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Caption: Book - History of the University (Nevins)
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62 BEGINNINGS OF THE UNIVERSITY. opinion and promised to treat the University with greater courtesy. At the same time, a mass meeting in Urbana adopted resolutions in support of Gregory and his plans for the University.1 But this was only a first step, and the criticism among horticulturists and agriculturists continued to be pronounced. The instruction at the University was belittled and misrepresented, and its removal to some more favorable place demanded. Finally, the Legislature of 1869 adopted alarming resolutions. Whereas, they ran, complaints were being made in all parts of the State that the Industrial University "is being diverted from the leading objects for which it was established, and is practically conducted on the basis of an ordinary classical school," it was necessary to reaffirm that its essential objects were "the teaching of such branches of learning as pertain to agriculture, horticulture, and the mechanic arts," and to direct the Trustees to adopt and enforce such regulations "as will peculiarly adapt it to the educational wants of the students who may look forward to the adoption of farming or mechanics." All this, as Gregory and his assistants knew, was highly unjust. In the catalogue of the University issued in the spring of 1869 an enlarged statement of the courses was prepared specifically to combat the injurious misapprehensions which, it was admitted, had grown out of the former announcements. The changes were All record of the resolutions concerning Dunlap was expunged from the minutes of the Board. The Champaign Democrat states that the discussion of Dunlap's course was begun March 10, and not concluded till March 12, after one session lasting till two o'clock in the morning. The mass meeting was held March 10, and the preamble to the resolutions adopted stated that " it has come to our knowledge that a small minority of the Board . . ^differ from the majority and from the Begent in regard to the management and course of study adopted. . . . " This was at the very time the University was being opened. 1
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