The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1870-04-07

"-hSf OHO"y
STATE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE
AMEs, Iowa, March %, 20.
DEAR COURIER
Ii by this time it has
not grown .s;ls u tale twice tOld,' l
am tempted to scribble you u few
items from Northern Iowa and an
inkling of affairs at the |. S. A.C.
After vacation of eighteen weeks,
this institution opened its halls for
the beginning of its second college
year, on the ninth Of this month.
The opening was as auspiclous as
could be desired, aud if we may be al
lowed TO take ittas an index OF the
year before us, our second y ar will
be Us successful as our first.
About one hundred and seventy
students from various parts of the
State are present. Most OF them
were here ut the commencement, but
they continue to drop in slowly, from
unrepresented counties.
Not all this number are fortunate
enough 10 secure rooms within the
building. Quite rush has been
made here from all parts ofthe State
and about twenty Gnclnding our live
ly friend Harrow, of 0ttumwa,) are
crowded out for want Of room, and
are now searching out u subsistence
among the farmers in the vicinity.
or daily walk from, and to Ames,
distance of two miles.
The college and the State .utfer Il
severe loss in the absence OF DIR. N.
s. Townshend, who is not with usthis
year. lie filled the Chair of Practi
cal Agriculture, consequently that
department. is now vacant: He found
ii impossible to leave his home in
Avon, Ohio, and was compelled to de-
cline the offer made by the board OF
trustees. Those who were fortunate
enough to be associated with him
during his brief sojourn in Iowa, will
never cease to hold his memory dear.
Too much cannot be said in his praise.
His extensive knowledge of the Sci
enccs, a life well spent in observation
and study his great kindness OF
heart SO rich in benevolence and
good will to his fellows, eminently
qualified him to be as he Was-be-
loved by all.
Our facilities for study this year
cover wider scope than last, consis-
ting principally of several additions to
our corps OF teachers and Il fine H.
brary. | will rapidly sketch these.
The chair of Pomology is filled by
Capt. James Mathews OF Knoxville,
Iowa. A life long attention to the
science and art OF fruit raising, makes
this gentleman quite an acquisition.
His reputation in that business and in
fact as one of 1Owa's best citizens,
gives evury assurance OF success in
that department.
He Is to commence work at once,
rnd we may expect something done
in that line very soon. The immense
number of twenty-fou thousand
evcrgreens have been ordered from
France, and are to be Ii re this spring.
Chas. L. Bussey is Professor Of
Botany and Horticulture. He Is II
young man OF much promise, grad.
uate OF the Michigan State Agricul
tural College.
AS steward and Instructor in mill
tary tactics, in the person of General
Geddes, the editor Of the COURIER
will recognize fellow soldier and
prison mate. He has achieved quite
brilliant record during the late war,
and now probably will prove himself
in his new position as efficient in
peace as he did in war. This de-
partment is not leading feature in
this institution, blt AS the congression-
al grant on which tits founded requires
the teaching of military tactics, it is
to be conducted as subordinate de-
partment. As soon as fine weather
permits, we shall probably organize
into military companies for instruc-
ton and drill.
Miss Lovclace, OF Iowa City, takes
charge of the young ladies rs pre-
ceptress. She also teaches class or
two along with her other duties.
In the way of library; we hav
about S25OO worth, as a nucleous
with which to begin. The books
were purchased the past winter at
New York, Boston and Montreal, by
President Welch, and being oman of
very good Judgment, splendid ss-
lection was made. AS means Of
protitaoly spending leisure hours,
books Of reference, and indeed Il
means of acquiring knowledge, it
opens II channel, almost grand.
To speak OF that never exhausted
subject, the weather, must say that
March seems to earn well the appel
lation of Savage and serene in an
hour up in this region OF country |
am sure; only it seems to havea grta.
deal more savage" than serene"
about it. noticed when | came up
here, that At Moingona, where the G,
& N. w. r. II. crosses the Des Moines
river that the ice still remains solid.
allowing the crossing Of teams;
though at Ottumwa it had passed
out long before. Not long since it
showed, blowed and froze at Il rate
that would astonish native of the
North Polar Regions.
We were favored recently by Wis
it from couple of members of the
Assembly-Mr. Murdook, of Clayton
Co., and Mr.. Newell, Of
The former gentleman dabbles in As
tronomy considerably and gave Us
a lecture on what he called the
"True theory of the solar system"
taking as his conclusions and very
plausibly proving them, that the sun
is body of ice; that its luminosity is
caused by the refraction oflight; and
accounting for its heat by the doc
trine that slight, heat, and electrici-
ty, are maitcsttions of the same
force" Oh! if may moralizc, "Why
should | not form my speculation,
1 noI hnlJ ~, n %ha O., ,,,, l,ttl,,