Page:Kansas A Cyclopedia of State History vol 1.djvu/32

 1893, there were but 30 church organizations in the state with a membership of 900. As the country became more densely populated the number of Adventist bodies increased and new organizations were perfected. In 1906 the Seven Day Adventists had 2,397 communicants; the Advent Christian church 247, making a total membership of 2,689.

Aetna, a village of Barber county, is located near the southwestern corner in Aetna township, about 30 miles from Medicine Lodge, the county seat. It is connected by stage line with Lake City, which is the most convenient railroad station. It is a trading center for the neighborhood, has a money order postoffice, and in 1910 reported a population of 25.

Agenda, a village of Republic county, is located in the northern part of Elk Creek township, and is a station on the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific R. R., 17 miles southeast of Belleville, the county seat. The first house in Agenda was erected by Joseph Cox in 1887, soon after the town was laid out. It has a money order postoffice with one rural delivery route, express and telegraph offices, several general stores and other business establishments, a bank, a grain elevator, and in 1910 reported a population of 200.

Agra, one of the principal towns of Phillips county, is a station on the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific R. R., 12 miles east of Phillipsburg, the county seat. It was first settled in 1888, was incorporated in 1904, and in 1910 reported a population of 347. Agra has a bank, a money order postoffice which supplies mail to the surrounding country by rural free delivery, grain elevators, a weekly newspaper—the Sentinel—good schools, churches, a considerable retail trade, and ships large quantities of grain and live stock.

Agricola, a village of Coffey county, is a station on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe R. R., in Rock Island township, 20 miles northeast of Burlington, the county seat, and 6 miles from Waverly. It has telegraph and express offices and a money order postoffice with one rural route. The population according to the 1910 census was 100.

Agricultural College.—The official title of this institution is the “Kansas State Agricultural College.” The Congress of the United States, by an act approved, July 2, 1862, entitled, “An act donating public lands to the several states and territories which may provide colleges for the benefit of agriculture and mechanic arts,” granted to the State of Kansas upon certain conditions, 90,000 acres of public lands for the endowment, support and maintenance of a college. The leading object of such colleges was to be, without excluding other scientific and classical studies, and including military tactics, to teach such branches of learning as are related to agriculture and the mechanic arts, in order to promote the liberal and practical education of the industrial classes in the several pursuits and professions of life; and when the legislature of Kansas in 1863 accepted the benefits of said act with its provisions, the foundation of the Kansas State Agricultural College was laid.

The location of the college may be attributed to the citizens of Manhattan,