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Caption: Book - History of the University (Powell)
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Illinois Plan for Laud Grant Colleges 41 shop, a State farm of a few thousand acres, and huge model barns, sheds, cowyards and eider-mills, where some salaried and skilful Professors, twirling ebony canes and shaded by silk umbrellas, might teach some hundred would-be-farmers, (all but the labor,) how to farm scientifically. 14 President Kennicott puts forth a similar plan, which starts with sinking a cool hundred thousand in a farm and fixtures to commence operations with.—We shall wait and watch with interest, to ascertain what these dreamers will accomplish, at the third convention: though we are assured that the people will be slow to throw away a public fund, ($10,000 a year) to reward this splendid nightmare. 44 4 Industrial University \ is a taking name beyond doubt, and one may talk about improving agriculture throughout the State, by means of such an institution—may talk learnedly, plausibly; so may he about a balloon railway to the moon, for the purpose of importing the real seed poetic of that planet's witching rays; but the stern practical of life forbids a successful issue to either of these chimeras. " 8 1 In reply to the above article the Illinois Journal made vigorous answer. It said in part: "The Gazette in its comments on the proposition of an Industrial Convention at Chicago, objects to the plan of limiting the delegates in Convention to those who are in favor of using the College and Seminary funds for the establishment of a State University. Now we cannot see the wpong in leaving this matter to the management of its own friends. How else can they expect success? We have seen in a former convention, delegates attending, who seemed to have no other motive, than to throw obstacles in the way of the plan proposed. What could the friends of the Industrial University expect if the Convention was to be filled with such men, as the professors of the institution at Mount Morris? They condemn the whole project in advance—and misrepresent and caricature the designs of its friends. Truly, men of candor will not approve of the proposition of filling the Convention with the enemies of the proposed University, Its friends would be simple, indeed, were they to permit it. "Illinois Journal, December 8, 1852.
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