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HISTORY OF HILLSDALE COLLEGE BY HON. JOHN C. PATTERSON, 1883
It became necessary to bring suit on his obligation to test its validity. This suit was carried to the supreme court of the State for final adjudication. Others refused to pay. and collections for a time ceased. The work dragged. Mr. Perkins, the contractor on the brickwork, worked alone for months, laying brick. After reaching the second story the work was suspended, and the walls covered over with boards for protection. Henry J. King and Prof. Henry E. Whipple were designated a committee to keep the breath of life in the enterprise. Dr. Daniel Beebe was added to the building committee for the same purpose, but only by artificial means was its vitality maintained at home during a large part of the year 1854.
Another difficulty now became apparent in the light of litigation. The business had been done in the corporate name of Michigan Central College at Spring Arbor. Subscriptions for buildings and contracts had been made with that corporation. The corporation under its charter had no authority to receive the subscription to build a college at Hillsdale and no authority to remove to Hillsdale. Legislative sanction was necessary. There was no general statute under which a college could be incorporated. At that time it was the fixed policy of the State to incorporate no colleges, but reserve the power of conferring collegiate degrees for the State university. The charter of Michigan Central College was the only exception to that rule in the history of the State. In that act, the legislature gave the power to confer degrees only upon conditions that the same work was done at the college that was done at the university. The legislature supposed that the college could not comply with that condition or the power would not have been granted. The enterprise at Hillsdale had no other alternative than to look to the legislature for relief. It was determined to ask for a general college law, under which to incorporate, rather than for an amendment to the old charter which would authorize the removal.
EARLY MICHIGAN
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