New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-07-15
A VIRGINIA COMMENCEMENT.
GOV. WALKER AT THE VIRGINIA AGRIOUL-
TIIRAI, COLLEGE

DEMAND THAT ALL PROCEEDS OF SAILS oF
PUBLIC LANDS SHOULD BE DEVOTED To EDU-
CAToNAL PURPosEs-THE FIRST YEAR OF THE
NEW CoIAxGE--STs AIMS AND NEEDs-oTHER
COMMENCEMENT EXERCISES
lFRoM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE rRIboNsI
BLAcKsBuRG, Va, July 1o.-lt IS now only
Is years since the first Agricultural College was
established In the United states. and as yet there are
very few settled in the country on the subject Oh
aortcultursl edncaon In 1885, tho State OF Michigan
started an Agricultural College on farm OF 90 acres
New York asd Pennsylvania soon followed her example.
Under the act 1861 by which 1OOOOOO acres OF the
nnhlc lands were divided among the different States,
"a States connected the land grant with colleges or
universities; II with separate special colleges, and
had not acted Some OF the universities which re-
ceyed the granwere erected In part out OF this fund.- aud
are polytechnic character In nearly every case the
Congressional funds held in separate trust in order
that they may not be diverted classical literary
studies
y the act o; 1862 Virginia received 100000 This
was sold by Board of Education at IS cents per acre.
netting S7S5OOO The total was invested IN state
bonds Board paying at the time the market vaue
for e bonds and since the purchase the Donds nave
advanced in value considerably BY an act passeu ny
the General Assembly. approved March 49, lS12 Two
thirds OF t1s set apart for the estaoshmen'
of the virginia Agricultural and Mechanical college, 10
be situated al Backsburg, Montgomery County wlIh
the proyso that the real estate belonging 10 Preston
and DIN Institutes be transferred to the new conege,
and that the county Montgomery subscribe the sum OF
$4,000 as addition 10 the funds Of tho college Iheso
conditions having been complied with. the college was
formally opened the LIST OF october, 1874 and since
that time 1872 students have matriculated
This college has now $4,000 in State bonds $4,000 In
Montgomery County bonds and IN addition TO the col
lce building and lot Of five in the town OF Blacks
burg owns an experimental farm OF 2i5 acres OF great
fertility and well equipped with dwelling and out
Will in milo Of
chanical department is being organized and put into
practical operation Farm practice required through
out the whole years TO make the student
familiar with all the operations described IN lectures
Any student who shall have passed satisfactory exaInl
ton in the studies assigned to the Agricultural Depart
uent will be declared Graduate in Agriculture, aud on
the same condition the degree Of Graduate OF Mechan
les will be conferred in the Mechanical Department.
The first Commencement exercises OF the College,
Which occurred Tuesday, were extremely interesting
The sophosonan Society had their celebTation in the
Methodist Church The orators were X g. Glllnm OF
Augusta AMI samuel A. wOotten Of Prince Edward Mr.
Gum selected for his theme the "Power Of Purpose,
and Mr. wootten, BE in Earnest" The medal was
awarded by the Committee to Mr. Gllum, and the pre-
scntatiou was made By w. Il. Tinsey OF Appomattox'
the President OF the Society The question for the de-
baters' medal was: Resolved, That anticipation AZ
fords more pleasure than possession" Messrs. c. W.
Boeock OF Lynchburg aud John p. Xix OF Nelson were
the depatcrs and the Committee awarded the medal TO
Mr Bocock. 1t presented by W. H. Richards OF
Mong omery. the vice-President Previous to the So
olety celebration, Prof. Charles Martin Of Virginia
delivered a scholarly address on Mental ana
Physical Education" Yesterday the Maury Literary
Society named in honor OF tho late Commodore NJ.
Maury held their final celebration. The eulogst was
T. D. Gallon Of Prince Edward County: the orators
T. w. Evans OF Campbell County, aud r. o. Purdy OF
Brunswick Nj Purdy bore of the medal The ques-
ton for discussion by the debaters was, (Which Is the
OWL IN IutpmDeTduCe ID. w.
Washington Comfy, and ]. H. Hoge, Montgomery
County m the Affirmative, and in the negative, A. b.
DAVIS PIttsylyauia County and A. b. Bate OF Bruins
wick The medal awarded TO Mr.. Lynch. The
presentation Of the medals made by the Hon John
GOodo. jr., OF Norfolk a member Of the Board OF
Visitors The great event OF the Commencement
cises was tho address delivered before the Literary
Societies by Gov. Gilbert G. Walker of Virginia. He
spoke as follows:
GOV WALKERS ADDRESS.
The occasion OF assembling is one Of no ordinary
moment The Commencement exercises of every col
lego are full Of aud importance 10 those imme-
datey concerned well TO the friends Of education
and human advancement While the aspiration Of the
student on these occasions Is TO acquit himself IN
fpes ~, their hopes and affections are elevated or
depressed as he falls the lover OF education
moral development with the highest emotions OF thank
fnness aud satisfaction. All these aspirations hopes,
and emotions nave their possessOrs and representatives
ian the Intelligent audience before and should not
satisfactorily demonstrate my appreciation Of these
surroundings my tongue Will fail 70 ehuncate inc lucas
and impulses OF my head and heart $780,.
We have gathered here 10 witness and participate In
the hr,t Commencement exercises OF TINS college Mlth
this day ends Its first years existence, and II ls
naimer years shall ulnil the brilliant promises OF its
earlier days-t IA truth the child be the father OF the
man." then Indeed may Virginia be proud OF her latest
born and ike all fond mothers, shower upon 1t her
PeThaps no event has transpred within State for
many sars ppsesSed OF sfSst o. Of t
institution. For first time IN her history she has
S1ncafiou High schools and colleges she has had
schools of Law and Medicine Of Theology and theoretc
Science Of high character great usefulness have not
bseu wanting but before has there been organ
Ted by her express mandate, 70 be controlled BY her
instruction In the practical industries OF life. Its
foundation forms epoch IN her educational history
81 What are the laws literature, aud institutions Of
any age but the visible expression OF IT'S wants ald
tons What the Parthenon and the Pantheon the
Visible tangible embodiment Of the ideas OF their several
erasi And what is this college but the embodiment OF
an idea the expression of conscious necessity an
sscsrained want OF day and generation That the
development and prosperity OF the AGRICULTURAL ah9
nerbanIcaI interests necessity 10 the welbeng and
OF society: aud that these objects can be more
successfully accomplished by the education OF those
engaged IN these pursuits in whatever aPpesths 10
them h an idea which has long been entertained by wise
men ana statesmen, put it never received nucn Pop1-
preston until modern times.
THE NEW PRACTICAL EDUCATION
To-day however, IL Is strong In popular favor ana
finds expression in one form and another ouV notably
in the numerous technical schools and colleges organ
ICED not only in our but In nearly all the progress
ye countries Of Europe These schools are based sub
tptiay upon the theory that every useful occupation
~ man IL specalty that is that IL involves IN It's ex
ereise principles and practices peculiar 10 ltSeli ana
which DO not In like degree, at least belong 10 any
other aud that knowledge OF these can DO pest Cd
tained In a school especially devoted 10 instruction
tberein Upon this theory organized the Virginia
Agrcultural and Mechanical College, and whatever nu
tatons may await It the coming years. trust that
from this fundamental idea II VIII never depart ltS
missOn is essentially and preemineny that OF pFactca
education. But il may be asked what rs meant