Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1865-04-20
AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE,


The valley between the two ranges of
mountains the Bald Eagle and the Tussey
range, spurs of the Alleghsny,) is quite
rolling, and the college is situated on one
Of the highest waves, thus commanding a
view of the valley for miles around. The
building is very fine one in appearance
the picture in the catalogue which 1 send
with this not giving an adequate ides ei-
ther Of the size or fine proportions of it.
internally, it contains eight or ten lecture
rooms for professors, geological and orni-
theological museums, (the State geological
collection, numbering 5,725 specimens, be-
ing at this place, laboratories, chspel, q
dining hall, society rooms, professors rooms,
and accommodations for about 300 students.
II is conveniently and comfortably srrsng-
ed, having four flights of stairs from each
floor, 80 that means Of escape, in case of
fire or similar accident, are abundant.
The rooms are large and airy, and
they are well ventilated and lighted,
snd heated by well regulated system of
furnaces. Everything has been prepared
with consideration both TO the health and
to the comfort of the student.
Besides the college building, the lands
(which comprise about 500 scres) contain
the Presidents house, one or two professors
houses, stock, grain, and other barns, tool
houses, q laundry, &c, 80 we are quite
little community of ourselves.
As far as the land and buildings go, then,
we have all that Is necessary TO make up
college; but of course it takes something
else to complete it. Now you will want
to know if we have that something else.
l think that in some respects we have.
As an agricultural institution. do not
consider it as yet an entire success. The
theoretical department is very good, but
they have not yet found just the right
man for the practical department. How
ever the trustees are determined to spare
no effort 10 find some one who shall COM
bine the qualities Of an educated man snc a
successful farmer; and thinkthst without
doubt this important post will soon be
properly flled.A- So much for the AgrIcul-
tursl Department. One word, in passing,
upon sn excellent feature in this labor
system here, which our contemplated Ag-
ricultursl College in Ohio would dc well TO
initiate. Instead, as in many agricultural
institutions, of allowing 8 student to work
little or much, as he pleases, and erediLing
him on his bills with the amount of labor
performed, every student whether rich
or poor, has TO work three hours day;
so that no student can feel that, be-
cause he is poor, he has TO work,
or because be is q rich mans son he can
escape it, but learns TO look on labor
IS the common duty of all.
Asa literary institution this will never
rank high; it is not its aim. 1t aims sim
ply to give the student a knowledge of such
English and mathematical branches as will
SO discipline and inform his mind as to
make him an educated practical man; and
tits believed that it sccomplishes.t this very
creditsbly.
But it is as a Scientific Institution that
this College is to excel. The Thorough
course of study in the Natural Sciences
which is prescribed, combined with the al
most perfect arrangements made for giving
instruction, and the great natural sdvsn-
tages offered by the location, present every
facility for the student Of Natural Science.
10 Botany we have Professor, who has
travelled over almost every square mile Cf
the State, and has analysed and studied
nearly every flower indigenous to it;
who "knoWs the forest round us rs ssRmen
know the sea !" and who has the ability to
] tell what he knows. We have also, 8 Flora
of from 500 to 500 species from the luxuri-
Gus verdure of the valleys to the stunted
vegetation Of the mountain-top. In geol-
| ogy we have the advantage of the large
geological collection of the State, and the
still greater advantage of studying among
the various mountain ranges the various
strata as they appear in their appropriate
| place, ia the crust of the earth. But the
crowniDg feature of the institution is the
apartment of chemistry. We have one Of
the b s. chemists in the country, man
who has spent years in preparing himself
for the position in the best chemical schools
of Germ any. We have laboratories for the
use of students equal 10 extent to at least
one floor Of tue Cleveland High School
building, beside lecture rooms,. apparatus
and chemical rooms. The course of study
in chemistry extends over three years, ol
which two are spent in the laboratory 10
the practice of analytical chemistry.
! "A r. n