Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1870 [PAGE 24]

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VIII

to teach the same lessons twice. The time has already arrived when a large extension of the capacity of the University seems necessary, to furnish proper means of culture to the young men and women of our State who desire the "new education," which it is the duty of the Industrial University to furnish. A committee appointed by a convention held at Bloomington in March last, to visit the Illinois Industrial University, and report upon its management, state that on the 20th and 21st of September, 1870, they found 194 male students and 14 female students in attendance, and that the classes were composed about as follows, each student pursuing three or more studies : History : taught by lectures to all the students. Agriculture and Horticulture 50 Mechanics and Civil Engineering....*„• 54 Chemistry , 65 Comparative Anatomy 15 Mathematics 138 Military Tactics „ 23 Commercial 50 English Literature, etc 92 German, , * , . . 63 French 27 Latin 20 Greek 0 These figures, made by gentlemen outside the University, are iven because the statement has been repeatedly made and believed that the Trustees of the University were perverting its funds to uses not intended by the Congressional grant, and were teaching the ordinary collegiate studies in the old way. Only a visit to the institution is needed to dispel these fallacies# While it is not hoped, nor can reasonable be yet expected that all the proposed and desirable ends have yet been secured, it is apparent to the visitor that the institution is tending in the right direction. The Latin and Greek languages, which occupy a chief place in our ordinary colleges are perhaps studied less than they deserve. German and French, as of greater practical importance, not only as means of communication, but as containing a large mass of scientific and agricultural literature, are largely studied. The important relation which chemistry sustains to agriculture