Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1865-06-08

will therefore see that only about two
years remain for the completion Of the
college in some locality, II this is not
done you win be obliged to pay your
portion Of the tax TO raise funds TO re-
lmburse the general government. If
for having failed to establish the col
lege, the money should revert TO the
United States, estimate that the sum
to be raised in the State will be in round
numbers sl56,5O0 and of this tax we
must raise our proportion.
The question is not untrequently
asked Suppose you raise 100000,
what kind of an institution do you pro-
pose to establish 2" am aware that
among educated gentlemen purely agrl-
cultural colleges are looked upon with
disfavor, and it has been said that they
always have been and always will be a
failure. | cannot answer for the board
of corporators, but can state my indi-
vidual convictions.
The lcad,ng objects must be to teach
such branches of learning as relate to
agriculture and the mechanic arts
This must be the mO!ire Of its establish
ment but the act of congress expressly
provides that we shall not e1cIaae other SCI
etatifc ami classical stedies and shall include
military tactics. 1t seems to me that a
fair construction of the act of congress
would seem to indicate that under the
act incorporating the Vermont Agricul-
tural College we should lay out course
of study which if not superior should
at least be equal to the best polytechnic
schools, bringing to this department the
highest order Of talent in the country.
This course of study would include the
branches of learning related to agricnl-
ture and the mechanic arts. Another
established course should include "class-
ical and other scientific studies" and
should be equal to the best universities
OF our country. All this is within the
legitimate construction of the act Of
Congress, and such have no doubt will
be the purposes of the cOrporators under
this act
1t is not to be presumed that both of
these will be included in four years
course, but it may well be left for the
student to pursue his own inclination
in adopting either course for gradua-
ton.
Yale and some other eastern colleges
have their classical departments with
their scientific departments attached, the
latter adding largely each year to their
reputation and educational influence.
The Vermont Agricultural College
should have its scientific department of
q polytechnic character, with its Clas-
steal department attached but neither
in its high and general purposes prac-
tically subordinate to the other. You
Will not understand me as speaking for
the board OF Corporators, but as simply
expressing my indi vidnal convictions.
Another question which l am often
asked is, "Wil the 100000 be raised
within the time prescribed by the act 2"
| From what i know of the spirit of
the corporators I most certainly think
that it will be. The citizens Of Mont
pelier fully appreciate the importance to
their town of having the college loca-
ted there. At the first meeting Of the
board, influential and responsible par
ties made the proposition that they
| re lnca tinn OF
that place. They understand what are
the advantages Of entertaining the leg
islaturo for five or six weeks in year,
and how much more they will be bene-
fitted by the location of an institution
which will call together larger num-
Der of individuals for forty weeks of the
year. To say nothing of exertions that
are being made in particular localities,
very liberal propositions were made by
different corporators for it's location in
their vicinities. | feel very confident
that the 100000 will be raised and the
college established under this act of in.
corporation. ,.
This fact being conceded l come now
to the practical question whether it il
desirable to have it located among us
As the corporator named in the Bill
for the County of Rutland, l shall have
some voice in MEDICATION OF the College
If, when the question comes to be deUl.
ded, Rutland has not contributed what
the corporators havea right to expect
could not urge with earnestness that Il
should be located here. If, on the con
trary, you shall have subscribed with
libe,-iity, ss.Id pirsenLed list worthy o
our honored town, 1 could urge with
greater force and effect that we should
have it. I believe that it is the convic
ton of the Board that Rutland is the
location most in favor in the State; thai
ifnot geographically, she is at least arti,
ficially the center l believe we shall have
nothing to combat as regards location
if toe do as tCeH as other localities in the
State. What are some of the adyanta