The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1875-06-05
MARYLAND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE.


The editor of the american Farmer gives
rather discouraging account of the col
lege. The best thing apparently would be
for the State to sell out it's interest in the
concern and save the annuity of about
$4,000 expended on the college. We
make the following extract from the Fdrmer
on the present condition of the college,"
GA candid statement of the present con-
dition of the college seems to be about as
follows:
The State appropriation is Sc 1000 year.
The annual income from the United States
fund is about $1,000. There rests upon
the corporation debt of about $4,000,
and it is reduced to that figure only by an
ticipating the next half years receipts.
There are about thirty five pupils in at
tendance. Of these, fifteen are being pre-
pared for the Naval or Military Academies.
Of the remainder, nearly all are in the pre-
paratory department., which is grammar
school of very low grade. Each boy pays
5000 a year.
Agriculture is not taught at all, as we
believe, nor any of the arts and sciences
relating to it.
gentlemen who composed the majority of
the old board of trustees, and who objected
to the participation in its proceedings of
the representatives of the State; who are
pledged to making this college a school of
high scientific instruction. who sought to
discharge from their places not only the
professor of languages Ia gentleman of &C
knowledged rare ability as teacher, but
the professors of agriculture and agricul-
tural chemistry, and, making no provision
for their replacement, to thereby virtually
abolish their chairs. These same gentle
men also sustained the farcical scheme of
teaching nautical science" and making
of the college training school for the
United States Navy and Military Acade-
mics.
In this view of the case, we submit to the
tax-paying farmers of Maryland, whether
it is not time that the handsome annual
donation from the State should determine;
the State itself retire from its droll partner
ship in agricultural education; and new
direction be given the income from the in
vested proceeds of the scrip granted by the
United States for the furtherance of edu-
cation in agriculture and the mechanic
arts"
The following circular issued by the COL
lege will further serve to show what mel
ancholy affair our agricultural College"
is. The paragraph in italics was subse-
quently stricken out Of the circular:
NAUTICAL SCHOOL AT THE MARYLAND
AGRICULTURAL CoLLEGE.-To supply a
want which it is believed is much felt.
there has been added to the full collegiate
and agricultural course of the Maryland
Agricultural College special course of in
struction for youths in NAVIGATION, SEA-
MANsHIP, MARINE ENGINERY, and all mat
tiers pertaining to the PROPER CoNsTRUc-
TON, EQUIPMENT and SAILING Of VESSELS,
or any particular branch thereof.
The new chair is filled by Captain VIM.
II. Parker, a graduate of and for several
years instructor in the U. S. Naval Acade-
my. In addition to long and active service
in the navy, Captain Parker was for seven
years in the service of the Pacific Mail
Steamship Company, commanding first
class steamers, running from San Francisco
to Japan, China and Panama
This addition to the course of instruction
renders the Maryland Agricultural College
highly desirable institution of learning,
not only for those who desire a collegiate
course, but especially for those who propose
to adopt the pursuit of Agriculture, or the
Mercantile Marine.
Captains and mates in tho merchant ssryics
tc,shing to Improve themselpes il, the Meory of
navigation, seamanship, and tho branches
pertaining thereto, wiH be rseeiued at the COL
lego for such length Of time as may SUIT them.
and are cordially inuited to apply for such
further Information as they may aoish.
Special attention will be given to pre-
pairing candidates for admission to the
United States Military and Naval Acade-
mies,--the President of the College being
graduate of West Point, and Captain
Parker of the Naval Academy, and both
for several years instructors in the institu