Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1847-06-18
Munificent Donation.

We find the following letter of ABBOTT Law
RENEE of Massachusetts, in the Boston Atlas
of the 9th inst
BosroS, Juno I, lsi7.
| Ny DEAR SIR Il have more than once con-
vcrsed with you upon the subject OF establishing
a school for the purpose OF teaching the pract-
cal sciences. in this city or neighborhood; and
was gratfed when learned from You that the
government of Harvard University had deter
mined to establish such school in Cambridge,
and that Professor had been appointed who is
eminent in the science of Chemistry, and who
is to be supported on the foundation created BY
the muniticence Of the late Count Rumford
| For several years | have seen and felt tho
pressing want in our community, land in fact in
the whole countryD Of an increased number of
men educated in the practical sciences. Ele.
mentary education appears to be well provided
for in Massachusetts, There is, however, a de-
ticiency in the means for higher education in
certain branches Of knowledge. For an early
classical education We have our schools and
colleges. From thence the special schools of
/ Theology, Law, Medicine and Surgery, receive
young men destined To those professions, and
those who look TO commerce as their employ
ment, pass to the counting house or the ocean.
But where can we send those who intend to de-
vote themselves to the practical applications of
science How educate our Engineers, our
Miners, Machinists and Mechanics Our coun-
try abounds in men of action. Hard hands are
ready to work upon our hard materials and
where shall sagacious heads be taught to direct
those hands
Inventive men labo riously rcinvent what has
been produced before Ignorant men FIGHT
against the laws OF nature with a vain energv
aud purchase their experience at great cost
Why should not all these start where ,hsir n,e-
dccessors ended, aud not where thsy began
Education can enable them to do %. The An.
plicaton of science 10 tue useful arts has chang
ed, in the last half eeuiu.y, tho condition and
relations of the world. 1t seems to ms that We
have been somewhat neglected. in the cultiya-
ton and encouragement Of tue scientific portion
of our national economy.
Our country is rapidly increasing in populs.
ton and wealth, aud is probably destined in an.
other quarter OF a century TO contain nearly a.
many Inhabitants as now eXis, in France and
England together.
We have already, in the United Stale., a
large body OF young men who have received
classical education, many of whom find it dill
cult TO obtain a livelihood in what are termed
the learned professions. believe the time has
arrived when we should make an effort 10 diver
SHY the occupations of our people, and develops
more fally their strong mental aud physical re-
sources, throughout the Union We have per-
haps. stronger motives in Now England than in
any other part OF our country, 10 encourage sci
cniiic pursuits, from the fact that we must
hereafter look ior our main support to the pur-
suit of commerce, manufactures, and the me-
cbanc arts TO which it becomes our duty, i'm
my humble Judgment, to make all the appliances
of science within onr power. We inherit, and
are forced to cultivate sterile soil and what
nature has denied, should be as far as possible
supplied by art. We must make better Farmers.
through the application of chemical aud agri-
cultural science.
/ We need then a school, not for boys. but f,r
Young men whose early education is completed.
either in college or elsewhere and who intcn5
to enter upon an active life as engineers or
chemists, or, in general, as men of science an.
plying their attalnIncnts 10 practical purposes: