Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-05-12
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
University of Vermont and State Agri-
cultural College.
No. H..

NO. IL.
Returning to the topic discussed 10 my
last letter, the education Of Farmers sons,
will transcribe, by permission Of the writer,
a letter showing how some Of the boys them
selves look at this matter. This young man
had been for some time preparing to take a
course 10 the agricultural department
"Dedr Sir: am very sorry to be obliged
to inform you that must give up my plan
of going through college. Until a few days
ago. my father had seemed willing that l
should get an education, but now he tells me
that in his opinion education does not pay
that education does not make the man, etc.
He says that if want to go to commercial
college next winter, may 60. cannot
tell you how disappointed am. My father
is well off, He has good farm and other
property which | suppose will sometime come
to me as l am his only child. But it seems
rather hard that | cannot have the use Of
some of it now when | need it more than
shall then. My only consolation is that in a
few years l shall be Of age, and then eau
paddle my own canoe
Yours truly,
P.S My father has recently been talk
ing Of building barn to cost $500. He
admits that one costing $500 would answer
every purpose, except that it would not make
as much show. Fifteen hundred dollars to
build a barn is not much, but the same
amount expended in educating his sou would
make him feel poor
This is by no means a solitary case, 1t
is representative of large class. Whether
this young man will persevere in his inten.
ton remains to be seen, but during a twenty
years connection with this college, | have
never known a term when we had not men
who were compelled to wait for their edu-
cation till they had the legal right to their
own time. This, as the young man says, il
"rather hard, because the age for learning somt
things is then hopelessly gone by. | know
that many fathers are obliged to say to theil
sons, II would gladly help you to good
education if | had the means, but l have
not, and you must work it out for yourselves
in the best way you can" Such fathers We
can respect, and such boys, in spite OF
their Disadvantages, often become the fore
most men in college and in the world. Blu
it is hard to restrain ones indignation at tn,
father who out of his ample resources denies
to his sou the means of acquiring an educa
ton for which he is thirstiug and piniDg
One cannot but recall the words Of our q reat
Teacher rebuking those who shut the door o.
knowledge against them that would 60 in.
This father represents one class Of Yer
mont farmers-let us hope a small class.
know another farmer who represents diff
fereDt class l hope larger one, and may
his tribe increase This man has often sale
to me-and want to take off my hat t
him when he says til had no advantages
for education in my youth, but the lack of il
has so cramped me and kept me down, that
am determined to give my children the best
advantages that my labor can buy for them.
And he does not stop with his own children
| suppose that at this moment the money duC
to him from boys whom he has helped or i,
helping through this college amounts to thou,
sands Of dollars. say again, may his tribe
increase! NJ. ii. BUcKHAM.