Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1872-12-25
Rational Colleges.


meut and support Of Colleges tor the benefi,
81 a-riculture and the mechanic arts, and
tae li.eral and practical education Of the in
dus.rial colleges in the several pursuits and
professions in lie, being under consideration,
Hon. Justin ). Morrill, addressed the Senate
10 tay.r Of lts passage. From the published
report of his we'll considered remarks which
seem tJ pe exhaustive Of the whole subject
and which are attracting general attention
throughout the country, we make such ex-
tracts az our space Will permit.
After stating that the bill is 70 guarded tha t
it shall lnIure no State, while it aims to confer
positive benefits to all, and reciting some Of
the promised advantages, Mr. Morrill, pre-
ceeds to discuss
THE SYSTEM. PROPOSED.
r., show there is room for additional. not
rival, institute ms OF learning, it seems to be
necessary 70 discuss some OF the phases OF
higher education to some extent, whether
mental training should be mainly literary or
manly scientific, and, though my own gives
me 10 authority to speak, | offer frankly, but
with come dItIlence, the opinions Of one
among tie great mass who has laboriouslv
ezperIenc, tie want of more and better cul-
ture. | can only plead that ! have given the
subject earnest thought. and that | am thor
oughly sincere. Even should my argument
appear il!-!Uunded. | entreat that it NAV not
prejudice good measure, the measure | am
lyIng 70 support, and those at least who
could have furnished a better, surely may
Test 90 their own.
IL j. no. proposed to change the system Of
education established by the act Of lsG2, ssto
prum"te the liberal aud practical education
u the industrial classes IN the several pur-
suits and professions Of lfe;'' and IN thar.
while other scientific and classical studies
were not to be excluded. the leading object
as ret forth Nas, 40 teach such branch. Ol
learning as are related u agriculture and the
mechanic arts These terms are perhaps
broad enough to include the curriculum OF
even a modern university, but IL 8as clearly
intended THAT these national colleges should
place &c ,hc OF practical studies foremost
ss The lead NJ object, and v whatever else might
tie added, that tuey were 10 no care to lag 10
the rear. IhJ bass IF instruction here in
dl.Ired ha; met with nearly universal ac-
ceptau,e, and Tor the greater part Of man
kut Ir confidently commended nOtwith- .
standing many accomplished men are un-
believers IN the doctrine Of educational utiii- /
~, or Iu any course OF discipline save the
c.eessc. kuJ any other basis than that which
Las been already 50 cordially greeted would
Lave Cc'eated the great purposes Of the /
ue. sure, wh hIch were and are TO benefit G e I
largest numbers rather tbau select lew 4
The design is not 10 lower even the hig hest
rank Of scholar sDIp, but to raise up more
rcHrIar- not to depress the altitude Of
mountain peaks, but 10 elevate the great
plains
S.T TIME kNorGH TOR OLD CLASSICS AND NEW +.
N Iern education does not now assume to
give ID any one person all the learning Of the ]
world. For that life, since its post diIuvIan
reduction to thrCC-scOIe years ard ten, is too
short. What IS recorded and what comes .
down BY tradition Of all the ages past, with
current original discoveries oh human wis
dom, covers too much space and consumes +
too much tine to be gathered up IN the briet
point ot a single human life. Usefulness, 70
say nothing d emineuce, can only BE- secured .
nv attempting narrower fed, or by limit
lu- labor 10 some SPECIAL braucl Of study, T
oi science. or OF professional know edge f.
According TO the old Latin PrUverb, "he y ho .
follows Two Lares Is sure to catch neither. y +
i -atsJrUs the labor of a whole Lifeline to +
become an expert in any single pursuit II 4
that Labor is dItfused over too vide an extent, Z
OF clauhcr- around too many objects, 1t van
lsdes ttiore tie blaze OF cay like morning
mist witch iaintly hugs the hill-tops, but
rre7 only to disappear. Not that a man may
NOT love art and politics, Literature and
ceGce, and diverse human interests, often
with profit, but that the highest individual
perfection and supremacy is rarely reached
save wien the main effort is made in one
direction.
To accomplish anything noteworthy the
scholar and man must dig in one place, dig
so deep that from his standpoint the stars
shaIl remain forever visible, or until some
sprng shall burst forth and mount high above
the surlac. leyeI
nowIedge not for use may DO for useless
Philosophers, Of whom the United States has.
perhaps, too little appreciation, and post
IUnes 70 more convenient season. But here
education, embracing the largest numbers,
must have ouch scope as 10 practically ht
the owner for his destined vocation. It's
backbone must be made up with what will
be most netded A practical education is
more than ever required for ali classes-one
almost as much another-and certainly
required for the industrial classes OF the
American people, IN order TO give them the
sOye e.cjgnty OF their natuTal faculties, to
make them happy and independent persona
", TO bring out their highest moral and pro
Cuctive value to the country, TO rescue them
trUm lttlenees in their intercourse with the
present world, and to make even immortality
MoIe desirable in the world to come. Their
rare energy. Inventiveness, and progressive
aIutudes merit 81 ecial and the highest and
most effective training. the processes Of {
Development should be equal TO the excel I
lenee q the raw materials.
Iteold Engl sh system did not look beyond
IL iuu iuarles OF Church and State, aud for
item looked most earnestly alter gentleman
y drIoftncnt and scientific prolundIty IN
cricket tut VIII such d system do Tor the l
LUX 81 the young mon of America? For
Two centuries alml st We have initiated our {
EuglIsh grandmother, and that is quite long
enough.
Il Is tue that within few years some OF [
our most IIchiy endowed institutions bave
TTtstuttd I,es stinttd bill Of Iare and
wider Iauge OF elective studies, but many |
are stiIl unable TO enlarge tLtIr stat OF pro-
iessoTs and are forced u continue steadiastIy =
10 Ter ancient ways, 10 the neglect u
MoGern languages, modern sciences, ana Z
modern thl uGht. For those seeking pure l
y Eo eesi.ndi education, where the old
mex phiCsUFby, poetry, and el,quencc
10y oecolne mOie app opriate dlscip Inc, thIs Z
~ Ioutine is Open 10 Iees crltIcIsIn, or may
= itss likely 10 lie rudeIy jostled by actual
contact WIN the world, and subsequent
sleeial training may supply defciencies I
ou' tLere Il a much larger number now who d
Ittd aud seek culture and training OF more
AieGai and pTogrt ssive character. a knOwl-
-se ot tie dead languages, unused, soon t
4N'hdits u a smatterIug, then 10 more sien-
-NI leunIsceuces and is never an equivalent I
~ lie mastery of some oi the living always |
= 1se- Greek sOpbisms are doubtless very :
LLle' Tut 4 western Yankee might prize more l
-'sn'y Me- ormick reapers. lntellec ual 1
GmlastIce .utt are splendid, but an engineer