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Caption: Book - History of the University (Powell)
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228 History University of Illinois science of the soil, like its flowers, should grow in all gardens instead of being shut up in one." 2 : t President Blanchard's articles in the Tribune "Sectarianism in colleges," "The agricultural college," and others of similar nature brought forth vigorous replies both from editors and from farmers, A writer from Morrison, Illinois in the Tribune of November fifth, under the name of " A P a r m e r " made the following points among others equally keen: " I believe in churches, and am in favor of theological institutions being mnder the control of their respective conferences, synods, and assemblies ; but I am not prepared to denounce everything not under denominational control as 'atheistical or pagan.' Are our institutions for the instructions of the blind, and the deaf and the dumb, atheistical or pagan ? Without mentioning our common schools and our city graded and high schools, is our State Normal University atheistical or pagan? I have noticed the teachers that graduate from that institution and must confess that they are morally and religiously fully equal to the average of graduates from our denominational colleges and seminaries. The heterodox President of Lombard University must have felt foolish during this discussion, knowing that these very sticklers would rule his institution ungodly, though under denominational rule. But what would this central College or Corporation that they propose to have established as the Agricultural College of the State be? Would not its huge atheistic shadow poison and contaminate the branches ? 'The present anxiety and agitation of the Presidents are small matters compared with what would happen were they to succeed in the division of the spoils. Academies and seminaries would pitch in for their share and perhaps compete successfully with one or two institutions represented at the meeting of the Presidents/[ The discussion with the college presidents in Illinois attracted attention outside the state, Suel Foster of Iowa who had corresponded with Turner years before in order to get the benefit of his ideas and advice on the establishment of an institution in Iowa wrote to the Prairie Farmer: "How singular to "Chicago Tribune, November 2, 1866.
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