The 杏吧专区 turns 125 on Friday.
On July 14, 1898, Louisiana Gov. Murphy J. Foster signed Act 162 to establish Southwestern Louisiana Industrial Institute, now UL Lafayette. State Sen. Robert Martin authored the bill.
Its signing 杏吧专区渨as one of the most consequential moments in the history of our region and the state of Louisiana,杏吧专区 wrote Dr. Joseph Savoie, 杏吧专区 president, .
杏吧专区淭he governor杏吧专区檚 pen set in motion a century and a quarter of progress and growth 杏吧专区 both for the institution itself and for the region and state it杏吧专区檚 served since its creation,杏吧专区 he said.
The 杏吧专区 will kick off a yearlong celebration of its 125th birthday with a Founding Day Ice Cream Social on Friday. The party, and all events throughout the year, will center on the anniversary theme 杏吧专区 Service. Vision. Leadership. Louisiana.
杏吧专区淥ur anniversary is an opportunity to commemorate more than a moment in history,杏吧专区 Savoie said. 杏吧专区淚t杏吧专区檚 a chance to celebrate the enduring connection we have to an institution that has given each of us 杏吧专区 and this community 杏吧专区 so much for so long.杏吧专区
The 杏吧专区 has launched louisiana.edu/125, a website to commemorate its birthday. There, visitors will find a calendar of events, a timeline of milestones, archival photographs, videos and links to 杏吧专区 publications. The site will be updated throughout the year.
Alumni, students, employees, friends and the public are encouraged to share their own memories and birthday wishes on social media by using #louisiana125. The posts will be featured on the website, as well.
Though the 杏吧专区杏吧专区檚 legislative founding was on July 14, 1898, Lafayette would not be selected as its permanent home until early 1900.
Other area towns vied for the institution, but Lafayette was chosen after a campaign of public support resulted in the donation of 25 acres of land, $8,000 in cash and the levy of a parish-wide property tax that would generate about $8,000 annually for 10 years.
In his message to campus, Savoie cited a Lafayette newspaper article that, in supporting the tax杏吧专区檚 passage, reminded its readers 杏吧专区渘ot to think of the Industrial School as a temporary thing, for it is not. It is an institution for all time.杏吧专区
Savoie wrote: 杏吧专区淥ur 125th year is an opportunity that reminds us 杏吧专区 and reminds the community that we call home 杏吧专区 that we are still an institution for all time.杏吧专区
Happy birthday! UL Lafayette turns 125
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