The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-07-27
For the Dispatch.
Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical
dt.,II

College.
The Imdersign was requested by the
Visitors of this institution to publish con-
dcnSed statement which would answer the
question, What manner Of school riU be
cstdbHsheG dt HnCkshurg?
In short time this question will be
answered fully hy the publication in laE.
phlct form Of the report Of the Committee
on Organization which report was unani-
morsly adopted.
The school will be sm gcncr5s--a truly
technical school of secondary grade. It's
whole cast will have special reference TO the
wants Of the industrial cas>css' By which
are meant those who are directly mot re-
motely) engaged in producing. developing;
or shaping the material products OF the State
and its ultimate object Is not to educate them
out of. but in and for. their vocations; and
not only TO make thcni more capable of
achieving Success, but to give them enthtlSi-
asm for their work.
All our heretofore existing literary ma
chinery will remain unaffected in Il great
measure by the new creation, Which will not
enter into competition with high schools.
colleges. or universities; nor will it trench
unnecessarily upon the field bciongin@ to
Of the sanlc studies taught in colleges will be
taught in th, institution. but they VIII be
lau"ht in eclectic style. and with special
reference to The Objects ailhtd at and owing
10 t!!c recent establishment of our primary
school system some of the higher grades oi
elementary studies will he included III thc
curriculum. The ancient languages arc not
included in the course. but it is expected
that arrangements will he made by which
students desiring instructions i'll those Ian.
g,ages nlly be accommodated privately.
The course of instruction, though aiming
at practical results. will not, is before init
mated, exclude liberal studies. Practice l.
to he reached through science, and degree
of general culture will bc imrartcd to the
student in order that greater practical SIKH
may be attained. As means increase, the
temptation "to raise The Standards will no
doubt be yielded to TO some extent: but the
plrposr even ROW is to make sure that every
graduate of the institution shall understand
and know how To Use the English language
and at least one other modern language; that
he shall have general knowledge of history
literature, government, political economy
aud morals also, il considerable knowledge
of mathematics, chemistry, natural ph!o>o.
phv, natural history. and descriptive a>trono
nv. besides those special subjects and arpI
Gallons of science which directly pertain t.
agricultural and mechanical pursuits. Free
hand and mechanical drawin" will receive
careful attention; daily practice in aSrlclltl
raj or mechanical work will he reIuIred
while military tuctics will receive degree oI
attention not yet determined.
4 three years course Is SketchCd by the
Committee OH Organization-onc year con-
mon TO all students, and two parallel com se>
of two years each, suited to agricultural and
mechanical students respectively; but the
duty of preparing working programme VIII
dcvove upon the faculty when appointed.
such schools as the one here indicated are
not common in this country, but are common
in Europe, and are rapidly multiplying, nno
are demonstrating their power in stimulating
roductionandimprovins the quality thereof.
| The working classes crowd into thc,li, anu
exhibit what can he attained in no othc!
way. ill actual association Of >cicnceand piac
ticc in their subsequent labor-.
W. ii. RUFFSER.
Ricirmoad, July %, 1872.