The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-02-22
nnma yae organization. 1t win probably he

itary schools OF which have knoWe.Ioe tI,;s
is the case. In one which T. have recently
visited, to which students come from all parts
the country and from abroad 1.-THE greater
part of whom are younger, OF less orderly hab-
its, and less advanced in education than yours
will unquestionably bel, found that the di-
rect government of the students in their lodg-
ines, and generally in respect TO all that
which does not come within the care OF teach
ers of our common schools, was entirely in
the hands OF officers chosen from among them
selves, and that the efficiency OF these officers,
anu the loyalty of the students in respecting
their authority, was all that could be desired.
\ the minimum number of persons to be
accommodated in each lodging house be fixed
at twenty, this win allow one commissioned
oneer, and one full platoon of rank and file
to be quartered in each -'.'-77T y.
The general character Of the houses miobt
in that case be similar to that of the cottaSes
commonly built for officers quarters in fhe
cantonments OF our western military stations.
The two cottages OF one company might. he
placed near each other, the gable ends to-
wards tie road. In the rear of the ground
between them might stand q house with its
gables at right angles to these, contain
ing the company kitchen and mess-room,
commissary store room and Office, a sick-room
and study-rOom. To show the advantages
OF such an arrangement | must discuss still
further the question of plan of administra-
ton adapted to meet the end designed to be
secured by the national endowment. .a
1t is very doubtful If real family government
parental administration or domestic order Is
possible in any large boarding-school or Col.
lege, and, If not, is certain that any system OF
management which assumes to be of that char
acter must be felt t. be false, and held in con-
~ ln1 H.
are expected to be subordinate to it. 1t must
consequently breed bad manners and immor-
rality. The students OF the Agricultural Col
lege viii be generally OF that intermediate age
between childhood and manhood when, in q
healthy natural development of the character,
there is the strongest impulse to independent
seli-control and self-guidance, and consequent
ly the strongest inclination to question the
right and propriety OF all merely personal
authority. For the same reason however that
pupils at this age are strongly indisposed to
yield a filial subordination to Instructors who
have no claim upon their filiai gratitude and
affection, they are most disposed to respect
any degree of authority which is sys.ematisal-
~ measured BY the responsibility of those ex-
ercising 1t, because such authority implies en-
tire respect Tor the personal responsibilities OF
those subject to it. Now this is the ruling
principle OF military authority. In the largest
and most powerful military system OF modern
times il an officer neglects to return the salute
Ola private, he can compel him to be brought be-
fore court martial, and TO suffer punishment
for his want of respect to the rights OF sub
ordinate. We have lately seen the efficiency
of this system OF discipline. In three months
campaign, it has conquered an empire, and to-
day it holds every power in Europe at deti-
ance. lta III fo zssa "a. ar.a4 hif5s ,
& II is clearly the intention of the act of Con-
gress to secure as an incidental advantage ol
the national system OF Industrial Colleges
the preparation OF a certain number OF young
men in each State for acting as officers and
instructors of volunteer forces, and thus tc
save the nation 10r ever again being so com
pletely unprepared for the duty OF self-deience
as il was found to be at the outbreak of the
rebellion. 9sHsta in1 ti- si.a' -l4i L4ia1
A careful study of the subject, which Imade
as an official duty during the war, led me 10
the conclusion that the element OF their theo-
'retical responsibility in which regimental and
company officers at its commencement most
failed; in which they most needed instruc-
lion in which they acquired instruction by
experience with the most difficulty and in
which their ignorance caused the most misery,
the greatest waste Of Che national resources
and the most melancholy loss OF life, was lust
this OF boarding and lodging. l remember
once being informed that Maine regiment
had been without food for twenty -iour hours,
simply because the officers were ignorant OF the
routine to be pursued in procuring it. / re-
ported the fact at the head quarters of the de-
partment, where it was received with appar-
ent satisfaction, and was told thas nothing
but starvation would teach the volunteer offi-
GERS their duty in this respect. That many
men died in this and every other volunteer
x1
sion Tor maintaining them in health and viSor
which was at that time universal, there can
be no doubt.
would respectfully suggest, therefore, that
the arrangement for providing food for your
students should be as nearly as practicable
similar in character to those ofthe army There
should be a supeIintending commissary of the
institution who would OF course not be a stu
dent; but the students should each in turn
be required to perform the duties Of an acting
assistant commissary for their respective COM
panies. The forms required by the army reg
ulations Tor obtaining supplies for troops in
barracks should be used, and no student should
be graduated with honor who could not con-
struct and use camp oven and a camp kiteh-
en-, or who was not prepared to undertake
himself and to instruct others in all the duties
OF regimental commissary officer.
IHio pdu cOuiu, IL SUrlkeS me- Da accOmOdat
ed to the suggestions of Mr.. Barnes in regard
to the self-support of the students better than
any other. BY establishing the company fund
system, an esprit da corps would almost cer-
tainly be developed which would suppIy the
best possible security for honesty and econo-
my As, therefore, each company, upon this
plan, would have its own commissary officer.
suggest that each should have its own COM
missary store-room and office, and its own
meSS-rOOm. Hi rs.Ert st'fre
Accepting the general scheme of admins
tration thus outlined, the economical mini
mum of accommodation for lodging and
boarding may be approximately estimated as
follows:
Three (3) cottages Zone story and a half,)
each 56x26 feet, including verandah and
storm-house, for each forty students; that is
TO say, twelve such cottages to be built during
the tirst four years after the first class is or
ganized. t...../ n ...f,.i .t... .t.s,.l..f..
AS have before stated, there is nothing in
the military arrangement Of the boarding and
lodging houses proposed which would be in
consistent with a perfectly domestic character
in their architecture and all their exterior ar
rangements. 1t is desirable to give the latter
this character as much as possible, ard es-
Pecially does this apply to the laying out OF
the grounds about them. can do no better
than repeat the advice have already given to
the Trustees OF the Massachusetts Agricul-
tuarl College in this regard. rall II sai
Each house should have little lawn be-
tween 1t and the road, with few additions OF
domestic character, such as arbors, trellises,
summer-houses, dove-cotes, martin boxes.
bowling or croquet green's, terraces, hedges,
1ce-houseS, DC; constructions which would
supply in every case real additions to the
comfort and health OF the proposed inmates
and at the same time aid their education in
the art Of making home cheerful and attrGc-
the. There should be pots of window plants,
Wardian case or two, cages of singing birds,
and some not expensive musical instruments
in each house; bed OF hardy ferns and deli
cate evergreens on the north side, and few
tender shrubs on the lawn, which would re-
qlire to be laid down or strawed up for the
winter. The care of these thngs-the now
ing OF the lawn-tbe trimming of the hedges
the rolling and sweeping OF the gravei-the
training Of the vines on the trellises-and
even the occasional painting white washing
and glazing OF the houses, should be a part
of the duty and OF the education Of the stu
dents. nlN t7E1
squad from each platoon would of course
be detailed at certain hour each day for DO
lice duty. After putting their respective
houses in order in all respects, those So detail
Ell should be allowed certain time for tax
ing care OF their lawn, their gravel walks. and
all the ground and fittings in connection with
their quarters and mess-room. An honora-
Die rivalry between companies would doubt.
less secure great care Oh the part of each to
give the best possible appearance to the ground
before ITS quarters, open TO constant Observa-
ton, as 1t would be, by the public, passing
along the road, and thus most valuable sys-
- l. I...1