Sec.[Section] 1. Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly, That Solomon Hamilton, Cotton Knox, George McClure, Vincent S. Lovell, Luther Herrick, Reuben Jenne, and Burgess Trussdell, be, and (they) are hereby, created a body corporate and politic, by the name and style of “The trustees of the Elgin Academy,” and by that style and name to have perpetual succession; the said institution being designed to promote the cause of education and improvement in literature, and to be located at or near the town of Elgin, in Kane county.

Sec. 2. The corporation hereby created shall have power to make contracts; to sue and be sued; to plead and be impleaded; to grant and receive by its corporate name, and purchase and sell property, real and personal, in all lawful ways; to manage and dispose of the same; may have a common seal; and may make by-laws for its regulation, not inconsistent with the constitution and laws of the United States or of the State of Illinois.

Sec. 3. The said institution may, whenever it shall be deemed expedient by the board of trustees, connect manual labor with literary instruction, by agriculture or mechanical operations; and, for that purpose, may hold land not exceeding one hundred and sixty acres.

Sec. 4. A majority of the trustees shall form a quorum to do business, and shall have authority, from time to time, to prescribe the course of studies to be pursued, the amount of labor to be required of the pupils; to fix the rate of tuition, and other academic expenses; to appoint a preceptor and such other officers and assistants as they may consider the interest of the institution requires.

Sec. 5. The trustees shall have authority to connect with said institution a female department; to appoint or employ a principal and assistant instructress; and may connect with it such operations of suitable female labor as they may deem advisable to conduct it on the manual labor principle.

Sec. 6. Two-thirds of the board of trustees for the time being may at any time add to the number of the board, fill any vacancy which may occur in their number from death, removal, resignation or otherwise: Provided, That the board shall at no time exceed ten in number.

Sec. 7. The said institution shall be open to all religious denominations, and the profession of no particular religious faith shall be required either of officers or pupils.

Sec. 8. This act shall be in force from and after its passage.

Approved, February 22, 1839.