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Caption: Book - History of the University (Powell)
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First Years of Work 829 ened by the fact that this legislature had also voted the first appropriations for the university. Undoubtedly, however, the resolutions bore fruit for in 1870 the constitutional convention of Illinois was asked to include a provision for a university m the new constitution; one that should be, in the language of Jesse Fell "what has not been fully organized upon this continent, a university in fact, a grand and comprehensive school, equal in its scope and power of development to our present and future greatness, and in harmony with the advancing civilization of the age."17 Among the men at the head of the movement were Jonathan B. Turner and Jesse W. Fell, each of whom had striven so valiantly to obtain the location of the industrial university for his own county, but who had ever been friendly and in entire accord upon the leading features of education. One idea now advanced was to establish a great university with headquarters at Chicago, perhaps, and affiliated institutions throughout the state. For this Jesse Fell had pledged $100,000 and found six others willing to do the same. John Eberhart of Chicago pledged $100,000 and found two others willing to do likewise. This alone meant an endowment of one million dollars.18 In a paper prepared by Turner and presented to the constitutional convention, he suggested the incorporation in the fundamental law of a provision for the establishment of a university of the highest grade, adequately endowed to do work of the most finished order. Whether the endowments proposed should be conferred on any institution existing or whether some entirely new institute should be endowed for the purpose, was not at that time to be determined. It was neither desired nor expected that every state should support a university of the magnitude proposed. Turner suggested one for the Pacific slope under the general direction of the mining interests; a second under the cotton and planting interests of the south; a third under the manufacturing interests of the east; and a fourth under the agricultural interests of the west. He urged that there were a sufficient number of colleges and universities of ordinary character. The one proposed "should be such a one as shall tower above them all; one "Memorial to Constitutional Convention, January 81, 1870. '•Fell Memorial, transcripts at the University of Illinois
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