The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-15
pEORIASNEW UNIVERSITY.
TO BE FOUNDED BIZ AN ILLINOIS
EtRMER FOND OF LEARNING.
u..htU.tsn Car-inGtsn uaA Decided to
r-e Ht- whoIs Fprtune. Es'iunted ut
Al, 500. 900. to Establish = University On
,n-,xtn,i Line--uis Plans and Purposes.

WAahluMNnn
r.e ITS whoIs Fortune. Estimated at
1900 900. to Establish = University On
or,xin.i Line--uis Plans and Purposes.
PvprIA. Ill.,. Aug. lL.-Washington Corning
ton a, his place has decided to devote his whole
,nr,urs TO founding a university here. He is a
farmer. IS years old. The university has been
hio dream FOR twenty years. He does not know
,,,,tly how wealthy he Is. but it In calculated
,h,t he Is worth fully 81. 800, 900. He has np-
,oinled Judge samuel D.. Wend, Francis II.
T,chenor. and Oliver J. Bailey rs trustees to
take care Of his PROPERTY. On his dcntk they
iii n. empowered TO sell his property or hold
IL in trust for the purposes he has designated.
A. .oon as tho sum of p, o 900 is realized
"a. ,ount,tion OF the university will be laid.
All ths work OF construction viii BE rapidly
pushed to compilation.
In III, charter Of the university. the clause
,etttng forth the objects and purposes OF the In
,utution is of Mr.. Corrington's own composition.
It reads ~ tolIovs:
The name Of the said university shall be- the Cor
r,nxtnn institutes and University. Its object and pur
nos. shall be to collect and difruse knowledge among
mankind, embracing science IN all its departments,
classic and modern. Mathematics. astronomy. philos-
ophy. geography. history. political economy, law.
medicine. metaphysics and higher criticism, and all
ella. thar may be worth knowtns-all On q purs
ethical bnsts-to the end that We may have = higher
xrade Of instruction for the human family and that all
truth and Know may be disseminated
This clause completely represents Mr.. Cor
rtnrtou's idea OF q university. He has consult
ed with such men as Director Sisson Of the Brad
ley Institute and President Harper and Prof.
Small Of me Chicago University in regard TO his
scheme. but none OF them has caused him To
change his ideals. Mr.. Corrinston hns made up
his mind as to the curriculum. which may. per
49,. 1H-ihn thA meat "A rninna
but It 10 noe likely that he will change it.
Although his own education was limited TO tho
lor house in which he was born. and his wtfe's
WIS equally limited. he il q drm believer
In eoeducation. The new school viii DO open to
both sexes ON a basis Of equality, and to MEM
bsrs Of all sects and OF no sect.
1T win be founded, as you see" said he, Ion
IN ethical basis I don't believe in sectarian
schools; they have no place in education"
Mr.. Corrington's neighhors call him n philoso
pher. BE takes tho keenest interest in all
things scientific and has read every scrap OF
writing turned out by the Smithsonian Institu-
ton. In his library is a complete die OF al the
publications Of the Smithsonian, and he takes
great pride in telling that he has read every
paga. On other ahelves OF his library stand
nfty volumes OF the Popnlar Science Monthly.
"Thare Is not q word in that entire publica-
tipn that have not read, $ said he.
Arranged in order are histories OF the nations.
scientific publications. or various sorts. Two en-
cyciopRdfas. and the works of Spencer. Schopen-
hauer. and other men eminent as scientists. and
he has read them all Every spare moment tor
the past thirty years he has spent in his library,
and his intimate friends here assert that there
Is no better informed man In the city. He has
bodies, and his hearers have complimented him
by saying that he has displayed great scholarly
attAinments. He says that be never saw the in
Mr. gery.nssCn. hi ho% me i is within s,s sight Of the he
Affufb-AA-Aarm ~ hna HAan ppartu Wi frnur
e. h:'in landed & t &c own 1s T. ISL siio1q HIS ii'I poss .aaSia;
nothine, for he was in debt. and By buying forty
acres Of land ne still further involved himself.
his best aid was a wife Who cheertnliv shared
all his hardships with him in order to build
Ss e so fortune; was The the nf ane PsSs Of Of lf sis t tSrs
tune, and the little cabin that gave him shelter
erected a home OF more modern construction.
but few would guess that it is the home OF a
way leads TO the gate that doubtless did like SER
vice when its owner began to hew out his for
have. however. grown until now the estate en-
braces 40 acres of the choicest land in the
neighborhood OF Peoria But this farm =
real estate holdings, He owns farms and
city property in all directions, and holds
vested Is wen secured. He has i've children, all
Of whom are well supplied with this worlds
kODud- OuE OIL NJ KGGlGHL EERIGJA III LnAI, II AL
hts children, he could induce only one to accept
ahigher education That one more than fGl-
aiisd hs fathers expectations. His name Is
York Mr.. COrrtngton's wife. at the age OF al.
Ctill lives but seldom gets beyond the portals Of
Mf. Corrington was asked to give some Of the
details OF his life and TO tell what prompted him
TO devote his fortune TO the founding Of q uni
1t was about twenty years ago" he began,
that | nrst seriously thought OF leaving my
money m the fnundinu 0f an Rdunnfinnali narl-
tuition. Ny destre before that. and from my TWEEN
ty-afth rear, had been to be able at some time TO
women; 1 hesitated,. as I did not think that
what would be able to accumulate would
always have regretted it started out with the
9rowed purpose Of making money. and | did.
born about twenty miies northeast Of that place.
Ny, forefather came over in the ship which car
ried Gov. Winthrop to massachusetts,. His name
pendent nature, and when Roger williams was
sent into exile he accompanied him 70 the will
Serness IN Rhode Island. where afterward he
Il married. in 1886. and ten years later !
bought forty acres right where we are standing.
around here was forest then. and | had to clear
the rest followed later l bought moro Land IA
last AZ could, and the present holdings OF this
An this time / had pinned for some knowl-
sdge. but had no opportunity to acquire any.
tavt. 1 Uu not Know WHAT 20 rehu- SLepnen
DouBias started me- out On a career OF reading.
II was in the campaign of 1855. He spoke at
tnat time in Peoria, and | aske him to wrtte TO
me and tell me what TO read. He sent ME a copy
OF the publications of the Smithsonian I~nstitu-
ton, and that started The reading habit. like
70 road the classics, but I find most pleasure in
scientific looks.
when my children grew up 1 was anxious
mat they should DC educated. One OF my soma
Sent through college, but the others liked farm.
ing better. Then | determined that others
should have a chance TO get educational afvan'
LAkHH II M own funIilv did nor and 7 hu o n Ia
tsrmtned 10 devote all | own to the establish
ment OF a university. | have appointed three
trustees who will take care or my property. They
are Judge samuel D.. Wead, Francis H. Tichenor,
and oliver ]. Bailey. They will have absolute
control % everything. and rs soon as I shall
pass away they can dispose Ut all rho property,
or else hold II in trust. When 81 900, 900 has
been accumulated the building OF thu lniver.
s!ty vii! hegin. Tho tract | have set apart for
the college IL located at the north end OF my
homestead on = point ~ erlOoking the Illinois
Ever. There are forty acres in the tract. Ny
lawyer 4nd some o! my trustees, | believe, are
now out or town, but ~ soon a. they get back,
whirh NAV. ae this week. I shall have 4 talk