The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1865-01-12

VI ScIence, atlallaDIe Dy the few, but o
sealed book to the many-whose lee
lures and publications, however appre.
cable by the highly educated mind
VIII bo totally unintelligible to the
honest tiller Of tie soil, who desires to
learn, IN the simplest and most prac.
/. ticabIc manner, how two blades Of
grass can be made to grow where only
one was produ 2ed before.
The first thing to be determined il.
what is the object or purpose Of this
grant? A careful examination of the
act of Congress, it seems to me, very
clearly solves this inquiry. The Ian
guage Of the law is, that the fund
shall be teriolaty appropriated to the
endowment, support and maintenance
OF at least one college, where the lead-
Wg otJeGt shall be, without excluding
other scientific ard classical studies,
aud including military tactics. to
teach such branches Of learning as are
related to agriculture and mechanic
arts.
Ii is evident that the intention Of the
enactment is to institute a new and
distinct species Of education, one not
heretofore favored, or specially encour-
aged, by State or National aid. 1t is
also evident that the purpose to be ac
compIished is, the application of that
instruction to the advancement of the
agricultural and mechanic interests Of
the country. The great principle is
recognized that all wealth comes from
the earth, and the labor and mechan-
ISM requisite to produce It: and that
whatever facilitates and increases the
production, adds alike to individual
and national wealth and greatness
Applying this.principlo 10 the law, il
is manifest
Fhst--That this instruction is in
tended to be sui generts-of lis own
Kind; and that, although scientific
and classical studies are not excluded.
they are snbordinatcd to such branch.
es Of learning as are related 10 agricul-
turc and the mechanic arts In 9TH
or words, it is the instruction Of the
industrial classes, within themselves,
and in that which pertains to their o,rn
ca(llhgs, in order that they may make
practical and manual application of it,
incidentally for their own benefit bat
actually for the increase of national
production and wealth.
Second-The instruction is to be
plain and practical, not thcorctic and
artistically scientific in its character.
And this, because, from the very ma
turc of its purpose, it is designed to
reach the greatest practicable number,
with the rudiments Of knowledge, in
stead Of confining it to the few, in the
long and tedious process of collegiate
and scientific education. For it is
more important to the industrial inter
ests, and consequently to the country,
that one hundred men should receive
instruction by plain and simple teach
ing, which they can practically apply
IN their respective branches OF labor,
than that one man should be educated
to the highest point OF scientific at
tainmentS.
| Third-It is maniftstly intended
that this instruction so afforded shall
be reflected upon the great industrial
interests it is designed to promote, and
that its recipients, instead ofbecoming
detached from laboriDg pursuits. will
return to them, to make practical APP
pllcation of the learning they have ac-
qulrcd, and thus expand and improve
the producing capacity and wealth of
the country. We must not be lured
from the practical by the thooretic
nor must we be deceived by the spe-
cions declaration of enthusiasts that
this liberal donation is for the general
education of the agricultural and me-
chanie classes. The avenues of eener-
al education are open to them at the
present time, through a large number
Of public and private institutions. 1t
is no Part.of the present object, to de-
tach men from the industrial pursuits,
and educate them for the various learn
ed professions We have been doing
that Tor over half century; and as a
resu. we have over crowded the walks
OF the professions, lowered the stand
ard of professional attainmcnts and
usefulness, stimulated and increased
the non producing classes, all the time
overlooking and unhccding the cduca-
ton of the great body of producers in
tho Knowledge pertaining to their pur-
suits in life, alike to their own benefit
and the advantage of the State. The
policy is, therefore, to provide cduca-
ton within, and pertaining to, the
calling OF the industrial classes, instead
OF compelling men 10 leave that call
ing, either to receive education, or, as
a'conscqucnce thereupon, TO abandon
it. 1t ssaid we elevate men "by cdu-
eating them from labor TO higher call
tngs ard professionsin life" Ifso, We
can alike elevate tho industrial classes.
and benefit the country, by instructing
them in the knowledge that pertains
to- their pursuits, in common with such
general education as must necessarily
Inc connected with it. What we lave
donated to us, for this special purpose,
should not be eXtrUvagantly used; nor
so appropriated as to confer its advan-
taGes upon the few, to the exclusion
OF the many. Those who have time
and means to devote to classical stud
les have the opportunity afforded them;
but that is clearly rather an attach
ment to, than feature in, the Con
Ornaaioi,ol intorJn,n,t sab '.. t