SOLON ROBINSON, 1845 503 



while the greater organ of destructiveness which un- 

 fortunately exercised a ruling influence over the many, 

 has swept the barren rocks of nature's lovely robe of 

 green, which carelessness will not restore again. Upon 

 one of the highest knobs, still covered with a lovely grove 

 in all of the beauty of nature, it is intended to rear a 

 magnificent State-house, which will overlook the town 

 and surrounding country. The stone of which it is to 

 be built, are now preparing by the convicts in the near- 

 by Penitentiary, which at present supports about 180 

 well fed and clothed and lightly worked, healthy looking 

 prisoners. From what I saw of the comforts of this 

 prison, I would advise those who are determined to spend 

 a few years in quiet retirement from the busy, bustling 

 world, that they cannot do better than emigrate to this 

 State, and apprentice themselves to learn an excellent 

 trade. But I would further advise them that however 

 comfortable it may be, it is not considered at all respect- 

 able to take board and lodging in this public house. But 

 there is a new institution about 5 miles from Nashville 

 in which if our youth could all be educated, I am confi- 

 dent that few of them would ever be found serving an 

 apprenticeship to trades taught by the State. This is 

 Franklin College, 1 an agricultural school just commenc- 

 ing the experiment of keeping students employed to keep 

 them out of mischief, and that to learn to labor is more 

 useful and less disgraceful than some of the scenes of 

 riot that we have lately heard of in Southern Colleges. 

 I will at some future day give you some account of 

 Franklin College, that I have no doubt will be interesting 

 to you. I was in the vicinity of Nashville at the time of 

 the frost on the 8th April, and I find from there through 

 Tennessee, Kentucky and all up the Wabash Valley, that 



1 A school begun in 1843 at Elm Crag, five miles southeast of 

 Nashville, chartered as a state institution in 1844. The Reverend 

 Tolbert Fanning was founder and superintendent. The curriculum 

 included languages, sciences, agriculture, and the mechanical arts. 

 See Nashville Agriculturist, 4:30 (February, 1843); 4:78 (April, 

 1843); 5:173 (November, 1844); 6:154 (October, 1845). 

 14—60109 



