for you must find a man for such a place whose natural love of experimenting and observing would impell him to it wherever he was and at whatever cost-no other man would be likely to accomplish anything anyhow. 1. This being the fact then-he would soon have at his entire command all the most valuable laborsaving machines in the county on deposit-as working models. 2. He would have or might have the finest breed stock in all the County. 3. He would have the finest fruit after a little, and fruit trees for sale-and his connexion with the farming community would be such that if he managed as he ought to do he would widely secure their affection and confidence and this would secure him wide sales. Now if a man could not manage to live on such resources he ought to starve especially if his children were where they could receive their instruction gratuitously. In short so far as living is concerned I should not be at all afraid to hire money at 6 per cent, buy land right around me here and open such an establishment in connection with the institution at once, on my own responsibility-were there not some things about this establishment which I do not like-for such a purpose. This is one mode of support-Let all be the personal property of the professor-and when he dies or retires let the next professor buy it or let others buy it for him if he pleases-or if not let him buy and build another for himself—for it matters not if there are ten thousand such model farms made around every college in the land—it would only be all so much the better. But on the other hand if you undertake to buy and build everything for your professor and be at the expense of all the experiments he may see fit to try it will take a great deal of money for an outfit-and it will add a heavy annual drain for costs. support etc which will impell someone to beg beg beg The conviction that one must have some such establishment in this state is growing in the public mind-The advantages of having it near a college where the branches and especially chemistry and Botany are annually taught are quite obvious. I apprehend too that such an establishment widely known as it must be would instead of acting as a draw back (as a theological school is likely to do) would greatly increase the universal popularity and patronage of any classical school with which it should be connected. I have thrown out the above suggestions merely to elicit criticisms and suggestions from you-You see it is wholly a practical affair that I am after and I think it quite likely it will be altogether too unscientific and unprofessional to suit your designs and desires. But while I feel that it is quite uncertain whether I shall ever be able to do anything about such a school personally-(and do not wish any one to know that I have ever had it in any way before my mind at present) I am growing daily more and more desirous that some one should somewhere undertake such an enterprise I think it would add much to all that should conduce to make this one of the noblest states in the Union or in the world in every department of human life and interest I have just now for the first time received a letter from Father Kingsbury-since he went east, I shall write him and lay the outline of this plan before him—and see what he says to it— and if he will advance funds for such an establishment I wish him to nominate the man to fill it when where how and as he pleases. I wish the old gentleman not to suspect in the least that I have ever been thought of for a candidate so that he may feel wholly unimbarrassed if he chooses to do anything. I have never seen him but few times, and I think it more then probable he may have personal friends whom he would like to feel free to propose I believe he would be in favor of locating near your college if near any one in this State-But whether he will do anything is all uncertain DOCUMENT NUMBER 2. "Industrial Universities for the People" was published in 1853 in circular form. It included a reprint of "A Plan for an Industrial University for the State of Illinois" published in 1851 following the Granville meeting; an address to the people of the state; a memorial of the second convention to the legislature; accounts of the second, third and fourth conventions; memorial of the fourth convention; resolutions of the legislature; and extracts from the press. |