Finding Aid for Morrow Plots Historical File, 1939-1998 | University of Illinois Archives

Title: Morrow Plots Historical File, 1939-1998

ID: 8/1/62

Primary Creator: University of Illinois at U-C. College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences

Extent: 0.5 cubic feet

Arrangement: Alphabetical by subject, chronological thereunder.

Date Acquired: 12/03/2025

Subjects: Agricultural Experiments, Experimental Fields, Morrow Plots, National Register of Historic Places, Student Protests, Vietnam War

Languages: English

Historical File of the Morrow Plots includes brochures, correspondence, maps, newspaper clippings, notes, photographs, and slides relating to plot yields, soil treatments, the Morrow Plots Centennial, the National Historic Landmark dedication, and the "Cream the Corn" incident, a 1969 student protest relating to agricultural experiments during the Vietnam War. People represented include L.F. (Fred) Welsh, L.B. Miller, Bob Dunker, S.W. Melsted, Laura Bartman, Chris Larsen, M.G. (Gene) Oldham, and the "Morrow Marauders," or the students who participated in "Cream the Corn."

Agricultural instruction was provided for in the Land Grant Act of Congress in 1862 and it was one of the chief aims of the university at its beginning.¹ In 1867, the Board of Trustees established the Agricultural Department, made up of the School of General Agriculture and the School of Horticulture, Fruit-growing, and Landscape Gardening.² It was formally recognized as a College and the dean's office was established in 1877.³ The dean is appointed biennially by the Board of Trustees and his duties include: preparing the budget; representing and reporting on the college to outside authorities; and coordinating the activities of the departments and special offices.⁴ The dean is also responsible for the operations of the Office of Publications and the Office of Agricultural Communications, both established in 1966,⁵ and the Office of International Agricultural Programs, which was established in 1966 to coordinate college-wide programs such as the International Soybean Program.⁶ In 1965, the title of the office changed from Dean of the College, Director of the Experiment Station, and Director of the Cooperative Extension Service to Dean of the College of Agriculture.⁷

On May 11, 1995, the Board of Trustees approved a proposal to rename the College to the College of Agriculture, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences (ACES) to reflect the breadth of disciplines taught and researched by the College.⁸ The Board also approved of the reorganization of the College which integrated the existing fifteen administrative units into the following seven administrative units: Agriculture and Consumer Economics; Food Science and Human Nutrition; Human and Community Development; Crop Sciences; Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences; Agricultural Engineering; and Animal Sciences. The interdepartmental, intercollegiate Division of Nutritional Sciences was also part of the reorganization to create the College of ACES.⁹

1. Board of Trustees Transactions, 1st Report, Laws Concerning the Industrial University, Laws of Congress, p. 1-3; 1st Report, May 7, 1867, p. 47.

2. Board of Trustees Transactions, 1st Report, May 8, 1867, p. 50.

3. Board of Trustees Transactions, 9th Report, June 7, 1877, p. 45.

4. University of Illinois Statutes, May 17, 1972, p. 12-14

5. Board of Trustees Transactions, 54th Report, October 13, 1966, p. 169.

6. Board of Trustees Transactions, 54th Report, September 21, 1966, p. 84.

7. Board of Trustees Transactions, 53rd Report, February 17, 1965, p. 393.

8. Board of Trustees Transactions, 68th Report, May 11, 1995, p. 277-8.

9. Ibid. p. 277-8.; University of Illinois, Faculty and Student Senate, Urbana-Champaign Senate, meeting minutes, March 27, 1995, EP 94.33, p. 35.

Agricultural Experiments
Experimental Fields
Morrow Plots
National Register of Historic Places
Student Protests
Vietnam War