The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1874-11-03

misfortune ID temporarily looslng Them,
or more heartily hope we shall soon be
able to receive the benefit Of them again.
Had the rest OF the Faculty. and the trus.
tees Of the University of Vermont, as
faithfully endeavored 10 discharge the
trust they had accepted, aud labored one
half as hard as has Prot. Collier, to give
Agriculture in Vermont the full benefit
Of scientific knowledge aud Investigation,
ten, IA there would have been NJ occasion
for it.
But We have wandered somewhat from
our subject, or the particular line of it,
we were discussing, The trustees report
complains that they are without funds to
educate young men, why are constantly
applying for instruction, but are too poor
to pay for it, and they are obliged to 60
to other States, where such tuition is of.
Tered them free. States are named that
have institutions doing this, aud the state
is asked for a very modest sum-" to en-
able the University to give tuition free to
these poor young men, and "a moderate
appropriation for aD agricultural profess
sorship." The Agricultural Depart.
mont" and The Professor Of Agricul.
turc' that have been paraded with SO
much show for number of years by the
university of Vermont" has been only
sham, and blind, to draw away the at.
tention OF farmers from the fact that the
money they have been entrusting to the
University to educate farmers to follow
their calling, has been misused, to give a
more finished education to those who will
follow any other calling than that, while
INDECENT young Ncrmonters have been
applying in vain for Just that education !;
it was intended the fund should give
them, and they have been obliged reluc-
antly to 60 to other states, where their
proportion Of this Agricultural Land
Grant fund has not been misappropriated
to other branches Of education, as it has
in this state.
1t must have required great cheek on
the part Of the makers of this report, in
view Of all these facts, to offer the follow.
ing as part Of the report
Meanwhile we are honestly and faith
fully carrying out our agreement to give
instruction "in branches relating to agri.
culture" On. OF a long list OF subjects
classified as branches relating to "Agri.
culture in the 'Ipquiries Of the Commit.
tee of Congress" only very few are not
found in our curriculum A young man
intending to be a farmcr-lct us say, in.
tending to be a man, an educated man,
and tarmer-could hardly qualify him.
self better for his work and place in life,
han by taking such course in the
sciences, in literature, history and philos.
ophy, as this institution can give him.
We hope to have the means ere long, ell
Their through State or private endowment,
10 add some things in which We are now
deficient. But the essentials of q thor.
ough education for agricultural pursuits,
We can furnish already.
These are beautiful words to use, but
we must be pardoned if we question how
they can honestly and faithfully" be used
in this connection, and in the face of the
very facts submitted in the report. "a
winter course Of lectures to farmers, de.
tailed programme of which will shortly be
published" is announced, as it has been be.
fore, but the lectures have never been de.
livered.
We ask our readers to attcntvely look
these matters squarely in the face, and
would ask the farmers Of Vermont, and
The members of our present Legislature,
what assurances, guarantees,o or securities,
they are likely to get, that any further
,ums they may entrust as appropriations
TO the University Of Vermont, to educate
young men to become farmers, or found
agricultural proiessorships, will not be
misap propria;ed to expand the iDstitu.
ton in all directions" except so as to af.
ford young Vcrmonters farmers educa-
ton II our eight thousand dollars q
year for a number Of years has only been
enough to enable the trustees of that in.
stitution to say, 'wc do not consider that
we have more than begun to develop the
capabilities Of our system" natead of en-
abling them to point to single graduate
from an agricultural course, or single
student pursuing such course, we
hardly think any appropriation within the
means of the state OF Vermont will do any
good, or be of any practical benefit to the
cause Of Scientific Agriculture within her
borders.
On the other hand, We think it high
time the people of Vermont set about
giving practical answer to q question OF
one OF the officers of the University Mt
the meeting of the invited farmers at the
American House ut Burlington, last
'priug. What are you going to do about
1t. These may not be the exact words,
we are not sure they are, but the gentle.
men there assembled were referred to the
Supreme Court for satisfaction. if they
were not satisfied with what the College
thought f. to do with the fund, entrusted
to further the cause Of Agricultural Edu.
cation in Vermont.