Sec.[Section] 1. Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly, That Amos Russell, Edward Dickinson, George W. F. Dashiel, Amos Stephens, Enoch Cross, Lewis Bigelow, John Armstrong, Peter Bartlett, Samuel Lowery, Johnson R. Stanton, Robert E. Little, and Rudolphus Rouse, and their successors be and they are hereby constituted and declared a body politic and corporate, by the name and style of the Trustees of Peoria Academy, and by that name to have perpetual succession with the capacity of suing and being sued, pleading and being impleaded, of acquiring, holding, and conveying property both real and personal, of making contracts in execution of the powers hereby conferred, and of having and using a common seal, and with power to make and ordain such by-laws, rules and regulations as shall be deemed needful and proper for the government of said institution, provided, the same be not inconsistent with the constitution and laws of this State, or of the United States.

Sec. 2. The said Academy shall be located in Peoria, in the county of Peoria, and the powers and privileges hereby conferred, shall be exercised and employed for the sole purpose of establishing a seminary of learning, and promoting education. All gifts, grants, and donations, which shall be made for the use of the said institution, shall be received and held by the trustees for that purpose, and the same or the proceeds thereof, shall be applied in such manner as shall best promote the object and advance the prosperity of the said institution, provided however, That the lands within this State, to be held in perpetuity for the use of said institution, shall not exceed six hundred and forty acres, and all donations exceeding that quantity shall be sold within five years from the date thereof, for the benefit of the institution, and in failure of such sale the lands so given shall revert to the donors, and provided also, That all donations made for particular purposes expressed in the grant, if accordant with the proper objects of said institution, and accepted by the trustees, shall be applied in conformity with the design of the donors.

Sec. 3. The board of trustees shall consist of twelve members, who are inhabitants of this State, a majority of whom shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business; they shall elect by ballot, all such instructors and officers as shall be deemed necessary and convenient, and shall have the general superintendence, management, and direction of the concerns of said Academy, and whenever any vacancy shall occur in the board of trustees by death[,] resignation or otherwise, the same shall be filled by the remaining members; their meetings for the transaction of business shall be held at such times and places as they shall appoint, to be called by giving personal notice thereof, to each individual member, or by publishing notice in some newspaper printed in Peoria, or by posting the same in three or more public places in said town, five days at least before the time of meeting.

Sec. 4. All persons of good moral character, and suitable qualifications without regard to their religious faith, shall be eligible as officers and teachers, and admissable to pupilage in said Academy; the trustees however shall have power to expel any student and to remove any officer or teacher for gross immorality or misconduct, provided, That two thirds of the members present concur in such expulsion or removal, and provided also, That the accused shall have notice of the charges against him, and have an opportunity of being heard in his defence.

Approved Feb. 11th, 1837.