St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1861-05-23
Agricultural Education.

ahSuANAs2sA AZN~SsSsAVus
Yale College commences, this year,
a radical revolution in its systems of
MISUNDERSTANDING practical for dassi-
cal education, if so desired, and offer
ing to confer the Collegiate Degrees of
Bachelor of Philosophy" Civil En-
ginccr," and doctor of Philosophy, !"
according to pursuance Of the courses
specified as follows -
ga general course embracing Mathematics,
Physical Science, Modern Languages, Litera-
turc, History, Political Economy, and Com
mercial Law, and exttnding through three
years.
A special course in Chemistry and Natural
Science, occupying two years
"A special course in Engineering, extend
ing through two years.
1.-The special courses may he profitaby ex-
tended to three years by previous attendance
on the first year of the general course.
1.-The opportunity is afforded OF pursuing
the study of Natural and Physical Science be-
yond the limits of the regular courses.
higher course in Engineering, extending
through one year, is also presented in the
scheme of study.
By the libcrality of Joseph E. Sheffield,
Esq, of New Haven, the school is now provi-
ded with spacious building especially adapt
ed to its purposes, and large addition to the
fund for sustaining its COURSES OF instruction.
1.-The new building of the scientific school
contains, besides the usual recitation and lee
ture rooms, extensive anal ytical and metallur-
gical laboratories, and Commodious halls Tor
agricultural and chronological museums. The
institution is provided, both in chemical and
engineering departments, with the most ap-
proved apparatus and instruments of research,
with numerous diagrams and models, and
with extensive meteorological and metallurgi-
cal collections.
1.-The faculty of the scientific school con-
sists of the President OF the College, Profes-
sor of Civil Engineering, a Professor OF Natu-
raj History, a Professor of General and APP
piled Chemistry, Il Professor of Industrial Nc
Chanics and Physics, a Professor of Organic
Chemistry, Professor Of Modern Languages
a Professor of Metallurgy, and Il Professor OF
Analytical and Agricultural Chemistry. AS
sstants in chemistry and engineering, and a
teacher of drawing. are included in the corps
of instructors. Lectures by the president and
by the professors of the academical, medical
and law departments, are also attended by the
students OF this school. The conditions OF
matriculation are the same as in the academi-
cal department
s.Persons who are not candidates for de-
gree may be admitted without examination, to
engage in any studies they are qualified to pur-
sue. Such persons will receive certificate
from the faculty corresponding to their attain
mens."
This, it will be seen at once, is q
blow of reform, struck by the utilita-
rian spirit of our age, at the aeaste Of
time in sohat Is commonly ealied a "ciassi-
cal education the years that are Civ
en- to Latin and Greek, and other
studies mainly ornamental, while such
knowledge as conduccs to the arts Of
life, and to personal well-being, is pro-
portionately neglected.
The "Yale Agricultural Lectures"
which made such stir last year, and
which were tributary to the same end,
were designed by Professor John A.
Porter (the pioneer of the movement
on this side of the Atlantic, to gal
vanize the dead body of Learning by
thus bringing it into contact with
Live Wisdom-to unite scholars and
practical farmcrs-to harness study
and experience to the same plough.
He says:
"The public demands course of education
which, while it shall give discipline and cul-
ture, shall put the student in possession OF
knowledge which has obvious relations to the
pursuits of that practical life for which most OF
our young men are preparing.
1.-The contact of man with man, and of
mind with mind is necessary to inspire the
enthusiasm which is essential to rapid pro-
gress. In accordance with this view, the So
luton which We propose is the enlistment OF
practical men, who are not professional teach
crs, in the work of instruction, and their com.
bination in such numbers, that a small contri
button Of time and labor from each shall max,
a sufficient aggregate to meet the object in
view The special necessity for such sys
TEN, in the case of the pursuit we are eonsid
ering, grows out of the fact that there is mucl
in agriculture which has not rs yet, taken the
form of science and can only bc acquired from
practical men. o The statement OF
numerous individual experiences in such Il
convention, will frequently show in an hour
on which side the balance Of testimony lies
and so decide in brief session question,
WHICH nave bctl the SUBJECT u u newspaper
war of months. A brisk fire of question,
will often annihilate, in a few minutes, til,
carefully guarded statement which has servet
as the protection Of some cherished error, an,
SO expose, by single attack, the fatally veal
point of some plausible theory, which nigh
have been pcrpetuated in print for years.
''Often, also. out of chaos of seemingly
inconsistent testimony there will crystalize by
the aggregation of individual experiences .
really valuable result, which would never
have been attainedbu by the free interchange
of opinions, which is only possible when mcr
meet face to face Finally we re
mark, that the mere contact with men o
great experience and high success in agricul
ture, is stimulating and inspiring to the youns
agliculturist as no mere shadow of their per
sonality in print can possibly be. They stan,
before him us living illustrations of the grea
results OF fortune and of reputation whic
may be achieved by energy and enterprise il
this noble field of labor. They encourage hin
also by the impression which their persona
presence will not fail to make, that these re
suits are not Il consequence of great intellectu
al superiority, of freedom from doubts and dit
hculties, and of mysterious insight into tn
processes Of nature, but of quiet and pcrsis
tent labor, to which he also is equal, of scienc
which he can attain, and of enterprise which
he himself can rival
Since the late rains, the crops i,
fliS vicinity arc lnokipc Gnoly II |;