New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-03-07
Netp2lork DAILY Gribntga
AGRICULTURAL COLLEGES.
To tie Editor Of The ~ Y. jyi6nat.

kind enough 10 notice our effort to build up an Agri
cultural College at this place. In subsequent ar,i-
Gle correspondent FROM Ovid, n. T., gave state.
ment Of the unfortunate condition to which the al
fins Of tire New-York Agricultural College re.
duced al tie prescnt time. / need hardly remark
that the friends of this College while they have been
aoring fo lis success have watched tho progress OF
eimar efforts in other States with the deepest inter.
eat. No narrow notions in regard Ito public patronage
have prevented them from seeing that the necessity
for agricultural education demands large agricultural
educational Institutions ia all the States, aud that the
sooner this necessity is recognized by all the States
tbe sooner will our own Agricultural College be
able 10 fulfil It's mission in this State since 1t viii
be long time before competition among Agricultural
Colleges sball 10 as serious an obstacle TO the proc
periry of any Of them, as il tie present want OF q
proper appreciation Of he necessity Of spec'@ 0Sr'-
cuLurGi educatioa.
1t IT, therefore, with much regret that we see the
present PROSTATE condition Of the College near Ogia
The experience of all the enlightened States OF
Europe, and 80 far as our experience here goes
satisfies US that Agricultural Colleges have no ~
icrent weakness of necessity 10 which their frequent
failure in this country is to bo attributed.
The necessity for agricultural colleges has been
demonstrated by hoiI success in Larope the imros.
sibny of other educational insi:tuicns suppyiae
their places in the educational System Ct an oricul
tural people, is demonstrated by their success in
those countries that have the best literary and seen.
tic educational institutions in the world we must
q erefore consider the causes Of failure in this country
az accidental and no, iatreat Your Oyid corroepcn-
\. tpf ,ie
condition OF the New-York Agriculture, College,
and abiding 70 the Encouragement OF ats affairs,
remarks that ga cheaper and Esore certain llan
would seem to have been TO bave attached az ngri-
cntnrdl DEPARTMENT 10 a0me institution already ex
i.Dg; or If q apecial school deemed advisable,
those who hid Cd .rge Ct il should have eought lnfor
nation in regard TO agricultural schools ehewheIe
in ordrr 70 k1ow how to velop this one.' 40 2
consequence Of no. Going thi the writer goes on 70
Fay that tn. history Of the College presents long
eeiiee OF blunders mi takes and a engagement sc.
word in regard 10 the possibility OF attaching
agricultural departments 20 educational iosutu'lons
already in exiseuce Is subjce, I. * has received
much attention from those who are devotIng them
selves 10 agricultural education in tLs country and IN
Europe For many PERSONS tho plan has no, me.
with f,yor in Europe, even where o.Ler educational
institutions hGve fgicippt sys.eT's Of scientific in
struciion, with The ahlest tcachers in tte world
And IN ln;s country, wLefe tha scientific instruction
laafE gtiiege6 10 ieuuNch 10 ki&t 'tN ~
snel, professor there would be very iiite lined y
taking advantage Of 1t in establishing IN ag~icuiuIa
course. On the other hand, ollcr coliegeS ATE not
generally located in osions u: pted tCtae purpose
OF nn aQlcultgrsl college. \ lucb better plan III
the economy Of The educational refOprces Of State
would oe for several OF tue small colleges THAI
not afford more than professor 70 three or four
branches (auy one OF which, ~ DO taught properly.
should have tie eutire tine OF ~ least onepfo sscoi
unite and thus allow the professors TO divide me
4 (.
would combine interests AID IDEAS much more IN lar
mony with one another than combination OF oil
Agricultural College with them.
An Agricultural College, 70 meet The necessity Tor
agricultural education must be large institution. IL
nust sipbraoe 30 many departments peculiar 10 ite
each OF which aBst have corresponding Professors,
surerintendents assistants that tho expense PEI
student for carrying 1t OIL would be very greet uness
large nulnber OF students were III after dalce
Leo than 600 Students would lot allow OF proper
organization of such institution for tuition up0n
terna accessible % those for whom II s in'ended,
and 900 students would bs still more desirable
number. T.erc is NJ more perDiclous idea IL The
minds Of the friends Of cole gate education than That
small Institutions are ns good % large ones except u
b. tia. professor can give anything more than
smattt ring OF what tie preteods 10 teach wien
10 must atteuipt 10 teach three or iOur Ciiieren;
trancle.. an Agricultural College most especially
re iui.es great dlvi ION of Labor IL lie several de-
parimelis bee iuse the material OF each which mus,
bs brought before the student, ha, not been as we'd
collected, 6igesed and systeatIZe1 for the purposes
of the teacher as has thGt OF moro iu.ly developed
branches OF education. a teacher Of any natural
science must III order to be aDe 80 do Justice 20 h.s
subject, BE- an Investigator. lie mutt able 10 in-
fuse the spiL and III enthusiasm of the original in
yes ggtor into bis pupil; bat there = audiiioual
why the teacher ~ agricultural science should
investigate. lie must investigate IN order 10 de-
,clUp the ,.cuce he would ,eaeh that he may telch
ii. The rcaeon why Agricultural Co legss sometimes
seem NJ "a lose 70 know what oours3 OF instruction
they should adopt, and oiten after osc.l'sting be-
tween different systems, 20 back III the main 70 that
oi the Old college course, tia. agricultural science
il not yet sui,icu,ly developed 10 be taught by any
but those who able 10 have The time 10 teach and
to labor in investigations for ia development at the
same time. An Agricultural COLLEGE, 70 tulbll its
fiss0n, Iced no. cone into competition WIN other
colleges Il shoald be more di.;in,t from ordinary
cole es thln 40 our schools FOR engineering md
military purposes.
Your OVID core spondent ssys hist the Trustee Of
that College l.bored under disadvnntage oi not
having hal liberal and scientific education; this |
was certainly misfortune for tho college. Yet their
lea of attempting what hey did, upon . large SCALE
certainly Affected proper appreciation, In ut least
some n.a azure, of what was To be done. 4 small
Amicultaril College wo0ld either lie enormously !
tSIeu- I've for each student no oiiOusly defective
in its corrse al instruction. IN either case IL wou.
fail and il ia fur bet 10 isii for want of funds 10
found college properly lnsn 10 iaii after i i
founded because j. was founded ur1n flGs pr.aCi-
pie. 1he great misiofture Win all the attempts 70
i,and Agricultural Colleges III America hes been
That tuose who attempt il 80 20 work without proper
ilens Of now much money 1t requires 20 found such
n college, ii they have proper idess they cannot
iiflso them into the m'nds Or nouoers OF State Leg
i,l,ur6s and others TO whom they look iee iGndS to
found them.
In REGARD to how much money Las beer wandered
% OVID have nothing 20 say, rs l know nothiog
ubou, II, but aside from all the bllndess, mistakes
Sc there IL one obvious reason Why tie NeNsfOrk
t.nl,nrnl Inli.rn ahn,h La lilnrL md this IL