Geyer Act
Encyclopedia
The Geyer Act of 1839 was an act of the Missouri State Legislature which established the public school system of Missouri
as well as the University of Missouri
in Columbia, Missouri
. The act was introduced by congressman James S. Rollins
from Boone County
and named after its author, Henry Geyer. Rollins became known as the "Father of the University of Missouri" in part because of his support in the bills passaged. The act was designed after Thomas Jefferson
's plan for public education in Virginia
. Most of the act was revoked by 1841 out of practicality, but still the foundations of public education in Missouri can be traced to the passage of the Geyer Act.
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
as well as the University of Missouri
University of Missouri
The University of Missouri System is a state university system providing centralized administration for four universities, a health care system, an extension program, five research and technology parks, and a publishing press. More than 64,000 students are currently enrolled at its four campuses...
in Columbia, Missouri
Columbia, Missouri
Columbia is the fifth-largest city in Missouri, and the largest city in Mid-Missouri. With a population of 108,500 as of the 2010 Census, it is the principal municipality of the Columbia Metropolitan Area, a region of 164,283 residents. The city serves as the county seat of Boone County and as the...
. The act was introduced by congressman James S. Rollins
James S. Rollins
James Sidney Rollins was a nineteenth century Missouri politician and lawyer. He helped establish the University of Missouri, led the successful effort to get it located in Boone County, and gained funding for the University with the passage of a series of acts in the Missouri Legislature...
from Boone County
Boone County, Missouri
Boone County is a county centrally located in the U.S. state of Missouri. It is the eighth most populous county in Missouri. In 2010, the population was 162,642. Its county seat, Columbia, is the fifth largest city in Missouri and the anchor city of the Columbia Metropolitan Area.-History:Boone...
and named after its author, Henry Geyer. Rollins became known as the "Father of the University of Missouri" in part because of his support in the bills passaged. The act was designed after Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
's plan for public education in Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. Most of the act was revoked by 1841 out of practicality, but still the foundations of public education in Missouri can be traced to the passage of the Geyer Act.
See also
- History of the University of MissouriHistory of the University of MissouriThis article is about the history of the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri and the state-wide University of Missouri System.-Founding and early years:...
- Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary EducationMissouri Department of Elementary and Secondary EducationThe Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education or DESE, autonomous of the governor and the Missouri State Legislature, administers primary and secondary public education in the state of Missouri. Local municipalities and their respective school districts operate individual public...