The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1875-02-05
EMPORIA NEWS.
FRIDAY. FEBRUARY 5. 1876.
KANSAS STATE AoRTcULrURAT.
a,nTIEGE
3ancroft's Real Estate Registel


Book of the above institution.
We have read it carefully, and
with q great deal of interest. We
confess that for some years we
have felt no kindly interest in this
college. We believed, and still be-
lieve that it was conducted in a
manner discreditable to the State,
and to serve the personal ends of
q few old fossils who had fastened
themselves upon it.
There seemed to be an i'll feel
ing against the institution all over
the State, growing ont of the mis-
management of these men.
At last the ring was broken up.
a new board of regents appointed,
a new set Of professors appointed,
new line of policy adopted, and
now the institution bids fair to
fulfil the mission for which it was
created.
1t seems to us that the princi-
pies which underlie the policy so
ably set forth in this Hand Book,
by Prof. Anderson, are eminently
sound; and that the line of policy
adopted, must in time work great
good to the state.
The broad and radical difference
between the objects sought by our
college, and some others, is thus
clearly stated:
"The difference between our line
and that of other Agricultural Col
leges seems to be this: They take
as an objective point the gradua-
ton of agricultural experts, who
shall act as missionaries to work
ing farmers. We take as an OBJ
jective point the graduation of q
capable farmer, able to make his
living by farming. Their theory
is that of the Normal school, train |
ing teachers who shall instruct
scholars; our theory is that of
training the scholar. Along the
mechanical branch, they seek to
graduate master builders or super |
intendeHts Of machine shops; we
Seek to graduate intelligent and
skillful carpenters, masons or
blacksmiths. They strike direct
ly for those industries considered |
the highest, and believe that in
reaching them they include all be-
low; we strike for the industries |
most commonly followed in this
State, and by successfully master
ing them expect to climb up to the
very rarest. Their mode may be
best fo- them, and we are not in
the least criticising it; ours seems
best for us. Kansas is neither
New York, Massachusetts nor
Ohio; and we shall not endeavor
to reproduce their Agricultural
Colleges. With us, where five ag-
ricultural scientists can make a |
living as such, five thousand capa-
BILE farmers can far more than |
make living; and where five arch
itects or master mechanics can OBJ. |
tain employment, five times as
many mechanics can command |
wages. We aim to provide Kan
sas State Agricultural College, for
the practical education of those |
who desire to follow industrial vo-
cations.
In so doing, nothing of educa-
tlonal experience that is useful
will be rejected because it is old;
nor anything retained simply be-
cause it is practiced by literary
colleges in educating for the pro-
fessions. That which upon fair |
trial best serves our purposes will |
be employed; and that which does
not will be discarded, though 1t
were baldheaded with antiquity. |
Nothing will be attempted rashly;
nothing chung to because once in
troduced; and nothing refused
trial that promises effective aid in
reaching and working the mine.
And these statements apply not
merely to the course. of study, but
to all methods and regulations.
The management of such an en-
dowment, for the accomplishment
of such a purpose, is so weighty q
responsibility that, neither because
of public favor nor public crlti-
cism, can we afford to deviate from
those measures which, in our
Judgment, will soonest and best
execute the purpose of the grant
or. So long as We act at all, we
shall act as executors of the will;
and, being Justly held responsible
for our deeds as such, we propose
to do our own thinking and our
own deciding. Whether the will
be the best that could have been
made, is none of our business; we
are simply executors-though we
believe that it is. Whether the
youth of Kansas want an indus
trial education, is equally not our
business; we are bound to furnish
it to those applying, but not to
make any one apply-just as
post master is bound to keep
stamps for sale, but not to make
people buy stamps. AS the gov
eminent pays its post masters, so
the congressional endowment pays
the salaries of those whom we en-
ploy; and the instruction given by
them is furnished to all absolutely
without charge or contingent.
We have thus stated our un-
Outstanding of the object and pro-
visions of the national will; the
principles by which we shall be
guided in executing it; and the
reasons for the adoption of these
principles. Ifthe people. through
their servants and our superiors,
the law-making the law-enforcing
officers of Kansas, desire that the
national will shall be SO executed,
we ask their support, and material
aid in the form of buildings and
appliances, which, in accepting the
grant, they contracted to furnish.
If they do not so desire, but wish
the enterprise conducted upon
other and antagonistic principles,
our reaiCnations are most baartilv