The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1897-09-02

how he proposes to have mathematics
taught on an ethical basis has not yet been
explained.
Fifty-three years ago Washington Cor
rington settled with his wifO in Peoria, a
man of 32 years, without education, with
out capital, and in debt, but with a deter
minutiou to make for himself fortune.
His sole possessions were some carpenters
tools in chest, which he had made him
self Peoria was then struggling little
village and Corrington found no difficulty
In buying 40 acres Of wood land on credit.
Into the virgin forest he went and felled
the trees for his humble home. Then he
cleared the land and went to work with
unlagging industry to build upa fortune
His present prosperity tells how we'll he
succeeded As the years went by he bought
more land from the profits of his farm,
and added so much to his possessions that
today he owns 4S0 acres of the choicest
farming land near the city-not only that,
but he owns real estate In the city, has
money in the banks, and holds many
mortgages.
He continued to live in his log cabin
until after the civil war, and then he built
the substantial modern house in which he
now resides 1t is comfortable house,
but there is nothing pretentious about it,
and no one would ever suspect that 1t Is
the residence of a man who is worth more
than million. He has five children, and
they are all in comfortable financial cir
cuinstances. 1t was his earnest desire that
all Of them should enjoy the advantages of
college education, but only one of them,
son who is now prominent lawyer In
New York, would accept his offer, The
rest were anxious to begin farming and
money making.
Mr.. Corrington began to regret his lack
of education while still young man, but
1t was not until he had reached middle age
that he found much leisure to devote to
the pursuit of knowledge. "It was Stephen
A. Douglas who started Inc out on a
course of reading" he says "It was dur
| ing the campaign of 1856. Douglas spoke
at Peoria, and | asked him to write to
me and tell me what To read. He sent me
q copy of the publications of the Smith.
sonian institution. Since then have OBJ
tained every pamphlet which has been sent
out from there have them bound in my
library, and l have read every word In
them all
This library of Mr. Corrington's Ii
somewhat unique, and he Is perfectly ia
|
which it contains. On one set OF shelves
are 90 bound volumes of a scientific month
ly, and he says he has read every line ir
them. Besides these, he has other scientific
works, histories of various countries, en-
cyclopedias and the works Of Spencer and
Sohopenhauer
For at least quarter Of a century hi
has been planning to found university
that other young men might not be de
prived of an early education, as he was. A
hrst he did not hope to be able to leave be
hind SO great monument to his love o.
knowledge, but as his fortune increased h
enlarged his plans and now he has mad'
all the necessary arrangements for carry
ing them out Three trustees have beer
appointed, and as soon as he passes ava,
they will dispose of his property until III,
600, 900 is realized, when the building Of |
homo for the new university will be begun
FRANCIS b. TALBERr.