The Portland daily press., 1862-11-27
For the Daily Press
The Agricultural College.

Ut Tue Dauy
The Agricultural College.
A LETTER To GOV. coBURN AND THE LEGIs-
LATURE ELECT.
Gentlemen:-It is matter of congratulaton
that amid the pressing war duties devolved up
on Congress at its last session, time was found
TO mature and enact so many measures of pub
lie utility in the interests of peace. Among
these is the act to provide for agricultural and
scientific education in the several States of the
Union. By this act, a grant of public lands,
equal to thirty thousand acres for each mem
Der of Congress under the new apportionment,
is made to each State which shall accept it
with the annexed conditions, within two years
from the date of the Presidents signature, Ju-
ly 2, 1862. To secure the benefits of this ap-
preparation, action must be taken by the Leg
islature. As the time ior the commencement
of the session approaches, it is well that the
subject be brought to the attention of the peo-
pie and their representatives.
VALUE OF THE APPROPRIATION.
Under the apportionment we have seven
members,-tiye Representatives and two SEN
ators,-which give as our portion of this mag
niacent grant, two hundred and ten thousand
acres. The nominal value of these lands is
sl.25 per acre, or $780,, 800 in the aggregate
Supposing the whole to be worth but one dol
Ter per acre, we have the sum of $210,000, ten
per cent. of which may be expended for build
ing sites and experimental farms. The re-
=. a Il. 4
ner; the interest only to be used for the sup
port of the college or colleges, which may be
put in operation.
Allowing for any contingencies which may
arise, if we estimate the entire fund at $780,
600, and deduct ten per cent. for sites and
farms, we have s1S0,000 to be invested. Sup
pose this to yield an interest Of five per cent,
the minimum contemplated by the act, we
shall have an annual income of $4,000 with
which to conduct the operations of the college.
THE GRAND PURPOSE.
The leading purpose for which this appro-
priation is made, is declared to be "to teach
such branches of learning as related to agri-
culture and the mechanic arts, -" without ex-
cluding other scientific and classical studies,
and including military tactics" The clause
providing that the course of instruction shall
not be limited to agricultural and mechanic
studies, is a very wise one. Thus restricted,
it would have failed to confer upon the COM
munity the full benefits of which 1t is capable.
On the basis now provided, lin the pecunary
fund, and in the liberal course of study which
may be adopted,-we may build up an institu-
tion of which the State may be proud, and in
the benefits Of which her poorest sons may re-
joice.
THE NORMAL ELEMENT.
The branches to be taught in the agricultur-
al college will include those required in our
best normal schools; and the class of young
men most likely to resort to the one are pre-
cisely those who need the advantages of the
other. Our intelligent and well educated far
mers, at least during the years of their youn-
ger manhood, make some Of the most reliable
and efficient teachers of our winter schools
And even to those who would not be interest
ed in matters Of practical teaching, the study
of diddctics,-the science and art of teach
ing,-would be of incalculable value. 1t is
quite as true Of men in other walks of life,-
in farming and the trades,-that they "know
more than they can tell" am not now
speaking Of that other class who can tell a
great deal more than they know! The power
to make clear and Ineligible staternents,-to
present any subject in such way that a child
can understand it, is an attainment as valuable
as it is rare. There is good reason, then, in
this general consideration, and better reason
in our pressing need of State Normal School,
that the course of instruction in the proposed
agricultural college shall include department
of didactics.
Instruction IN military tactics, required by
the act,-will not be amiss; especially if there
shall be included in the study the science of
turning swords into plowshares and spears in
to pruning hooks; science peculiarly ap-
propriate TO an agricultural course