The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1863-10-23
POSTAGE.
Educational. Our University and the Agri
cultural College.

An inter- sting public discussion was had in
the Hi! Of the House Of Represen tatives Thur
day evening, respecting the odvisability and
feasibility of uniting the literary institutions of
this State, w: the University of Vermont
"iddebury College, and Norwich Unyersi,y-in
one instltuton, in connection with the Agricul-
tural College recently endowed by the General
Government This subject vas prominently set
forth by Governor SMITH in his annual message,
and has engaged the very earnest attention of
the friends o. education throughout the State
The Board Of Education, in connection with
the Committees on Education of the House and
Senate, have for some days been discussing the
question--or rather have been Tearing sugges-
tions which have been addressed to them by
prominent gentlemen connected with, and int r
ested in the institutions already existing and
anxious lso to secure good foundation for the
Agricultural College which the State is already
pledged to establish. Governor SMITH, on Thurs
day afternoon, presented his views before the
Board and these Committees, similar to those
expressed in his message and OF these meetings
in The Committee room, there has been a free
and frank interchange OF opinions relative to
the best course to pursue.
The meeting in representatives Hall was
mainly to give al opportunity for those gentle
men Immediately interested in this question of
uniting the Colleges, TO express their views more
publicly than could be done in the Committee
room. Mr.. Dorr, the Representative from Rut-
land, presided. President, Bourne Of Norwich
University, Torrey of the University of Yer.
mont, Labaree of Middlebury College and Mr.
Adams, Secretary of the Board of Education,
were The principal speakers. Presidents Torrey
and Labaree were decided in their opinion that
the Agricultural College could not be united
with colleges like the one at Burlington md
Middlebury, or as The latter would be if COM
bined, and be success. Such union would
prove, in their judgment, preju dicia to the
efficiency of both the higher colleges, as well as
the Agricultural 1t would drive away from
the State to other colleges very many young
men who seek the higher classical and scientific
culture, and VITO would prefer college where
this higher scholarship was distinctive feature.
President Bourne argued that union of all
the institutions IN the State, with the proposed
college, was practicable and desirable Fs.s
Secretary Adams very warmly urged the
necessity Of union, embracing his views sue
emily in the following resolutions. allp' .1
Resolved, lst, That a junction Of the existing
collegiate institutions OF the State, would d.
rectly and powerfully promote the educ ,tional
welfare of the Commonwealth '9i 10 aa'ia'.-
Resolved, ID, That the probable establishment
Of a new state college under the provisions of
the recent Act of Congress far the establish
ment OF agriculture colleges, farnisses legltj
mate opportunity Tor an effort to combine IT,
strength oil existing colleges with that OF, the
new state college aud others, forming one state
university that shalt conecuter upon itself the
educational interest and power of our whole
people. W
The discussion was exceedingly Interesting.
1t was obvious, however, from the opn;ons
expressed by Presidents Labaree and Torrey
that the trustees o their institutions were no,
at present convinced of the wisdom OF, or pre-
pared to assent to- the ann hilation Of their
colleges, by uniting them with the agricultural
college ;--and In their judgment such union
would practically destroy these colleges, as in.
situations of a high scientific and classic Il cul.
ture. As an agreement on the part of
these institutions to the proposed union is the
first step to be taken, the quest:on seems no