The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1875-12-14
The Board of Agriculture.

The Board OF Agriculture.
We clip the following from the Vt.
Waterman and Journal. We hardly
think the narrow policy the UNIVERSE
ty of Vermont is pursuing will increase
its popularity or extend its usefulness.
The time it was necessary for Prof,
Collier TO devote as secretary, to carry
on his part of the work of the Board of
Agriculture, was very small return
for the large pecuniary help the Uni
versity is deriving from the land fund.
The farmers of Vermont have for a
long time been expecting even larger
returns from the receipts derived from
the appropriation of the general gov
eminent, TO educate the masses, to fit
them especially for agricultural and in
dustrial pursuits. 1t remains to be seen
whether they will be satisfied with
even less.
Professor Peter Collier has recently
resigned his position as secretary of
this board, after service in that ca
paciiy for five years. In other states
the custom seems to prevail to contin-
ne the secretary in his Office until very
L.. i i
Having, during four of these years,
been associated with the Professor in
commencing aud carrying forward
whatever there has been in this work
that made it of value and interest to
the people. feel justified in saying a
few words in regard to the situation.
Being thoroughly farmer Though
not thorough farmer) / felt at first
that the Professor did not have
thoughts in common with the farmer
or a just appreciation of the value of
our practical knowledge, and realiza-
ton of what knowledge we really need
to supplement what we already have.
But, as the time passed along, l found
erroneous theories in farming kindly
and judiciously corrected, and n sound
ness of judgment and sincerity of pur-
pose that commended the Professor to
the different audiences in all parts of
the state, and won the respect and
friendship of the members of the board.
Durins nio rVu. J~-.S SA-.-I -
member of the board, there were dis
cussions in the different meetings, in
regard to the value to the farmers of
the so-called agricultural college. AL
ways, in these discussions, the Profess
or was faithful to his college in repre-
senting the value of the courses of
study and the education acquired there,
and his association with the farmers
and citizens of the state gave them an
assurance that the college was of value,
from the fact that Professor Collier was
one of the instructors.
The views of the professor were grad
ually modified and enlarged in regard
to the education necessary and most
valuable to the farmer, and also in re-
gard to the justice to the farmer in the
disposal of the endowment for as in
dustrial school, that Vermont received
from the Uuited States.
believe that the Professor was true
TO the best interests of his college, in
his ideas and desires, and was anxious
70 mi fsats laA Il 80
young men of the state, increase the
number of its scholars and its useful
ness.
1t is to be regretted that the Profess
sor had so little sympathy from his as
sociates, the faculty and trustees of the
college. This lack of cooperation
seemed to show itself in an expressed
dissatisfaction with the work per-
formed by him.
The college have professed 10 be anx-
iOus to give such educational aid to
those of the citizens of Vermont who
follow agriculture or tho mechanic
arts, rs their charter requires them to
give, and have proposed at different
times, and finally advertised n course
of lectures at the college, very similar
to those delivered at the beard meet,
lngs. Yet they cannot spare the Pro
lessor to go to the people with these
lectures, and they compel him to re.
sign. We see strange sight a col.
iege that yields over So. 900 year fol
educating the industrial classes, insist
ing that the secretary OF the board O
agriculture shall rssign-and another
college that has no fund of this kind
cheerfully allowing one of its profes
sors to take the place.
The state has lost one of its most val.
liable men by this withdrawal of Pro
lessor Collier. He was we'll adapted
to be an instructor of hundreds of the
practical workers of tho state. He
gathered around him, as helpers, more
men from the common people than
were ever combined in any other edu
cational movement, as will be seen b,