New-York tribune., 1872-07-17
AMHERST AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE.
ADDRESS OF PROF. GILMAN.


AMHERST Mass, July 15.-At II o'clock this
morning an address given before the officers,
students and friends Of the Agricultural College, by
Daniel c. Gilman one Of the Professors in the Sheffield
Scientific School Of Yale College. His subject was the
'Rea tions OF Schools Of Science to the welfare and
culture Southern NewEngand" and 1t was discussed
in written discourse which occupied about an hour in
the delivery.
After speaking of the Importance OF making college
anniversaries in these days the occasion for earnest dis
eusons in respect to the education and culture Of the
country and alter congatulating Amherst on Its two
fold progress in its college Of letters and its college OF
science the speaker briefly pointed out some OF the
pecuiarties physical and historical, of New-Engand
and then in a elaborate way showed how diner
ent Southern NewEngland Massachusetts, Rhode Island
and Connecticut appears in its social aspects
from the three Northern states Iane New Hampshire
and YerrnonJ The density Of the population, greater
than in any other equal area Of this continents the ac
culaton Of wealth, surprising any other part Of the
land except NewYork the decline OF rural and farm
Hfe the rapid growth OF towns and manufacturing VII
lagos tho magnitude, variety and productiveness Of
manufactures the marvellous public and private be
raIity bestowed upon educational institutions were
among the topics thus discussed T.. - ...,.,.,o.
Attention was especially called TO four tendencies
which are regarded dangerous, namely the increase
Of poverty disease vice. and crime consequent upon the
growth OF the town. and the decline OF the rural commu
ny second the excessive preponderance OF c0rp0rae
power in place OF personal responsibilities ana n1Ormal
lions and institutions, the AngloSaxOn element In the
population lessons and the Celtic and TeutOnc Increases
IabOrer and the capitalist and the endeayor TO regulate
their differences by legislative enactments:
Concdeut with these tendencies OF to-day, we see IN
Southern New-Engand the rapidly increasing attention
which is given to schools Of science as means OF pro
noting wealth aud culture brief account was gwen
OF these foundations, especially with reference 10
the university instructions at Cambridge ana New,
Haven the Massachusetts, Institute OF Technology IN
Boston, the Institute of Industrial Science at worcester
aud the State Agricultural College at AmhefsL
/ cd
classical colleges of southern New-England were
also referred The probable opening OF the next ttn
years were also pointed out The call for instruction IN
natural history the common schools Tor supplemental
rade schools in industrial ceners for modified
in high schools and academies, the foundation OF local
OF natural history the establishment OF courses
OF scientific lectures the improvement OF lndnsrai eH
the schools of Massachusetts, and Connecticut not as an
~ gI bece 9 tres rbeV are now incom
pIete perhaps unsighty. They TO become strong
ana useful Ten years win begin to develop the germs
| Of good which now require such special care.
Among the Influences which the speaker pointed out
as likely from the increased attention 10 scleh
tide studies in southern New England. the speaker re-
ferred first TO the opening OF new calngs and probes
siOus young and he briefly sketched the career
OF the modern civil and dynamic engueers the geologs
and explorers, the topogaphers, the chemists, the min
ng engineers the manufacturers, the vesugators and
teachers Of science VINO to be trained Ia these new
Next he referred to the improvement of towns which
modern makes practical and the agencies heh
science will introduce for the eradication OF disease and
for tue removal or temptations 10 lhtelnperance anu
crime. NewEngland may forever preserve the type OF
/ comfortable village, neither tONn nor country, lOi
which it is already famous. With reasonable care 10
the employment Of city engineers and sanitary advisers
il will be easy perpetuate for generations TO come the
wholesome mngling OF the culture OF the town with
the freedom health and innocence OF the country which
| has made New England towns so conspicuous.
The controversies between the lab0rer and the cap
tast were spoken OF. The increase OF schools of
science means an OF skill in industry, means
more pay the work. more comfort for the same
exertIOn. This means again the distribution OF wealth
| aud enjoyment among the people, the securing by
natural and irresistible methods that which legislative
| enactments never provide. This topic was some
what fully treated the object being to show that
omy Is wealth. in community well as IN individual
case and that If all the labor OF all the labOrers be
carefully and economically directed, all good things
\ which labor makes will be more abundant and more
evenly distributed. Iron and coal the slaves OF
day They to do more and more OF our hard work
ben are 10 have and leisure for thought
| reading, aud FOR the pleasures OF home.
Some Of the dangers which 1t is claimed will come
from much attention 10 science were next referred to-
ana the lack OF foundation for such apprehensiOns
pointed Literature and history politics and poetry
Will not be less cultivated but more in the days which
are coming and religion instead OF suffering from the
closer study Of the works and laws OF God, Will be pr
fed and ennnobled. freed from superstition and bind
obedience to medieval formulas
Ina conclusion the speaker showed that II Southern
New gland is to continue to live and and
power the land II must be by the perpetual yoking
OF education yigOr and industrial skill