Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1864-10-04
agricultural
The State University and the Union of the
Colleges.

Colleges.
Editor Rutland Herald The act o the last
Lee lslature establishing d State University, and
at me same time providing way tor unltlg the
colleges OF the ate WITH or merging them 10,
fis university, has bearings aud relations THAI
eannoI be too attentlyey considered. We do
not believe that the friends OF education through
out mo State are by any means thoroughly
awake 10 the Importance Of tie scheme emb ldlei
10 shat act. II we understand IT, the post
ponement OF the nme OF lts going INTO elect,
from August to November was meant 10 give
opportunity Tor the people to think about IT,
and TO modJy 1t II thought best, Through the
nsxs Legislature. We have Il few thoughts
pertaining to this question which we wish to
BRING 70 che attention Of your readers.
Ine trainers Of the st te University act assume
two things that II Is desirable 10 unto she
colleges Of the Safe - that there shall be bat
one, and that tins one c1lieJe shall be connected
with State institution Ghat shall embrace,
besides the college, various ether depar ments,
military, agrlcultural aud selenud
/. That one college Is enough for the Stat
oil Vermont is preIy geue.aly believed aud
admitted II the three College, oI o. l4ast tnt
t~o III this par OF the Stale coud be unl OF ~
as to form one that fh0uld be like t4cm 10
character and operation, W. would cay le, it
be done That rs just what WAS seriously
attempted 10 1877, and which iaI.o oi STAGE,
as We suppose Tor reasons which are 4st .s
good now as they were then What tlt
reasons are your readers eau ascertain by rufr
ing to the action Of the trustees oi Che lnv,IsI.
OF Vermont, as qnolcd 10 The !ate pamphIe'
Mr. Adams, Secretary OF the Board OF EIuet, I.
These reasons, il should be rememb red, we're
such az Influenced the trustees Of the University I
alone. AMI led them to abandon negotiation 1
while the trustees OF Midiebury college we've
stili ready, Tor aught that appears, 20 iulinu
these negotiations. We wish ali WAC are in
terested in this question were acquanted with
the history Of thar notable atte.apt " unite the
colleges. II has an important bearing upon The
plan that has been devised by the Legislature
Whether any satisfactory union OF thes. Two
colleges can be effected or not, is question tiAt
vs do not attempt TO decide But II does EN-
N US that II II cannot be accom- pllshed by al
open aud fair negotiation between the uuseee
OF the two institutions, II cannot be done by |
outside forcing processes Is it probable that
ANY legislative committee will prove isell 20
much wiser than tho trustees OF these TWO
institutions that they could devise plan OF
union that would be just and satisfactory to all
concerned while these trustees could not? III
these colleges can be united by their own Tree
action, let it be done by all means. But if not,
il will be in vain to attempt to compel them to
unite.
2. But by whatever means, suppose these
colleges united, Tor one eItiuguished) 80 that
there shall be but One-which we coneede is
exceedingly DISQUALIFICATION comes up an entire.
ly different question; Is it desirable that this
college should be merged in ate University,
embracing variety OF departm Jns besides the
collegiate, viz agricultural, scientific, military,
DO, &C.. Ii is this feature OF the plan devised
by our Legislature to which we find lnsuperable
objections. We acknowledge thnt there Is
something quite taking in the plan as txpounded
by the Governor 10 his message 60 the last
Ley islature aud IN he disoourss Of our StGre
tary OF the Board OF Elucat on, 1t does appear,
NJ the first glance as II 1t would be fine thing
10 build up great university 10 the State, aud
have pry,hiug brought mo II, and hen have
this under the immediate care OF the State
But not = few OF the lest judges in educational
matters are decidedly convinced that tho pfoj 1t
Ii no. wise They thnuk Il would be better ivf
the college, and better Tor the scientific and
agricultural schools not ~ have them con
nected in The way proposed The hi, cry OF
ttmiihf ihntituipne III ouA touuNlJ NVuuihlb Alllr
opinion.
roshe colleges flourish best, and accomplish
their true object best, that are hampcred by no
outside departments. President Hopkins .ol
Williams College, one OF the wises, edueat ors 10
the land, as is reported, told the alumni OF that
college at It's last commencement, that be
thought it much better to make their institution
a good eoh,g, than 70 try to make a university
81, and h dnn priv NJ tho A
that Was manifested BY come To lnoumber vii.
Hams College with extra scientific departments
Those who are acquainted vi h the iuterio, Of
Dartmouth College assure us that the Chandler
Scientific School Is no advantage to the lnstilu.
ton, and that 1t does no, and cannot fulfill It's
orIgnal design. We bellev that inycsufa ions
would show that the same is true OF all our
colleges that ate aspiring to the rank q unyer-
stiles Harvard aud Yale collie &c at as chi
isgss, not one Whit elevated by the other depart
menu connected with them Il they sorpas,
other / sii,utlUns IN the eJmpetn es OF the
culture they lmpert (Which IL more than doubt.
fui) this rs not due In the least 90 their scion.
the, Legal, medical, and the0lHgicll departments.
In the minds of some there Is vague imnr :.
sion that when n sudden, goes u an institution
10 study tOr Il term OF years, whle there ate d
great many different chairs OF instruction be
will, IN some mysterious way. absorb due pto
portion OF each, and graduate With more kulwl-
edge than one who studies IA simple coil ".
when only thuse bratches sre puisued tuut
properly belong TO an und r.grldultc course
JJst n, though the student did not hua Of qlt,
VI much as he can do m nis our college years O.
master the studies Ot tlv college course, without
attempting to ~ outsie oi this aud take lectures
10 agricultural c iemIsry or me,hau e., or las
OF medicine LODGED 10 mo- of our cllpses.
the prescribed studies re becoming 80 Numerous
that lull Justir caunoi possibly be done q 0'p:
much less can the student attend to other de
partmenls on side OF th'ua. Od college cou 10
vi study are much TO toll Students ats
erammed III ~ mary studies they oinnut
properly diges' any. While this IL 70, What
possible beneht can It be u tue under. graduate
10 have IN tho sane Institution with him, &c.
turef ON Agricultural c ptntHtfy, or EVIL euRt.