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Charter (January 21, 1819)

Text of the Kentucky General Assembly's "Act to incorporate the Trustees of the Centre College of Kentucky." Under this act the Board was a self-perpetuating body, there would be no church control, and "No religious doctrines peculiar to any one sect of Christians shall be inculcated by any professor in said college."

Amendment to Charter (January 27, 1824)

Authorized Trustees to receive gifts to establish professorships of theology. These professorships were to be exceptions to the original charter, and the amendment provided that each and every denomination should have the provolege of establishing a professorship.

Amendment to Charter (December 27, 1824)

Ratified the agreement between the Trustees and the Presbyterian Church of Kentucky that for a gift of $20,000 the Synod would have the right to elect the Trustees. By this amendment the college came under the control of the Presbyterian Church U.S.A.

Agreement Betwen Centre College and Synod of Kentucky (October 23, 1824)

Presbyterians played a preeminent role in the movement to establish Centre College, but when the Kentucky General Assembly chartered the new school in 1819, it created a semi-public institution with the state retaining the right to adopt the new school as a state institution whenever the legislature found it expedient to do so. Kentucky Presbyterians were hesitant to support a school not fully under their control, and Centre College struggled as the state was unable to provide the needed financial assistance. In 1824 an agreement was reached between the Presbyterian Synod of Kentucky and the Centre College Board of Trustees whereby, in exchange for a gift of $20,000 given over a four year period, the Synod would gain the right to elect trustees. The state legislature approved the agreement, and with the December 1824 amendment to Centre's charter, the school passed under the control of the Presbyterian Church.

Centre College Laws (1822)

Text of the rules for the governance of the College. From the February 15, 1822, and April 29, 1822, minutes of the Board of Trustees.

Centre College Laws (1842)

The 1842 edition of the laws of Centre College (PDF).

Centre College Laws (1861)

The 1861 edition of the laws of Centre College (PDF).

Centre College Laws (1871)

The 1871 edition of the laws of Centre College (PDF).

Hand Book of College Legislation (ca.1910)

Regulations of Centre College, circa 1910. (PDF)

Agreement for Consolidation of Centre College and Central University (July16, 1901)

Text of the agreement for consolidation of Centre College and Central University (Richmond, Ky.), creating a single institution known as Central University of Kentucky, and located in Danville, Kentucky. (PDF)

Trustees of Walters Collegiate Institute. Letter to Board of Trustees (undated)

Following the consolidation of Centre College and Central University in 1901, the old Central University campus in Richmond, Ky. became the Walters Collegiate Institute. The trustees of the institution are requesting that the property be offered to the state of Kentucky to help obtain one of the two normal schools (teacher colleges) the state had authorized be established. This was done, and the campus was the foundation of what would later become Eastern Kentucky University. (PDF)

Agreement for Consolidation of Centre College and Kentucky College for Women (May 9, 1930)

Text of the agreement that consolidated the two schools into a single corporation known as Centre College of Kentucky, that would include "a college of liberal arts and sciences for young men to be known as Centre College and a college of liberal arts and sciences for young women to be known as Kentucky College for Women."