Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1872-12-20

Il
il is already national in its character and in
its effects. II has provoked good works"
elsewhere. The national power, however, |
here, as in other States only tenders initial |
and directing aid, while the State has the
sole charge AMI contamination of the work |
to be DONE
The president Of the Wisconsin University
writes that, "but for the stimulus of the land |
grant tho institution would hardly be in ex-
istence that the agricultural and military
departments are thoroughly organized, the
fund safe, and the prospects are good, but
that they need million.
From Delaware we are told that the fun
damental expenses in small State are as
much as in large State, and to succeed they
must have more aid.
The president Of Dartmouth Agricultural
College states that "the students are pener-
ally young men Of limited means that the
land grant has induced private lberality to
establish large number of scholarships, was
the chief means of establishing board of
agriculture in the State and has done much
in calling attention especially to the impor-
lance Of science among farmers"
In Tennessee the president writes from
Knoxville that "a good college education
within reach, at the small annual expense of
Sl25, including board, lodging, fuel, &C.,
cannot be otherwise than extensive and i'm.
portant" in its results.
In Kentucky thl ee hundred students Sc
lected By the State are admitted free, while
the tuition and room-fee for others is only
twenty-five dollars, and board about 81 .60
per week.
have given these mutilated extracts
merely as specimens Of the tenor Of the let
tiers received from these institutions They
are all brimful of faith, hope and courage.
But while there is much Of encouragement,
there is much more required. For instance
Philadelphia, with six hundred thousand in
habitants, and more largely engaged in indus
trial employments than any other city on the
continent, has no system of technical, indus.
trial, or art education which reaches more
than forty pupils. Many States, as well as
cities, are no better cared for.
The grave importance of the subject must
be my apology for using so much of my time
in the discussion Of educational systems, and
OF the general educational requirements OF
our people as a nation. The remaining
points to which | shall ask attention will be
touched with more commendabe brevity.
Equality Of Endowments.
The former act of Congress made distri-
button Of lands on the basis Of the number oil
presidential electors for each State, or the
number Of Representatives and Senators Of
each State. This was an approximation to
the ratio of population made at the earliest
time possible after the taking of the census
but still only an approximation, and destitute
Of absolute accuracy.
The present bill proposes an equal State
distribution, or to complete tho endowment
of enc college in each State If Senator's
at first glance, should question the propriety
Of such basis Of distribution, | ask theil
respectful attention to some Of the reasons
which may be offered in its support. In the
first place this course is necessary in order t.
escape the extremes Of either giving toe
much to some States or too little to others
Any rule according to population within the
boundary lines Of States would plant colleges
in more than half of the States Of such punl
strength and with such inferior equipment
that they could never take root, and gen
eral failure would be inevitable The small
er States have smaller wealth, aud but few
men of large fortunes upon whom to rely fo
auxiliary aid. In the larger States not onl
, legislators, but many individuals with ampl
resources, are found ready and eager to max
! munihcent contributions to the support o
, such Institutions in some instances even il
excess Of the national bounty, as in the cas-
Of the Cornell University in New York
where the large-heartei and largo-handed Mr.
Cornell has given Of his own private fortune
Sl,342, 900, and which with the 100000
acres of land received is still insufficient
according to Mr.. Cornell, to fully develoI
and support the institution even in its opening
: career of usefulness, Kindred hberality
public and private, in Massachusetts, an
Connecticut has also been productive of no
bic results Substantial additional appropri
ations to the national fund-in Illinois O
: s265, 900, in California S245,000 in coin
!, and in Nebraska of ,000-evlnce tn
pride and interest taken by the people in al
! parts Of the country in these institutions
: States less fortunate than those named tn
:. great drawback is lamentable want @
y means. There are too many vacant profess
orships; and laboratories, cabinets, museum,
= libraries, and philosophical instruments ar
} seen only afar off, These facts are mad
= only too conspicuous by our recent exper
= ence, and the nation alone is able to furnis
! adequate relief
: 1t is apparent that as large fund is r,
quired to properly equip and man" co
lege in one state as in another. In sma
states this fund cannot be raised, neither b
taxation nor through gifts. This fact mui
u be recognized. Aud yet such states cannC
!: foregO equal advantages for their people, an
: they have Incompatible sites-places for &c
ucational forts-which for health, econom,
u y, and other obvious reasons, are often prefe
u red to, or at least may be entitled to equ,
" consideration with, those Of larger state
, An abundance Of air may be preferred to a
y abundance Of population, and certainly
- town in college should he preferred to
- college in town.
o The paramount object is to place high,
a and more appropriate education within reaC
~ of all, the poor as well as the rich, withol
- regard to ancestry or race, and OF that SOL
, which will engender perpetual appetite fc
u more. For this purpose, if we rely onl
" upon the few colleges ever 80 well establish
y y ed as private corporations, they will be t
- much crowded, or fail to excite general syn
:, patty, or be hampered by an antiquatC
" course of studies, or designed solely for pr
~ fessonal advancement, and the cost will
y made to many an unbearabe burden b.
- let them be well founded in every state |
~ national aid, and then local pride will
10 aroused to nurse and guard their prosperit
,o and the expense of liberal education wi
70 be made so moderate that no one will be O
= cuded who has strength Of natural part
* and sufficient ambition to go and knock
~ the doors,
~ Conclusion.
The facts presented show that we still ha
abundant lands at our disposal, and, wheth