Editing University of Michigan (section)

=== The Catholepistemiad (1817–1821) ===

The University of Michigan traces its origins to August 26, 1817,<ref name="Founding" /> when it was established in the [[Territory of Michigan]] as the '''Catholepistemiad''' or '''University of Michigania''' through a legislative act signed by acting governor and secretary [[William Woodbridge]], chief justice [[Augustus B. Woodward]], and judge [[John Griffin (judge)|John Griffin]].<ref name=":11">{{cite book |last1=Shaw |first1=Wilfred B. |date=1942 |title=The University of Michigan, an encyclopedic survey |url=https://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015042059132 |location=University of Michigan |publisher=Ann Arbor, University of Michigan Press |page=117 |hdl=2027/mdp.39015042059132 |isbn=}}</ref>{{rp|117}} In 1821, by a new enactment, the university itself was created as a "body politic and corporate,"<ref name=":11"/>{{rp|117}} maintaining its corporate status through various modifications to its charter.<ref name="Hinsdale 1906">{{harvnb|Hinsdale|1906}}</ref>{{rp|11}} The term "Catholepistemiad," a neologism derived from a blend of Greek and Latin roots, can be loosely translated as "School of Universal Knowledge".<ref>{{Cite web |title = SNAPSHOTS OF U-M HISTORY: Rising from the Ashes |url = https://bentley.umich.edu/features/rising-from-the-ashes/ |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210630032947/https://bentley.umich.edu/features/rising-from-the-ashes/ |archive-date = June 30, 2021 |access-date = May 8, 2022 |website = www.bentley.umich.edu }}</ref> This corporation was modeled after the [[University of France|Imperial University of France]], an entity established by [[Napoleon I]] a decade prior,<ref name="um2017.org">{{Cite web |title = The University of Michigan's Heritage – Two Centuries of Leadership |url = http://um2017.org/U_of_M_History_files/Brief%20Michigan%20History.pdf |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20211010020717/http://um2017.org/U_of_M_History_files/Brief%20Michigan%20History.pdf |archive-date = October 10, 2021 |access-date = October 9, 2021 |publisher = um2017.org }}</ref><ref name="Hinsdale 1906" />{{rp|10}} and included an array of schools and libraries under a single administration,<ref>{{harvnb|Hinsdale|1906|pp=8–9}}</ref> with the authority to establish additional schools across the territory.<ref name="Hinsdale 1906" />{{rp|10}} It wasn't until Michigan became a state in 1837 that the corporation focused solely on higher education.<ref name="um2017.org" />

[[File:First Annual Report University of Michigania.JPG|thumb|left|First Annual Report of the ''University of Michigania'', authored by its first president [[John Monteith (minister)|John Monteith]], November 16, 1818]]

Promptly after the Territory of Michigan's formation in 1805, prominent citizens acknowledged the need for a college.<ref name="Hinsdale 1906" /> In 1806, [[Gabriel Richard]], who presided over several schools in the [[History of Detroit#American control|Town of Detroit]], first petitioned for land to found a college.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-09-22 |title=Who was Gabriel Richard? |url=https://michigantoday.umich.edu/2017/09/22/who-was-gabriel-richard/ |access-date=2024-06-16 |website=Michigan Today |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Slagter |first=Martin |date=2017-08-26 |title=The University of Michigan is 200 years old - older than Michigan itself |url=https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2017/08/revisit_the_university_of_mich.html |access-date=2024-06-16 |website=mlive |language=en}}</ref> Although Governor [[William Hull]] and Woodward promulgated an act in 1809 to establish public school districts, this preliminary endeavor yielded negligible results.<ref>{{harvnb|Dunbar|May|1995|pp=188}}</ref> Woodward, aspiring to categorize knowledge (which he termed "encathol epistemia"), discussed this with [[Thomas Jefferson]] in 1814.<ref>{{harvnb|Fedynsky|2001}}</ref> In 1817, Woodward drafted a territorial act for the ''Catholepistemiad'', or ''University of Michigania'', which included thirteen professorships, or ''didaxiim''.<ref>{{harvnb|Shaw|1920|pp=8}}</ref> The act was enacted on August 26, 1817, with Richard appointed vice president and [[John Monteith (minister)|John Monteith]] as president. Woodward sought funding from the [[Zion Lodge No. 1 F&AM|Zion Masonic Lodge]], which contributed $250, leading to a total of $5,000 raised for the university.<ref name="Hinsdale 1906" />{{rp|12}}<ref>{{Cite press release |title = Mysterious Freemason Celebrates 250th Anniversary in Michigan |publisher = prnewswire |url = https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mysterious-freemason-celebrates-250th-anniversary-in-michigan-254266941.html |last1 = Berry |first1 = Wesley |access-date = December 24, 2021 |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20211009121054/https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mysterious-freemason-celebrates-250th-anniversary-in-michigan-254266941.html |archive-date = October 9, 2021 }}</ref> The cornerstone for the first schoolhouse, situated near the intersection of Bates Street and Congress Street in Detroit, was laid on September 24, 1817, and by the following year, a [[Lancasterian school]], taught by [[Lemuel Shattuck]], and a classical academy were operational.<ref>{{harvnb|Hinsdale|1906|pp=12}}</ref> Additional schools were established in [[Monroe County, Michigan|Monroe]] and [[Mackinaw City, Michigan|Mackinaw]] by the end of September 1817.<ref name="Hinsdale 1906" />{{rp|11}} In 1821, a new act placed the corporation under the control of a board of trustees.<ref>{{harvnb|Hinsdale|1906|pp=12–13}}</ref> Monteith, no longer president, joined the board, and Richard served on the board until his death in 1832.<ref name=Bentley2004>{{harvnb|Bentley Historical Library|2004}}</ref> The trustees continued to manage the schools and classical academy, but established no new schools.<ref name=Hinsdale1906_14>{{harvnb|Hinsdale|1906|p=14}}</ref> By 1827, all schools had closed, and the Detroit schoolhouse was leased to private teachers.<ref name=Hinsdale1906_14 />