Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1870-11-10
AGRICULTURAL C0LnEEE,'
AMk&, IOYA
Oct q, HyO.


tx AMk4h IOYN +
Oct 2S,, 1870. J \
MEssRs. SPERRy s BARKER,
Gentlemen:-Thc second year of
the Iowa State Agricultural College
will terminate op the 18th, day Of
November. That the Institution
has been successful beyond what
could have been anticipated by its
most sanguine friends and support
ers, l think can not be doubted. even
as to the labor operations, taking
into consideration the, unfav0rable-
ness of the past season for outdoor
woork. 1t may be safely. iaid that
no educational establishment Of this
kind, in its incipiency, has equaled,
Iaad peeAaes noaa cd O. new sur
passes It, in the progress which has
been made towards permanent and
successful labor system.
This is greatly, if not almost en-
tirely, owing to the very wise and
fortunate choice made by the State
Board in the selection of a President
Of the Institution. / doubt if any
man could be found who would he
his equal (surely none his superiOr1
in special fitness for the multilarious
duties of organizing and maturing q
system Of Agricultural, Mechanical,
and other practical scientific instruc-
ti0ns, such as are now combined in
the course of studies and practical
work adapted for the students Of the
Iowa State Agricultural College, !
do not mean to say that the system
is yet perfect. To make It 80, would
not be possible in 30 short q time,
and with the funds at fhe disposal Of
the Board OF Trustees, who have
beenas liberal as the means furnished
them would allow. In saying what
Is justly due to President Welcl,, l
am far from intending to detract any
thing from the able and efficient aid
he has in the other members OF the
Faculty, this ''humble individual"
of course excepted.
Professor Jones, who Is Cashier
and Professor OF Mathematics, is a
model man and tower Of strength to
this, as he would be to any College
where his services might be secured.
Nor can say less OF Doctor Foote,
Pruesser of Chemistry. Perhaps
there is not a gentleman Of his age,
mot yet twenty-five years old in tls
United States who has made greater
advances in scientific attaininents.
Among other acquisitions here, the
Doctors Geological Collection is the
greatest. 1t Is not excelled, IL II Il
equaled, west Of the Ohio river. lie
has about thirty-six hundred speci-
mems collected from nearly all parts
or The world, and q o,ff the rarest apd
finest that can be 'obtafped. Not
more than half OF them are yet o.
exhibition here, for want of room,
1 was just going TO say that the
Doctor Is TIE Industrious man ,Gf, the
Faculty, but ON rejection that would
be putting the case u little too str0pg
against my particular friend Mr.
Bessey, Professorpof Horticulture
and Botany. who don't eallGSN amy
man to beat him. as n worker. ~ Eat<r
nos, heard a lady, whe, u connected
with the College, say that o"he is
worth his weight In, ,gold,"i but the
Professor IL 10, young apd modest,
that II ne should hear this, he would
blush from now till Christmas.) I
But / must not forget, In speaking
Of the leading, spirits and working
men here, to name Professor Anthony,
who, although he has been but short
time with us, has endeared himself
to all by his gentIemanly demeanOr,
as well as by his high literary attain
ments and his 1nd0ubted fitness for
his chair as Professor Of Mechanics
and Physics. II
Many changes are suggested by
Pres't WEIGH for next year, which /
think will he quite an improvement.
on the present system, clearly indi-
Gated by the experience Of the past.
The Agricultural, horticultural
and Pomologi@l Professors will
each have their classes composed OF
those students only Who want special
theoretical and practical instructions
in farming, gardening, and fruit
culture. The latter fwill probably
embrace arhoriculture generally. "A
In this way such studentsas intend
to make either Of the foregoing pur-s