M University

Duane's take

Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about Texas A&M University, out in Brazos County. Now settle in, because this one goes back a good long ways. On April 17, 1871, the State Legislature authorized the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas, doing so under the terms of the Federal Morrill Act.

Constitutionally, it was considered part of a chartered but yet-unorganized state university, which is a fine way of saying it existed on paper before it existed in practice. Then in 1875, A&M gained its own directorate, with Governor Richard Coke serving as Board President. The people of Brazos County put up the land, two thousand four hundred and sixteen acres of it.

That is not a small commitment. The college was committed to teaching, and I'm quoting here, branches of learning related to agriculture and mechanic arts, to promote liberal and practical education. And on October 4, 1876, the doors opened.

Texas A&M became the first state institution of higher learning actually operating in Texas. Thomas S. Gathright was President.

Now here is a number worth sitting with. It opened with six students, spread across seven academic departments. Six students.

By 1976, that same institution counted twenty-eight thousand and thirty-eight students across eleven academic colleges. Initially an all-male, all-white school, it was desegregated as to color in 1963, and made fully coeducational in 1971. The Legislature, recognizing its diversified programs and international leadership in education and research, awarded it the new name, Texas A&M University, on August 23, 1963.

Then on September 17, 1971, the United States Congress made it one of America's first four Sea Grant Colleges. And when the nation has called, Texas A&M has answered. Thousands of ROTC men went to national defense, including twenty-nine general officers for World War II.

Six students to twenty-eight thousand. First in Texas to actually open its doors. Twenty-nine generals.

That marker is not bragging. It is just keeping the record straight.

What the marker says

The State Legislature authorized the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas April 17, 1871, under terms of the Federal Morrill Act. Constitutionally a part of a chartered, yet-unorganized state university, A&M gained its own directorate in 1875 with Governor Richard Coke as Board President. Brazos Countians provided its 2,416-acre site. Committed to "teach...branches of learning...related to agriculture and mechanic arts...to promote liberal and practical education," A&M opened Oct. 4, 1876, as the first state institution of higher learning actually operating in Texas. Thomas S. Gathright was President. Its original six students in seven academic departments grew to 28,038 students in eleven academic colleges by 1976. Initially an all-male, all-white school, it was desegregated as to color in 1963 and made fully coeducational in 1971. The Legislature recognized its diversified programs and international leadership in education and research by awarding the new name, Texas A&M University, on Aug. 23, 1963. On Sept. 17, 1971, the U.S. Congress made this one of America's first four Sea Grant Colleges. National defense has drawn from Texas A&M thousands of ROTC men, including 29 general officers for World War II.