Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1868 [PAGE 162]

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150 twenty years he had been identified with the educational improvements of the State; and in everything concerning its advancement he had been, and should remain, a radical. The progress of the State had been marvelous. There were still old fogies, but they were passing away, and men with larger culture and more deeply imbued with the spirit of the age were taking their places. As an instance, twelve years before some of the most eminent men of Illinois had undertaken to lay before the Legislature a bill providing for the erection of an Industrial University. But the prejudices of the legislators were such that only two entertained it at all, and it was not introduced. Now we met under the sanction of the law, backed up by the public opinion of all the people, determined to carry out the great enterprise before us. He, too, having a stake among them, had met to aid in inaugurating the Illinois Industrial University. When they reflected that four-fifths of the people were engaged in agriculture, and ninetenths were interested in the results, and that every art was brought in to the aid of agriculture, ought they not to have an institution specially devoted to it? It ought to be founded on the broadest principles, embracing all arts and sciences that might enable their sons the better to succeed in agriculture or mechanics. If the trustees did not do that, they would fail, and ought to tail. But he did not fear this. The University would succeed. We wanted men of education, and it would give them. He, for one, would stand by the Institution. The people of his section of the State were determined to sustain it. It was what they wanted ; and he was sure it would be appreciated by all the people of the great State of Illinois. A quartette—"Lord, forever at Thy Side," was then sung by Mrs. Ingersoll, Mrs. Hollister, Mr. Sawyer and Mr. Sweet. The following letters, from invited guests, who were not able to be present, were then read:

STATE OF ILLINOIS, EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT. SPRINGFIELD, March 10th, 1868.

To the Board of Trustees of the Illinois Industrial University : GENTLEMEN:—Until to day I had hoped to join you to-morrow, at Urbana, in the services of the formal inauguration of the Illinois Industrial University. The importance of this occasion can not be too highly appreciated. You are about to ive practical effect to a natural idea, and to start into existence a new method of