Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1870-08-17
agricultural
Education for Farmers Boys.

IL WIS HalliE ol DiSNol AuMtNrs ilhl
good husbandry is good divinity, 3" the
truth whereof" says Fuller, a." no wise man
will deny"
Its good thing to be able to understand
something of what we see about US to know
something of the earth upon which We stand
the air which we breathe to understand the
movements Of the sun and moon and stars,
and to compute their times and seasons; to
deye into the mysteries of nature, and to
learn the secret virtues of plants and stones,
aud to discover the signs and wonders which
are unioded to the learned and last, but not
least to comprehend the constituents Of our
own bodies.
" A man without knowledge, if he walks
humbly with his God and lives in charity
with his neighbors, may be wise unto saliva
ton" But the more knowledge he attains,
the more he is anxious to possess, and the
more fully he understands aud feels that God
can alone satisfy the cravings and desires Of an
immortal soul. Solomon tells us, " when
wisdom ontereth into thine heart aud knowl-
edge is pleasant unto thy soul, discretion
shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep
thee, to deliver thee from the way Of evil"
There is something else beside hand work
hSouOu W ihahc idIih ylclu unc inquest pTo-
TT. Head work should also be employed.
Education is as needful to the farmer as to the
lawyer or minister Our farming communi-
ties are awaking to the Importance OF the
subject, and many men are anxious to cdu-
cate their sons, to have them taught scientific
agriculture. Every owner Of farm should
understand the nature Of its soils, the stimu-
lants they require, the crops most suited to
its fields, and the proper seasons for sowing
his seed, If he desires to obtain full return
Tor the outlay he makes.
Winter brings cessation OF the chief OF
farm labors, and now is the time to lay up q
store OF knowledge Tor the coming spring.
Agricultural papers are great educators.
Inc CNHfcatr q country GeWfemaR, we
hatter ourselves, has done good work in
these thirty-nine past years-has aided many
an intelligent farmer in the cultivation Of his
helds-has taught many housewife ways
oil economy, and has trained her daughters to
love the beautiful and the true Still we
must confess that the farmers boys OF the
present day demand the liberal education
which the agricultural colleges, now estab-
lished throughout the land, offer to them
almost without price" The United States
has donated large tracts Of land for their
support. State aid has been granted. ln
Amherst, Massachusetts, at Hanover, New
Hampshire, and at Burlington, Vermont,
the Agricultural Departments attached to
the respective colleges are well oihcered and
appointed. AT Dartmouth, the requisites
for admission are only the studies pursued in
the common schools. Candidates must be at
least sixteen years of age, and must show tes-
tlmonials OF good moral character. Mechani-
cal Arts are also taught Mathematics, Bot
any, Physics, Drawing, Chemistry, zoology
and Bookkeeping comprise the course OF
study for the Junior year. There are three
years Of study, viz; Junior, middle and Sc
nior.
There are only two terms per year. The
fall term commences in September and con.
tinues through November. The spring tern
is from Jan 9TH to the 2lst of April. BY
this division Of time, opportunity is given Il
the students to work out during the busiest
of the farming season, and many of then
could earn enough to support themselves the
remainder Of the year at college Topics fol
observation, experiment, or study, are giver
them, upon which papers are to be prepared
for the fall term.
Tuition is sl5 per term. Good board can
be obtained from SO 80 to 81 per week; room
rent from SO to sl5 per year, if two stu
dents divide expense fuel and lights from
Sl5 to $50 per year, for the two. Thus the
reader will see that the advantages here offer
ed can be obtained at very low rate, almost
:" without price and any energetic boy by
working out during the summer months ant
keeping school during the winters vacation
could nearly, if not quite, assume the Who'll,
responsibility Of his education, asking no as
sistance from relations or friends. Twenty
one years OF age is Just the right age 10 enter
this department The young man know
what he needs has gained some insight int
the warfare Of life, has learned that thu
battle is not to the strong nor the race to tn,
swift and can labor earnestly and persist
emily to acquire the desired knowledge o
matters and things which will enable him Il
take high rank among his fellow mortals.
When these agricultural schools (whicl
are now in their infancy become widely
known, they will be better appreciated. w
give the course of study and prices Of tut
ton at Dartmouth, because we are more nc
quainted with its belongings than with Bur
lington, but undoubtedly the two schools ar,
similarly conducted.
We wish that every farmer who reads thi
article would ponder upon it, and think if h
has not a son or a nephew who requires jus
such an education as these agricultural col
leges offer. The time is not far distant whe
education will give rank and precedence il
society, and the unenlightened farmer will
find it as needfu to the social position of hi
sons, as fresh air and sunlight are to the healt
Of their bodies. 81 Our intellectual power
has committed to our keeping they will re
surely as tho sori will re,,;n he ;den,itv
Shall we make Of them A." other Eve talents