National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1868-09-04
The University of Vermont and State
Agricultural College.

AHb lIuItui al SohNSS'
The papers have given a good re.
port of the recent commencement |
ut Burlington, but there is so much |
of public interest connected with |
that institution of learning that we
shall do Il service to the people It !
We call particular attention to the
educational privileges it affords. 1t
is we'll known that the fund arising
from the sale of the land scrip grant
ed to the State 10y the Agricultural
College bill whose passage was Sc,
cured mainly by our present Sena
tor Hon J. S. Morrill,. has been by
the State Legislature given to the
University at Burlington. The in
come of this fund amounts annually
to about eight thousand dollars
! The income of the old University,
exclusive of the tenn bills of stu
dents. amounts to about the same
sum. Neither by itself could sus.
tain a good board of instruction.
with the needful apparatus and ap-
pliances for first class college or
university. Combined they can do
better, but are still far below the
endowment of other institutions of
the same class in surrounding and
larger States. But by the economy
} and industry of Nermontcrs the
combined funds are made to furnish
facilities tor instruction with which
our youth may not only attain means
3 for an education equal in solid worth
to that attainable any where, but of
which any Vermonter may be proud.
The Corporation, or Board OF
: Trustees consists OF twenty persons,
. n,ne of which were selected from the
$ old Board of the University, and
3 perpctuate their own number. Nine
y of which are elected 10y the Legisla
y ture, three going out, by the eXpira
;, ton Of their term of office. once II
.r three years, and their places tillco
). by IA new election, the Governor %
the State and the President of IT,,
). University being also members o
l. the Board by virtue of their Office.
- The first and most important qucs
ton for the Board to decide at til,
q outset was how the couI y of in
struction should he made to answe
: the conditions Cf the grant by Con
y gresS, and to satisfy the eXpecta
a, tons and wants of the people,
This was attended with no Smal
2, difficulty. The curriculum of tn,
old classical cUulse must be main
'e tanned, there was no question abOu
i that, foi all students who preferred
), it. Mr.. Morrill, sustained this view
!, fully, insisting that the graduate
who awaited them selves of the full
:, advantages of the University Shout,
- be able to enter any of the ptoies
sional sci oolS Of law, medicine q
6 theology in New England, and i'm
themselves on an equality with til
h. graduates of other colleges. Bu
g. the question was how to use tn
- funds We had so us also to give il
Struction in the sciences required b
e. the Congressional Grant, that woul
Ike most profitable and most availt
c. bile to our young men, and at til
b. same time satisfy the wants and e,
y pectations of the people.
Y. One error needs to be notice,
k. which has largely entered into IL
"a minds of the people, namely, tia
~ the Congressional Grant was i
-. tended more or less exclusively
" benefit Agr:culturists. 1t was
e.. tied the agricultural College bill
1t. and so the new institution is GALE
e' the university of Vermont al
;, State Agricultural College" 81
really, as any one may see wi
p. t,kcs the pains to read the bill, al
y as Mr.. Morrill, clearly stated in h
III frequent consultations with I'll
M Board, old and new, the instructio
must include classical education
70, and give to engineering, navigation
mining, building, architecture, chen
20 20 istry, breeding Of animals, phys
in ology, botany, etc, equal promincnC
as as to agriculture. Every pcrso
can see that this II the only cours