DOCUMENT NUMBER 5 So far as known this memorial has not been published since 1853 and then only in one or two newspapers. Turner manuscripts, Springfield, Ill. MEMORIAL The Industrial Convention of the State of Illinois assembled at Springfield Ill this fifth day of January 1853 To the Hon Senate and House of Representatives in congress assembled would respectfully represent that We are members of the Industrial class engaged in the variour pursuits of Agriculture and the Mechanic arts. We find ourselves and most of our associates in these pursuits throughout the union, destitute of the needful Scientific knowledge, without the Books, apparatus and needful means of illustrating our pursuits, ignorant of many principles and processes, which if known would greatly relieve our toil, augment our products and our means, elevate ourselves and our children in intelligence and virtue, and add greatly to our own comfort and prosperity. and to the resources of the State-What we have learned, we have learned empyrically, by the slow process of individual experience, without either instruction or needful schools or books or means. We are not willing to leave our children to the same unaided toil and the same wasteful empyricism— In Europe, through polytechnic and Agricultural schools, some successful effort has been made to meet this great want of the age and of the people. In our own country, though eminently industrial and practical in all its interests and aims, no adequate effort has ever yet been made to meet that want, though felt, known, and seen by all— There are in the United States according to published reports two hundred and twenty five principal colleges, and Universities, etc. (besides many smaller ones), devoted to the interests of the Professional classes, while there is not a single one with suitable endowments designed for the liberal practical education of the Industrial classes. The influence of such institutions on all our mercantile agricultural mining and mechanical pursuits, in evolving and developing the resources of our mines and soils, perfecting our material products and arts-relieving elevating and refining our toil, swelling the amount of our national wealth and resources, securing to our people intelligence and virtue at home, respect and confidence abroad, can best be seen and felt by every intelligent mind-It is an object in all respects most worthy of, and urgently demanding the united effort of our national strength. We would therefore respectfully petition your honorable body to authorise an appropriation of Public lands to each of the several states of the Union to an amount of not less than 500 thousand dollars for the liberal endorsement of a system of Industrial Universities cooperating with each other and with the Smithsonian Institute at Washington in each State in the Union; for the liberal, practical education of our industrial classes, in their various pursuits for producing the knowledge and literature, needfully adapted to those pursuits, and developing to the fullest and most perfect extent the resources of our soil and our arts. and especially the intelligence refinement and virtue of our people, and the true glory of our common country— Aug. C. French, Chair. L. S. Pennington (The above signatures are apparently in their own hand writing.) J. B. Turner DOCUMENT NUMBER 6 Turner manuscripts, Springfield, Ill. Ottawa, Oct 20, 1854 Dear Sir: I have a letter from Dr. Rutherford in which he says you wish to know why my name does not appear as one of the committee from the Sta Agl. Society to cooperate with the "League❞ I do not know-Dr. R. told me at Spgfld. that I was appointed but that when I was named he forgot that I was a Member & Director of the "League" and I supposed for that reason I was dropped. I think it just as well I shd. be off as on. I could work without being seen, and the effect would be full as great. But we must not drop the name of Wm. Ray of Marion County. He and Webster are solid fellows from the right district. It is time now to be moving about election indeed I fear it is too late. A circular should have been sent to each director to have the various candidates fully committed to the cause and their replies all returned to you at Jacksonville. I am glad to see the whigs have renominated McClure from Bloomington-He will be Elected and is with us. I count as follows in the house as certain-Two from this county Two from Morgan-one from Bloomington Chesnut of Carlinville-Turner of Freeport within my knowledge—. I propose that the State Agl. Society should now purchase a lot of the League Reports and send several copies to each county Agl. Society with a request that they would co-operate with the State Society in memorializing the Legislature, and send the memorials to Dr. K. (Kennicott). This will help pecuniarily as well as otherwise. I will see the Dr. shortly. As to Dr. Rutherford's pay. Have you kept an account with him or do you know what he has received? If not there should be some settlement and an effort made to secure means to pay him next winter. When Dr. K. comes we must also devise means for calling a general educational convention to be held at Springfield at the same time with the State Agl. Society meeting in June next. Then we must have Prest. Brown authorize Dr. K. to invite Prest. Allen of Farmers College to address the Agl. Society on the subject of Industrial Education. He is a trump-a finished scholar-elegant speaker and sound to the core for us. We must then bring him into the educational convention to face the fogy college men He's just the man and will come. His expenses must be paid and our milch cow the Society must be made to do it. This can all be done easily and my word for it he alone will take care of the educational Convention. At the same time we must have all our friends rally and attend. Then we must have prepared a bill to submit to the Legislature. This should be your lot. My idea upon this head is that we should not prescribe any particular course to be pursued in all detail except so far as is now successfully practiced by some existing institution and that then all beyond should be made a general instruction to proceed as fast and as far in the practical as their future experience shall from time to time warrant. Perhaps I had better devote a sheet to our outline of the idea. I have enclosed a slip from Telegraph. Dr. K. will be here about the 25th. I know you will not be unwilling to get this from me altho I have written you as the ladies say "last" Yours Murray say DOCUMENT NUMBER 7 Turner manuscripts, Springfield, Ill. SUGGESTIONS FOR BASIS OF ILLINOIS INDUSTRIAL UNIVERSITY Take for general outline say Farmer's College, Ohio. then 1st. The dead languages shall not be taught at least til the Institution is competent to give a full course in all the practical & useful sciences aided by all the instruments and apparatus needful and useful in demonstrating and elucidating the same. 2nd. A large barn or other building as a depository for machines and models as well as implements to be used upon the farm. 3rd. Any patentee of the United States who shall send to the Institution his model and any manufacturer of machines or other article who shall send a fair working sample of his manufacture may have the same exhibited under such general rules as the Trustees shall provide in the building aforesaid. Such machines -models to become the property of the Trustees. 4th. Lectures upon Mechanics and the Sciences generally (so far as practicable) to be given with the machinery and articles they relate to before the student, demonstrating what is taught. 5th. This barn or building at all times to be open to the public. 6th. There shall be attached to the Institution not less than 1000 acres donated by the people among whom the Institution is located. 7th. A portion of this set aside for sale in 1/2 acre lots to persons who shall contract to erect residences satisfactory to the Trustees Sales to be by auction yearly. 8th. Another portion set apart for an Experimental farm, which being explorative in its character will be expected to sink money. 9th. Another portion set apart for a model or demonstrative farm upon which will be shown what knowledge is acquired |