Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1870-11-11
Tho State Agricultural College.
From the State Register.

near Ames-on the Northwestern
road-in Story county. 1t being
during the time of the Fair, in which
the officers Of the College and Farm
were the principal managers, We did
not have the opportunity of seeing
the school in session. We saw
enough, however, to be assured that
everything about the institution is
moving forward finely.
The number of students in attend
ance the present term is about two
hundred. This is as many as can
be taken. AS many more would
have been enrolled, had the capaci-
tv of the College admitted. AS it is
now, every inch of space is rightly
cconomised and put to its best use.
One hundred and eighty students
about twenty of the total living in
the ncighborhood, all boarding at
homc-till the building, and to find
room have in several instances to be
four in a chamber, which is more
than is good for health or conven-
lent studying.
The students are Of a good class.
We saw them congrcgatcd at chap
ell services in the evening, and were
gratitied to notice that they were
boys and girls of intelligent appear
ancc and good bearing. They com
pare well, as regards intelligence,
with the students of any College in
the State, while in physical appear
ancc, health, and strength, they are
superior-and this were We glad to
note, for if anything is needed in the
present age it is a better and strong
er physical development in both men
and women. If this superiority OF
the students of this agricultural in
stitution is due to the rule that
makes one and all do Il certain por-
ton of daily work, that requires
them to devote portion OF every
day to exercise that is actual prose
and not the poctical kind that goes
on horseback or picnics in the
woods, then ought every college in
the land % adopt the same rule, and
thus give their blessings to the gen
creations 10 come.
Another thing we noticed at chap
eli services, which was grateful to
our plchiun notions, and dispossess-
ed us some Of the prejudice We may
have held against the proposition to
make college teach farming. We
had supposed that the most Of the
students would be from a class out
side Of the farming masses, and that
even those from the farm would soon
dot the farm roundabout and put off
men in ''the boughten goods OF
broadcloth and CATERS and the hor-
id long hair that Young gentlemen
at a college invariably think they
must wear or die. Here we saw but
little of docskin and but four or five
cases of painful unholstering of the
hair, and that merely a training of
the toretop in a curve down to the
eyes, disease that young men will
recover from much sooner than that
which entails profu>ion of what is
pioneer parlance is termed ''soap-
locks" All were well and neatly
dressed, scarcely amy after the man
ncr of tops and swclls. The chapel
services waited on some Of the stu
dents whose chores that nj CHIT We're
at the barn. Presently the bell had
brought the tardy ones i'll, and it
was truly gratifying to see that they
came from the stable-yard to pray
ers as they used to come at home,
with their working-clothcs on-stu-
dents actually in the chapel in jack
ct of denims, pants of ''hard times, >
and boots that sounded like farm
boots as their steps fell upon the
floor. This led us to think that per-
haps this was real and not a fam
CIV farm after all, and not merely a
fashionable boarding house raising
it's own vegetables.
We would say, too, that the girls
also were clad rs We had hoped but
not expected to find them. While
all were lastly they were yet mex
pensivcly attircd, and it was truly
refreshing to see so many young la
dies together and so few Of them
with the appearance of having more
back-hair than brains. We must
compliment these girls, for they de-
serve it. While having every ap-
pcarancc Of refinement and dclicacv,
of ladylikc bcarin" and grace, they
were still not walking advertise
ments of fancy dry goods and miIli-
merry stores. In this day, when SO
many young men say they cannot
marry because they cannot afford it,
the extravaganza in dress giving to
the purse the power to put sitting
quietus on love, it is pleasure to
make mention of a fine lot Of young
ladies who are giving practical con
tradiction to this song that there are
no good girls nowadays.
Our comments "rOw upon us.
We intended merely and briefly to
say that we were pleased with the
College as we saw it, and as il is
being conducted by President Wclch
and his competent corps of assist
ants. The Farm itself looks much
better every year. 1t still lacks
very much of being a model. as it
should be, and yet il i rapidly tax
;ng on the form - t'ia5 excellence.
!, & now il n shape that none Of the
savers.iens owniu" II need be asham-
cd Of It, and Improvement will daily
make i better. On its face, in the
fruit and horticultural departments
especially, may be seen already the
good effects Of Prof Mathews i'm
proving hand, who gave up the
pleasures OF one Of the pleasantcst
Of homes from an earnest desire to
make hi., knowledge and experience
more useful and beneficial to the
State he loves 50 well. 70 other
members OF the Faculty, we should
like to award deserved tribute, and
shall hereafter Just now taking the
opportunity to remark that the mill
tary class under Geddcs is one of
great proficiency, and without doubt
the best drilled company now under