The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1877-10-12
Agricultural Department.
CONDUCTED ny ALBERT CHAPMAN
ve,mont's Agricultural College.

affairs of tie institution which they
have in charge. While | do not APP
prove of the proceedings. hold that
they are the legitimate result of the cir
cumstances in which they are placed
and entirely consistent with them. In
judging of the merit or dcmcrit of indi-
vidual acts. we should consider tie
conditions and motives which prompt
ed them. An improper act may result
from noble impulse, may be the re-
ward for favors received, or the dis
charge of sacred obligations. While
such an origin may not fully Justify the
act, il yet has much TO do with our
opinion of its author, and should re-
lieyc him from much of the opprobri-
um which he might deserve and re-
ceive for the same act when insiigatcd
by base motives.
In order to properly appreciate the
situation in the case before us. we must
know something of the history and
present status of the college. as in il
will be found the true explanation of,
and apology for, the course of the pres
ident and his associates. II is well
known TO those familiar with IFS history,
that previous TO the acquisition of the
agricultural fund, the resources of
Burlington college were extremely lin
tied. That at the time these funds
were placed in charge of its trustees
there was every indication of impcn-
ding bankruptcy. 1t was at that time
maintaining a hopeless competition
with its rival, Middebury, which was
comparatively well endowed. In or
der TO replenish its exhausted golfers
and GET even with lis rival its friends
devised and successfully executed
plans to secure the funds in question
To accomplish this, it was found neces-
sary to call upon the political elements
of the state TO aid in the manipulation
of the matter in the state legislature.
1t is unnecessary in this connection to
describe in detail the manner in which
the work was carried on, or TO give an
account of the intrigues and trickcry
which contributed to the success of the
scheme. 1t is sufficient 10 say here.
that ii was brought about in manner
characteristic of the class who had the
matter in charge. When the funds had
thus been secured the trustees of the in
stitution. acting upon the advice of
their new found friends, proceeded to
convert it into nominally agricultural
college, in order to answer the require
ments and conform to the conditions of
the United States law granting the
lands from the sale of which the fund
was realized. This feat was also ac-
complished IN very original and char
acteristic manner. No new professor
ships were established, no new profess
sor appointed. and no additional educa-
tional facilities provided which were
not needed by the institution as it was.
The mOdaS Opey0ndi of this metamor-
phosis was as follows: A professor of
some branch Of science which might
pertain to agriculture under favorable
circumstances was selected and dedi-
Gated to instruction in that ancient and
honorable calling. For example. the
professor of botany was thus set apart.
ofchemistry and SO on, until enough
had been selected to answer the condi.
tions required. The plan of the new
institution did not embrace large
number of agricultural professors, as
the annual avais of the agricultural
fund is less than nine thousand dollars.
and it did not require a large number
of professors TO absorb that sum bv
their salaries. Ii was found also that
the new college must necessarily be of
a mongrel nature. in order TO retain
possession of the lcgacics and beolcsts
previously in possession of the trustees.
Such is briefly the history of the orr
Gin of our so-called agricultural college
II was never claimed that the original
institution was in any sense an aoricul-
trral school, previous to this fariccal
comp Veidf. and the farmers of Ner-
mont can see no difference between the
present agricultural college and the
old institution, only that its professors
are better paid and it seems at present
better able pccuniarily 10 cope with its
competitor. When the more intelli-
gent farmers of the state found that
they had been thus grossly deceived
they very naturally protested against it,
They claimed that ii was not only Il
fraud that affected the interests ofthcm-
selves and their children after them.
but that il was wrong which would
seriously affect all other classes of citi-
zens and every private and public in
ierest by preventing the proper dcvel.
opment OF those resources upon which
the present and future prosperity OF in.
dividuals and the state depends
These feelings of dissatisfaction found
opportunity for expression at meeting,
of the state Board of Agriculture. and
the farmers who assembled on those
occasions were wont TO inquire of the
Board with regard to the disposition O.
the agricultural fund Some of the
members ofthc Board have also hello
the hereiical doctl inc, which was pro
claimed by one of its early members
that agricultural education is the tru,
basis of agricultural Developments
Such discussions and opinions could
not of course be tolerated, as il nigh
lead to requirement from the proper
authorities that they render an accoun
of their stewardship and to the surren
der of the misapplied funds Agail
the same political machinery was pu
in motion 10 avert these impendins
evils. Each successive legislature hai
witnessed a shameless attack upon III,
Board. Cunningly devised bills hay,
been engineered through the house, ex
pressly designed to ruin its work, an,
put stop to its dangerous meetings
This organization, which has done s.
much for the development of agricul
ture among us, has twice been save,
from ruin at the hands of these politi
co-educational enemies, only bv th
prompt and decisive action of the stat
senate. Sham legislative investigation
conducted by these political harlequin
have resulted in the same discover
that the college in its agricultural capa
city has proved a wonderful success
while the same investigations have re
yealed the well-known fact, that hi
prodigy of success in agricultural edu
cation has never had a solitary agricul
tural student. Such a record of sell
qualification and shame may be foun
among the archives of Vermont an,
stands there a damaging witnes
against its authors and their associates
will here mention, as strikingl
characteristic feature of these legislo
tive proceedings, that a prominen
member of the committee who had thu
recorded his own want of intelligenc
or integrity. was soon after dnlv olaci