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Caption: Book - History of the University (Powell)
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882 History University of Illinois "Resolved, That this society earnestly ask a representative convention from all the county societies, agricultural, mechanical and horticultural, to take into consideration the present state and future prospects of our Industrial Institution, and to make such indications of their wishes as will be a sure guide in attempting their reformation."21 A committee was appointed to call a convention as recommended in the resolutions. This it was that led to the Bloomington convention of 1870, one of the 'most significant in the whole history of the agricultural college conventions. Here it was that the bitter unbelief which appeared to check affairs every time they started to run smoothly, was forever dispelled. Considering the Dixon resolutions from the standpoint of simple fairness, it must be conceded that they showed poor com-: prehensions of the policies of the university. As for allowing the student the right to choose the studies he would pursue, it was no more than the fundamental law implied in the clause "without excluding other scientific and classical studies." The faculty of 1869-1870, as a glance at the catalog reveals, was not largely made up of classicists but of men who were teaching the practical branches: Bliss in agriculture; Stuart, in chemistry; Shattuck in mathematics and engineering; Burrill in natural history; Robinson in mechanics; Belangee in mechanical drawing; Dr. Warder in horticulture; Snyder in bookkeeping, military tactics, and drawing; Franks as florist; and Vickroy as gardener and orchardist. This left only Professor Baker, who taught English; his assistant, Douglas, who taught Latin and French; and Dr. Gregory, who filled in wherever occasion demanded—now teaching a class in history, or in physiology, mathematics, French, agriculture, or Latin. The men were able, earnest, enthusiastic, and, as Dr. Gregory once pointed out, had come up from a youth of hard labor with the habits learned by labor.22 The truth is that at this period what was most needed for the welfare of the institution was that the agriculturists and sharp critics of the university's policies should make an honest ^Prairie Farmer, February 5, 1870. n 8eeond annual report of the board of trustees, p. 68.
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