At the time, political maneuvers to keep the capital in Guthrie prohibited any funds from being used for construction of new buildings at a public institution.

The homage to Justin Morrill’s Act,[2] which established the land-grant system, influenced members in Congress.

U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt signed the Scott-Fields bill on February 16, 1905, to provide funds for the new building at OAMC.

Its stone and brick design, as well as its columns, would become a popular architectural feature with future construction on the OAMC campus.

[4] OAMC President Lowry Lewis assured the college that classes would open in September as scheduled.

[4] By 1919, Morrill Hall was occupied by the college’s administration, agricultural division, the extension service, and several other departments.

In 1928, the schools of commerce and education and the departments of foreign languages, physics and correspondence were all located in Morrill.