re: Why did Louisiana not form a traditional "University of Louisiana" originally?

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But LSU is the flagship university of the LSU System

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LSU is the flagship university in this state--not just the LSU system.
Flagship of Louisiana

No legitimate argument can be made for any other Louisiana school.

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LSU shouldn't be trusted. Afterall, William Tecumseh Sherman was the first superintendent.

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Hopefully, like Sherman, we can make a march to Atlanta for the SEC championship game this year, albeit in a different manner.

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No legitimate argument can be made for any other Louisiana school.

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Completely agree... but just wondering about how official that link is outside of the LSU system. I know that the UL system did not designate a flagship for their system, but unless the State of Louisiana has drafted legislation designating LSU (Baton Rouge) as the flagship university of the state, it is an unofficial designation.

This.

LINK

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There are over 3,000 colleges and universities in the United States. Centenary College of Louisiana is the 43rd oldest. It was founded in 1825 by the State in the last days of the 5th president of the U.S. – James Monroe. Known then as the College of Louisiana, it was located in the village of Jackson.

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Before 1845, the College of Louisiana had established itself as one of the leading educational institutions in the country, rivaling even Harvard’s enrollment, as nearly 300 students showed up for some sessions. But its location off the beaten track and the State’s failure to support it financially led to its merger with Centenary College, a Mississippi Methodist institution. That college was founded to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of John Wesley’s organization of the Methodist Societies of England. Centenary was suffering financially and bought the plant and buildings at Jackson and moved to the Louisiana location. The selling price was $10,000; however, the Methodist conference of Mississippi paid only $166.66, never paying the balance.

The amalgamation of the two schools in 1845 under the name “Centenary College of Louisiana” proved to be a good move for both institutions. Before the Civil War, Centenary enjoyed productive years. A magnificent classroom/administration building was erected in 1846, flanked by two dorms, one of which is still standing as a museum and relic. The Civil War, in effect, dealt a mortal wound to Centenary and Jackson. The College closed during the conflict, and six of the 10 seniors were killed in battle or died of wounds and illness. The College was used as a hospital and was captured and recaptured by Union and Confederate forces. The campus itself was the scene of more than one battle. Centenary at Jackson never really recovered from the War. It hung on there till 1908, but only barely. Perhaps the best thing that can be said of those bleak postwar years in Jackson is that finally in 1895, 70 years after its founding, women were admitted to the College. In 1903, four of the 20 graduates were women. The College moved to Shreveport in 1908 through the efforts of prominent Shreveport Methodists.

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So there was a College of Louisiana; it was just a long time ago and it's merged, changed its name, and moved to a different site since then.

From wikipedia:

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On April 30, 1926, formal dedication of the present LSU campus took place, following the school's history at the federal garrison grounds (now the site of the state capitol) where it had been located since 1886.

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So it seems like LSU was located in Baton Rouge, where the State Capitol is now, from 1886 but didn't have a formal campus until 1926. I don't know since I didn't go there.

I have to go off wiki since I didn't go there and personally read up on their history.

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LSU is the flagship

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:hogsessed:

I think the original Baton Rouge campus was near downtown, until moving to the present location around the time you noted.

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I think the original Baton Rouge campus was near downtown, until moving to the present location around the time you noted.

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Posted this in another thread:


LSU has the newest campus in the SEC.

LSU was formerly based in Pineville, La. On October 15th, 1869, the Pineville campus burned to the ground. Classes would resume November 1st in Baton Rouge at Institute for the Deaf, Dumb, and Blind.

LSU begins moving to the federal garrison grounds (now the site of the state capitol) in 1886.

The present campus was dedicated in 1926. The move to the new campus was finally completed in 1932.

good thing the original campus burned down. br is slightly better than pineville

Sorry, I thought you were referring to 1910.