Article VII, Section 13 of the Texas Constitution
Adopted February 15, 1876:
The Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas, established by an Act of the Legislature passed April 17th, 1871, located in the county of Brazos, is hereby made, and constituted a Branch of the University of Texas, for instruction in Agriculture, the Mechanic Arts, and the Natural Sciences connected therewith. And the Legislature shall at its next session, make an appropriation, not to exceed forty thousand dollars, for the construction and completion of the buildings and improvements, and for providing the furniture necessary to put said College in immediate and successful operation.
Editor Comments
The Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas, now known as Texas A&M University, became operational in 1876. Cf. John J. Lane, History of Education in Texas (Washington D.C. 1903), p.260 ("The Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas owes its foundation and endowment to . . . . Under these acts and the special laws of the legislature growing out of them, the first board of directors met at Austin July 16, 1875, and proceeded to organize the college.")
Recent Decisions
None.
Historic Decisions
- Heaton v. Bristol, 317 S.W.2d 86, 100 (Tex.Civ.App.–Waco 1958, ref'd) ("Moreover, we think the purpose of the framers of the Constitution in declaring in Sec. 13 of Art. VII that the College is 'a Branch of the University of Texas' was to enable the College to share in the land provided for the University in the constitution. It was not the purpose of the Legislature to make the College an integral part of the University so as to disable the Legislature from enacting, in its wisdom, appropriate laws for the independent governing, control and administration of such College, or with any other design than to enable it to share in the land endowment provided for the University by the constitution.")
Library Resources
- Vernon's Annotated Constitution of the State of Texas (this multi-volume and up-to-date resource is available at all law libraries and many municipal libraries)
- The Texas State Constitution: A Reference Guide (this one-volume resource is available at most law libraries and some municipal libraries)
- The Constitution of the State of Texas: An Annotated and Comparative Analysis (this two-volume resource is available at most law libraries and some municipal libraries)
Online Resources
- Constitution of the State of Texas (1876) (this resource is published and maintained by the University of Texas School of Law)
- Amendments to the Texas Constitution Since 1876 (this resource is published and regularly updated by the Legislative Council)
- Reports Analyzing Proposed Amendments (this resource is published and regularly updated by the Legislative Reference Library)