In 1909, the Arkansas General Assembly passed a bill creating four public schools of agriculture within the state. On April 1, 1909, Governor George W. Donaghey signed the bill, now known as Act 100 of 1909, into law. The four schools have grown into universities with responsibilities far beyond what their creators envisioned.

Below is the text of Act 100 of 1909 in its entirety.

Act 100 of 1909

Section 1.

For the purpose of this act, the State of Arkansas is divided into the following districts:

The first district to be composed of the following counties: Baxter, Fulton, Sharp, Randolph, Clay, Greene, Lawrence, Izard, Stone, Independence, Jackson, Craighead, Poinsett, Mississippi, Crittenden, Cross, St. Francis, Woodruff, White, Cleburne.

The second district shall be composed of the following counties: Marion, Boone, Carroll, Benton, Washington, Madison, Newton, Searcy, Van Buren, Conway, Pope, Johnson, Franklin, Crawford, Sebastian, Logan, Yell, Perry, Scott and Faulkner.

The third district shall be composed of the following counties: Polk, Montgomery, Garland, Saline, Pulaski, Hot Spring, Pike, Howard, Sevier, Little River, Hempstead, Clark, Nevada, Ouachita, Columbia, Lafayette and Miller.

The fourth district shall be composed of the following counties: Lonoke, Prairie, Monroe, Lee, Phillips, Arkansas, Jefferson, Grant, Dallas, Cleveland, Lincoln, Desha, Drew, Bradley, Calhoun, Union, Ashley and Chicot.

Section 2.

Within each of the foregoing districts there shall be established an industrial school to be known as ‘The State Agricultural School’ of its respective district and in which shall be taught agriculture, horticulture and the art of textile manufacturing.

Section 3.

The Governor of the State, with the concurrence of the Senate, shall appoint in each of the above named districts five trustees, who shall be intelligent farmers, said five trustees in each district shall constitute a board of trustees for their respective district, with power to control the management of the schools herein provided for, and make rules and regulations for the management of same, subject to the provisions of this act. Said trustees shall hold office for a term of ten years or until their successors are appointed: Provided, the first incumbents shall serve for the following periods: One for two years, one for four years, one for six years, one for eight years, and one for ten years: and thereafter one new member appointed every two years: provided further, the Governor shall have power to fill all vacancies caused by death, resignation or otherwise, by appointing a trustee to fill the unexpired term, and he shall also have power to remove any trustee for good cause shown.

Section 4.

The board of trustees in each district shall have power to locate the Agricultural School within each district, and the board shall take into consideration the nature of the soil, healthfulness of location, general desirabilities, and other material inducements offered, such as donation of buildings, lands, or money.

Section 5.

Said board shall elect one of its members president, one vice president, and one secretary. Said board shall meet upon call of the president, and after the school is located, the board meetings shall be held at the school. The members of the board shall be allowed two dollars ($2.00) per day and necessary expenses while attending meetings of the board, and a majority shall constitute a quorum to do business. All expenses shall be certified by the president or vice president, attested by the secretary, to the State Auditor, and paid out of the appropriation herein provided.

Section 6.

The course of study shall be provided by the trustees of each school and shall consist of at least practical experiment, treatises or lectures on agriculture and horticulture, and as soon as practicable and not later than one year succeeding the opening of each school, there shall be established in connection therewith a textile school in which shall be taught the art of cotton manufacturing, and other textile manufacturing, should the board of trustees deem it expedient.

Section 7.

The faculty of each school shall consist of a principal, who shall be a graduate of some reputable school of agriculture; one instructor in stock raising and dairying; a competent textile instructor and assistants as may be necessary. The trustees may combine the duties of the above when practicable.

Section 8.

That after the first buildings are erected and are ready for temporary use, all work in, on, and about said school, or on the farm, or on, or in the barns connected with such schools, whether it be farming, building, care of stock, or whatever kind of work, shall be performed by students of said school under such regulations for the proper divisions and alterations in such work as may be provided by the trustees.

Section 9.

That the tuition in said school shall be free, and the trustees may limit the number of students from time to time, according to the capacity and means of the institution, and shall make such rules of admission as to equalize as nearly as practicable the privileges of the school among the counties according to population, and the trustees may defer the actual opening of the school until such times as may be necessary to prepare reasonable facilities and equipment for the beginning of same; but it is made the duty of the trustees to open said school even though it may have to be done on a limited scale as early as practicable and afterwards extend its operations as circumstances may permit; and the trustees are authorized to rent, to the best advantage from time to time, any portion of the property of such schools not required for the immediate use of said school. No student under the age of fifteen years shall be admitted as a student at such schools.

Section 10.

There is hereby appropriated out of any funds in the State Treasury not otherwise appropriated, $160,000.00, or so much thereof as may be necessary, $40,000.00 of which shall be for the benefit of each of the aforesaid districts for the purpose of this act. All funds realized from the operation of said schools shall be paid into the State Treasury to the credit of the general revenue fund.

Section 11.

The several agricultural schools provided for by this act shall co-operate by reporting to each the results of their several experiments and shall mutually agree upon the publication of such bulletins for free distribution as they may deem to the best interest of those engaged in agricultural pursuits.

Section 12.

That all laws and parts of laws in conflict with this act are hereby repealed, and this act take effect and be in force from and after its passage.

Approved April 1, 1909

Governor George W. Donaghey