Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-02-10
An Agricultural School.

An Agricultural school.
Why cannot an effort be made to estab-
fish an agricultural or farm school Do
farmers believe that theirs is the only bust
ness that does not need to be studied ?
Young men designed to be lawyers, min
listers and physicians, "study law, study
for the ministry" and "study medicine"
To be sure there is a class Of society that
is willing to trust its bodies to the care
of uneducated physicians, and its spiritual
welfare to the charge Of illiterate ministers
though even they usually decline to trust
cases involving their money to uneducated
lawyers. Such Of this class as may be in
cluded among the farmers will sneer at the
idea of an agricultural school but these are
not the men for whom we write, since they
never read agricultural papers.
Farmers complain that, though they CON
stitute the majority, and even send major
ity TO the legislature, the professional and
educated men in that body can manage it,
and have things pretty much their own way.
tits doubtfulif any effort for the systematic
education of youth to the profession Of agri-
culture can succeed, until the farmers them
selves are well aroused to the need and value
Of such training for their sons. And when
that is the case, the farmers OF Vermont are
as able to establish such an institution as are
the Baptsts, the Nlethodists, or the Univer-
salists, to build up and sustain their great
UNCONVENTIONAL schools, that have proved
such gratifying successes
1t has been claimed and urged in behalf of
our State Agricultural College that the sum
given them for the purpose is entirely made
quate to the end in view,--that you cannot
have an agricultural college on $4,000 a year.
But in point of fact hardly any Of our literary
colleges, even the most successful, had that
much to start with and we doubt if the Bur
lington University does not now derive full
half its support from the agricultural fund.
Many of our best academies, that have sent
outthousands of educated young men and
women, have done it with very moderate en-
dowments. The extravagant ideas developed,
not only in private and public affairs, but
even in educational matters, by the era of
speculation that has marked the past two
decades, have not been distinguished by re
suits at all correspondent with the lavishness
of the expenditure, and we hope, when we
do see an agricultural school started in Yer
mont, that it will be upon a moderate though
not an insufficient basis. What we want is,
not Cornell University, nor yet nm institu-
ton like the Massachusetts, Agricultural
College, but well-nanaged manual-labor
school And if we want it to succeed we
must keepit out Of the hands of the old style
of college men, and have it start under the
direction Of able practical educators who are
also practical farmers, and who have never
been inoculated with the miserable ideas Of
gentility and contempt for manual labor,
which render it almost certain that a young
man educated in a literary college will have
been made as utterly unfit, as he is utterly
averse to farmers life.
In our opinion, very good start for an
agricultural school could be made with the
sum Of 100000, one half-in cash and one
half in farm buildings and apparatus. An
amount equal to the agricultural college
fund (sl35,0O0) as an endowment, (the law
requires that none of it it shall be spent for
land or buildings,) would be all that could
be pro6tably used for many years, but good
beginning could be made with the sum first
all - IA.
terprise ON foot After the farm buildings
and apparatus had been provided on mod
crate scale, costing say $4,000, with the en-.
dowment Of S5O,0O0, the tuition fees, and
the proceeds of the farm, it could be made tc
do its work, and turn out a good large class
of welltrained students every year after thu
first. In such school, we would not have
four years course The student should
come with a good preliminary education, a,
good or better than is required in law and
medical colleges, and his training in agricul
ture and the sciences connected Herewith
could be fairly completedin two years. which
is as long as is required in most medical and
law schools.
We believe it to be essential that an agri
cultural school should be a manual labol
school; that both teachers and scholars shoulc
60 into the fields, the cattle yards, the gar
dens aud stables and make these the seen,
for practical demonstration Of the idea
taught in the class rooms. Every one shoulc
put his hand TO the pillow, the hoe, the curry
comb, and the dung-fork, and learn how /,
handle them in the most effective way. II,
should make himself familiar NTH the ami
mails, and the daily use and care of them
Could class SO instructed hy a skillfu
teacher, who was also a capable farmer, fai
TO come out of such school qualified 10 re
turn 10 his fathers farm as a valuable assist
ant with the promise of becoming every wa,
better farmer than il he had remained a
home And would he not be likely to re
turn with love for farming, and deter
mination TO assert and maintain. so far as hi
influence extended, the social and politica
equality OF the agricultural class with othe
classes in the community Would sucl
men, II seated in the legislature of the state
allow themselves 10 be led like horses, o
driven like cattle, by political managers
But how 10 establish such a school, IL i
fine thing 10 think about, plan and tall
Nff4f Nbh "h'At - VIC ilvhtl W tbNlt lfNnl
Where there is a will there Is way. Their
are towns that would willingly give the fan
and the buildings il the endowment ooul
be raised and the farmers of the sta,
would not have TO put their fingers ver
deep into their pockets 10 find the necessar
funds. Single denominations Of Christian
IN the state can raise money for their school
and II is absurd To think that when the ia
mersof Vermont want an agricultural schoo
they cannot pay the cost Of establishing
The main thing is 10 convince suiiciel
number Of intelligent farmers, Of the nee
and beneht Of such a school for the educ
ton Of their sons. And we trust that Il
question may be taken up for discussion
the farmers clubs and oranges, aud at Il
meetings Of the board Of agriculture until
way Is opened for the realization Of the pla
or until II Is shown 10 be unnecessary,
impractieable.