ACRES OF DIAMONDS by Russell H. Conwell. Considered by many to be one of the finest speeches ever written, Acres of Diamonds is a lecture that Russell Conwell, founder of Temple University, delivered more than 6,000 times across the country.Through this lecture, Conwell debunks the idea that it is noble to be poor, an idea that far too many of us share. He illustrates that it is our duty as humans to use our gifts to honestly earn riches, because we can do more good with riches than without. Conwell used the proceeds from this lecture to help found Temple University, one of the first universities to offer affordable education to working-class Americans. Also included toward the end of the book is Conwell's essay "Fifty Years on the Lecture Platform" which is a brief autobiography. 71 pgs. 5x8. Paperback. ISBN: 0-89540-418-4.. $7.50.