The University of Minnesota was founded Minneapolis in 1851 as a college preparatory school, seven years prior to Minnesota's statehood. As
such, the U is not officially a unit of state government. The school was closed during the American Civil War, but reopened in 1867. Minneapolis
businessman John Sargent Pillsbury is known today as
the "Father of the University", and aided the campus through financial troubles as a regent, state senator, and governor. The
Morrill Land Grant Colleges Act also
helped provide funding for the U.In 1869 the school reorganized and became an institution of higher education. William
Watts Folwell served as the U's first president.Holidays are not observed at the University as often as they are at most other
schools, and it is uncommon for classes to be cancelled on account of weather (at
least in the Twin Cities, which is the southernmost campus aside from than Rochester). During the traditional autumn through spring year,
classes are not held on Thanksgiving Day or the Friday after, and
the school traditionally has an extended break covering Christmas and New Year's Day. Classes often don't resume in January until after Martin Luther King Day. A week-long spring break sometimes coincides with Easter. Evening classes are cancelled once a year to allow students, faculty, and staff to attend the Minnesota
caucuses.