Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1876-09-08
The University-Letter from PresI-
dent Battle.
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA,
Chanel Hill. Aug. 81 1876

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROL1NA, I
Chapel Hill, Aug. 81, 1876.
Editor of the journal:
DEAR SIR-The kindly spirit and
enI!gh ened views shown by "Agri,
cola IN late issue of your paper,
seem to call for an answer.
[ think the Trustees agree with
"Agricola" in the opinion that ag.i-
cultural experiments would be best
conducted by one experienced in
Southern crops, Southern climate
and Southern soils.
But the act of Congress requires the
University to teach "such branches of
learning as are related to agriculture
and the niachanic arts, without exclul-
ing other classical and scientific studies,
IN order to promote the liberal and
practical education of the industrial
classes and the several pursuits and
professions OF life" quote from the
act.
Iii order to comply with the above
requirements, the University must
teach among other things zoology,
botany, geology, mineralogy, grouped
under the general term, natural his
tory.
The University had good Professors
anu JdClllGl0S IOr Teaching OCQ0f
branches related to agriculture and
the mechanic arts such as chemistry,
both general and applied, physics,
ture, French and German, besides the
classical studies which we are forbid
den to exclude, but we had no profess
sor of natural history.
The colleges OF the northwest have
paid particular attention to this de-
partment. There is al enthusiasm
and dash about them which leads to
great success. One of the profess
sOrs made extensive enquiries
during a recent tour North for such
man as we need and he was generally
told that we must go to that great res
gion, that there we would most GER
tainly find the proper combination of
Theoretical and practical powers in this
direction. The Executive Committee
of the Trustees and the Faculty think
they lave such man in Professor
W. III. Smith, late of the Uni
versity of Michigan, vino is proved
to them to be an expert in those scien-
COS and IL successful teacher. He was
besides raised on farm and has stud
ie,l and practiced the application of
chemistry to agriculture.
must caution ''AgriccIa'' and the
friends of the University i'll regard to
one thing. We cannot at once carry
on large farm. TO do that would re-
quire much more money that we can
afford, Whatever Ehe University does
in this line must be done IN the best
style. It's barns, horses, cattle, agri-
cultural implements, &C., should be
UlOdCEs.
We have not yet money to buy these
things on large scale. We Will how
ever aEalyze soils and fertilizers and
we will try experiments in agriculture
carefully aud literally not only with the
chief southern crops but with plants
new to us. We will invite Intelligent
farmers in every section to corporate
with rs to experiment under our di-
rectlons and report to us. We will
publish all results.
Next week [ go North to visit the
principal industrial colleges. After
learning what they are doing I will be
better able to give direction to this
branch of the University. Until the
trustees shall appoint a man to have
special charge of this PRACTICAL work,
[ will, with the assistance of my col
leagues, carry it on. We will do the
best possible with our means. Ii the
people will give us more money We
will do better still.
Thanking "Agricola" and a thous-
anl other fl lends for their good will
and "God speed" Very truly,
KEMP p. BATTLE.