In the year 1843 a man was born who was to have a profound effect on the lives of millions of people.

His name was Russell Herman Conwell. Dr. Conwell raised several million dollars with which he founded Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, today one of the country's leading schools.

He raised the money by giving more than 6,000 lectures all over the country. And in each one of them he told the story “Acres of Diamonds.”

It was a true story which had effected him very deeply and it had the same effect on his audiences. The money he needed to build the college came pouring in.