Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1874-03-16
LETTER FROM IOWA.

has always remembered faithfully the
scenes and associations OF the days he
spent there The changing realities of
more than dozen years have so turned
his boyish fancy that he cannot now, as
ne once did, visit the green hills in day
dreams that clothe them in unnatural
beauty. He can no longer build air
castles by the bright streams where he
once fished for trout but he forgets
them not, and is still loyal to the love
he bore them long ago. He receives the
MONITOR with joy and is glad occasion
ally to see therein a familiar proper
name. Perhaps some of his old school
mates or playfellows would like to hear
through its columns word from him,
while others with strangers interest,
may not be displeased to read something
of the place where he makes 'tran-
sient abode
Iowa is state larger than all New
England, leaving Maine "out in the
cold," and is far richer in its soil and
resources. 1t has an area of 80, O45
square miles, and had IN 1870 a popula-
ton of ,l94, O2O inhabitants The state
has comparatively little waste land. L
should like to have all Vermonters see
some of the Grundy Co. farms. What
would you think of nearly level unbro-
ken wheat field of a thousand acres :?
This rich farmland is drained by sever
al large rivers and their tributaries,
along whose banks are found nearly all
the timber the state contains. We have
extensive coal beds that are just begin
ming TO be worked, rich lead mines and
valuable quarries of lime and gypsum
stone. The famous Cardiff Giant is
a block of Iowa gypsum. We are bound
ed in part by the Mississippi and Wis
consin rivers, and have several railroads
crossing the state in different directions,
giving easy access to eastern and south
ern markets. When we first came west
and stopped in good sized town, | was
astonished to find no academy buildings.
Too young then to attend high school,
| still wanted to see that sign Of civil
zation Found there were two poor dis
trict schoolhouses, and that certain old
maids kept school at home. I think In
dependence for that was the place. was
not at that time an exception in this re-
gard, to Iowa towns of its size but the
last ten years has wrought wonderful
change IN Iowas educational interests.
The town above men toned, with $500
inhabitants, caught the inspiration of
the times about four years since, has
now two schoolhouses with $4,000, and
supports her public schools at an ex-
pense of from $1,000 to $4,000 per an
mum. Iowa has a state university and
an agricultural college, and fifteen OF
twenty other institutions claiming the
name of college. In 1870, the total in
come Of the schools of the state was 3d.
57O,O93, and 6,3l9 teachers were en-
ployed. Cornell College Is an institu-
ton some twenty years old, bat has not
until quite recently been very prosper
Gus. To-day, however, it is in flour
lshing condition, and offers the advanta-
ges of full classical, scientific, civil en-
gineering, military, business, ornament
al, musical, normal and preparatory de-
partmcnts. It is located in Mount Yer
non, an exceptionally moral town that
: has not saloon and offers no lounglng
room for vicious young men, The an
nual enrolment of students reaches the
number of 800. The main college build
ing, the ladies seminary and large
gentlemen's boarding hall are situated
on the college grounds, lot of about
r twenty acres, finely located and CON-
! handing beautiful scenery. The gov
, eminent has furnished the institution
5 with breech-loading muskets, swords,
: belts, battery of cannon with carriages,
etc. ETC., and the Secretary of war has
detailed an officer of the army who is a
. graduate of West Point, and also the
Artillery School of Fortress Monroe, to
r teach the tactics here All the bows
wear uniforms and drill one hour pei
4 day when the weather permits. [ be-
Y lieve there is nothing that can compare
> with this military drill for a healthy ex.
e erclse for students. 1t would do one
r good who has been used to seeing a sick.
: ly train of scholars NOPE to and from
: some lll-managed school, to come to Cor.
n nell about the time the band begins tc
d play. Let him compare the aforesaid
. sickly specimens with the erect forms
+ and red cheeks of the boys with blue
e clothes and bright muskets that collect
r on our college grounds. There are five
e literary societies connected with the col
: lege. The Adelphian which is the larg.
t est and ablest of the gentlemen's socie
t ties, has organized itself into congress
e TOR the present town and meets in two
e divisions, Senate and House. Saturda,
= evening last, the Senate discussed the
: tariff question and decided in favor Of
), protection. These literary societies are
t well sustained, have large halls NIGEL,
S furnished, the floors richly carpeted the