The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-12-20
TECHNICAL EDUCATION.
what the Louisiana Mechanical ana
Agricultural College should BE.

The following letter was handed us by Prof.
| Nicholson, of the State University. 1t was
not Intended for publication by Prof. Nc
| Culloch, but as 1t contains much valuable in
| formation touching the agricultural interest
of the country, Prof. Nicholson has taken the
| liberty of giving us such portions OF 1t for
publication as are Of public value
LEXINGTON Va, Nov. Is, 1877.
| Col. d. +. Boyd:
have your note OF the 10Th, In which you
ask me to give you my views concerning
| technical education.
perfectly agree with you that 1t is far bet
| ter to unite all branches Of instruction in one
| institution instead of scattering them in sep
| in letter to Gov. Nichols, which | wrote
before my election In this State virginia.
there are three separate State schools, the
university at Charlottesville, the agricultural
school at Blacksbury, and the military school
at Lexington. Those three are bitterly hos
tile to each other, in fact, striving constantly
| with the Legislature to divert all State favor
and patronage to itself and from the others:
Had 1t been possible for the university and
the military Institute to have acted together,
or otherwise than In complete hostility, the
agricultural school would never have had a
separate existence in Virginia AS 1t was, the
| State, unable to choose between the two, when
| both were contending for the appropriation
| and therefore created distinct school. No
one can doubt that it would be far better for
each of the three Virginia schools II they
| were all united in one, thus ending strife and
jealousy. give you this practical example
because 1t is very instructive, and having
united her Schools Louisiana has acted very
wisely. When the State Grange meets l hope
you will be authorized to assure them that 1t
will be our earnest desire and effort to make
the institution all that 1t should and can pos
no Nc n
school, and to solicit from them their hearty
cooperation. il technical instruction has In
some cases suffered in schools, where 1t was
not separated from other studies, that, | be-
lieve, may in every instance be shown to have
been due either to mismanagement or to in
veterate prejudices In the minds of persons
intrusteI Herewith and thereby incapacitated
from dealing fairly with the work intrusted
gentlemen cling most tenaciousy to their ia
vorite prejudice that Latin and Greek
and abstract mathematics constitute not
merely. an important part Of an
academic course, but should compose al
blind to the demands of this day In art and
science of which they are generally grossly
ignorant. Ii confided to such men technical
instruction can but fail by strangulation and
starvation. But whenever and wherever 1t
has had fair chance it never fails to bear
most excellent and valuable fruit. We want
all the facilities OF good experimental farm,
botanic garden, a mechanical work shop for
wood and metals, chemical laboratory, etc.
Not only linear and free hand drawing, but
the construction of models, carving, model
ing, etc, use of tools generally should be o
part of our drill s.
Neither the classical scholar, the literary
adept nor the mathematician Is injured by
having having his fingers trained as well as his
In 1S69-7O was sent to Europe by Gen. r.
Z. Lee upon the special mission Of studying
the industrial education Of Great Britain and
of the Continent Everywhere was not only
welcomed, but unusual facilities were most
ch, erfully and freely extended to me, and
had the fullest opportunity Of seeing and
Judging of the results and Importance of
good technical instruction. as well as of be-
coming most painfully conscious of the la
mentable deficiency, comparatively, and
great want of such instruction in our own
country. Let us, then, try to make our Lou
isana school one that will lead in such work.
Yours truly, r. s. MCCULLoCH.