Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1864-10-28


them. so that the hundreds who attend their
labors may be the better aided, and the bene-
fits of the institstion more widely and efec-
lively spread over the land.
As to the institutions to be established un-
der the provisions of the act, whatever name
they may be called by, there is nothing said
or implied which requires them to be kept
distinct from other institutions of learning
That is left entirely to the discretion of the
Legislatures.
3. But the college provided for In the act
ls to have leading object Is,
main purpose. which is to be kept in view by
those who have it in charge, CT who are to
perform the duties prescribed. There are
certain other important matters to he attend
ed to, involving much labor and considerable
cost for printing and incidental expenses,
which are specified in the 9Th section, the
labor for which must inevitably be thrown
upon the persons employed in the institu-
tions though, whether the Peemiary ont
| Law could be met from the income OF the fund
or would have to be provided for in some
other way, may be questioned. These mat
tiers specified in the 5th section are incidental
to the reception Of the fund and the use Of
its income, and may not be neglected; but,
they do not come within the "lea1mg OBJ
ject, - or main purpose Of the organization.
as laid down in the 4th section. This dead
ing object" is to teach certain branches OF
learning, and for certain end. This end is
declared in the last clause Of the section, ri-.
"in order to promote the liberal and rracti-
cal education of the industrial classes in the
several pursuits and professions fife" IL
there be any doubt as to the breadth and
character of the "branchcs Of learning In
tended, the specified md for which all the
instruction is tt. DC given viii help to remove
it.
The signers of tile address to the Farm
ers and Mechanics Of Vermont" accompany
that address with one to tie Honorable, the
General Assembly of Vermont, in which they
evidently assume that none bat farmers and
mechanics have a right to claim much inter
est IN the establishment of the institution
provided for in the act, and the instruction
therein to be given. We wonder whether
they consider that the merchant and hi,
clerks who work hard and steadily at their
employment, the physician who wears him-
sell out by day and night service, 5-e law
yers, the Clergyman, the teachers, tie pin
tiers, the editors, the managers OF m0uiod III
stitutions, iorwarders, shipmen and boat
builders,-ln short, all who labor ass-Jao1s-
ly in their several pursuits anu professions
Of life" DO not belong to the "iaaS,ra
classes as truly as those who delye in the
soil, Ipush the plow or swing the irail
or even those who are in a situation 70 over
see their own farms without putting their
own hands to the plow, and those VINO 6nl
as much as they can do to see tuat ll-ir
building contracts are properly ana ec'u'mi-
cally carried out by the hand labor Of tie
men whom they employ?
The education aimed at is OF no narrow
and exclusive sort. A literal as well as
practical education Of there be ANY dis,.ne-
ton between them) j. intended for all. VINO
will industriously use it. The bearing and
Importance Of agriculture and t4o,mecaauic
arts is not confined to those who work on tile
farm or in the workshop.
+. rs to the branches OF learning related
to agriculture and the mechanic arts, il
would take a long chapter indeed 10 enImer-
ate them. In fact, if there be any branch OF
learning which Is not in some way and de-
gree So related, we should be glad 10 know
what it IS We have never heard OF it,
We take it that it will be granted by all men
of any enlargement Of mind who will give
little careful thought to the subject, that
everything which pertains to a knowledge of
the four elements-as they used 70 be called
earth, air, fire, and water is related TO
agriculture and the mechanic arts il We
confne these terms to refer only to inorganic
nature, there is a field wide enough 10 occu-
~ several teachers. But surely. d knowl-
e'ge of vegetable nature in It's endless forms
and uses Tor the benefit Of man. and ITS rtla-
tons 10 our own and other lands, would not
be considered as unrelated to agriculture. to
say the least. For some departments Of me
chanic art there l. a wide opening for
knowledge OF large portions Of the vegetable
world to be turned to useful account As
for the animal world, so long as sheep. hor
sos, swine, neat cattle and poultry are to be
raised, sold. bought and eaten, ami their
hides, bones and feathers to be turned to ac-
count-so long as fsh-bills have to be passed
by our Legislatures, 60 long as insects destroy
our wheat fields and fruits, a knowledge OF
the subjects which relate to them will also
relate to agriculture and the mechanic arts.
and therefore, instruction on those subjects
will be in order. Furthermore, the inter
change OF articles, raised or made, between
different parts Of the world, the whole range
of political economy, as it is called, all come |
within the provisions of the section under /
consideration. More than that, also appa- I
rently under the fear lest some studies /
important to promote liberal and practical /
bic education of the industrial classes In the .
several pursuits and professions of life, .
though not obviously 50 at first sight and /
to all minds, should from carelessness or mar I
row views be KEEP out Of the reach OF those /
who attend the institutions for instruction, It .
is expressly said that '-other scientific and .
classical studies shall not be excluded-and .
if not excluded they are Of course to be
l.