Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-01-19
Tho University OF Vermont and State Agricultural
COLLEGE.

College.
Tho catalogue of the University of Yer
mont and State Agricultural College TOR
1876 and 1877, is Just received. The pro-
iessorships are filled. The number of stu
dents is-undergraduates. ninety-two. and
medical students, seventy-siY. Instruction
is gwen in this institution in the depart
ments Of arts: of applied science and medi-
cine The first of these departments COM
prises the literary. classical. mathematical
and scientific studies usually taught In col
lego courses. The second is subdivided into
Courses in agricultural and related branches,
chemistry, engineering and mining. In
these two departments three full courses of
study, covering four years each, are laid out
in synoptical tables. The last two courses
provide fully for instruction in the branches
prescribed 10 be taught by the law OF Con-
gress founding Agricultural Colleges.
From such examinations of the catalogue
as We have given, We dc not find that any oil
the students take the whole agricultural
course. Quite number pursue some OF the
studies which the act of Congress provided
should be taught in Agricultural Colleges,
but none those more specifically relating to
agriculture. The lack of students in these
studies has been made the subject of remark
anu sOluG sho pois Va
persons. Their complaints have been
brought before the General Assembly ut
several Of its sessions, and Investigations
have been held. The result uniformly has
been to fully vindicate the officers of the
University as having. on their part, comp!i-
ed with tie act of Congress in providing for
instruction in all the required branches. In
looking over the catalogue of Dartmouth
College, we find that, of the more than one
hundred Vermont boys now pursuing their
studies in the various departments in that
institution, only one takes the agricultural
course. The number of scholars in other
Agricultural Colleges is. comparatively,
very small.
As Vermont is ar agricultural State it 5
riddle TO many that no more OF her sons
seek an education in the Agricultural Col
leges, and the inference is drawn that as
they do not, the colleges must be in i.ult.
In seeking an explanation of this state OF
things it should be considered that Agricnl-
tural Colleges. as they generally exist in this
country, did not spring up to satisfy any
felt want. They are not a spontaneous
growth, but were devised and set up by an
outside movement. They did not come into
existence rs the result of a pressing de-
mand, but by an act Of Congress. The can
sequence OF this was that the act OF Con
gress, giving to the people in Vermont the
opportunity OF securing such a college, and
providing them with small iund toward
conducting 1t, was met with no enthusiasm.
We nearly failed of having an Agricui
tural College at all in this STATE. because in
no part of the State did the people feel in
terest epough in such an institution to pro-
vide the requisite buildings. And now
that We have one nobody knows how To
make it available. Its officers, in cores
pOpdence with some of the ablest men in the
country. who are trying to conduct similar
institutions in other States, have established
courses OF study IN the required branches
that arc approved by these able men. ct
| it remains true that to tho more purely ag-
ricultural studies few students are drawn
The reason of this state of things must be
| found mainly in the fact that these instItu-
tons are exOtics and not II natural growth
Toe agricultural population did not call
them into existence, do not sec the prac-
teal advantages OF them, cOnseq uenty feel
little interest IN them. Moreover. there Is
hardly farmer or farmers son in Yer
mont who thinks it necessary to spend three
or four years Mt an Agricultural College u
qualify him TO conduct farm. They 60
not believe it will pay. If they are going
TO spend that time in study they prefer To
take q broader. more generous course, that
will give them foundation for any depart
ment of labor, professional, literary, or
scientific. a. their tastes may, at the end
OF their course, incline them. So the Young
men from farmers families generally take
the academic. rather than the simply arri-
cultural course, and their father approve
pfit.
Agricultural Colleges are yet an expert
ment in this country. Tney will doubtless
accomplish good work IN the future cle-
waiting agriculture, making it more srien
tifc and remunerative. The people Will
grow to them, and from time to time they
will have to introduce changes in their
methods and curriculum, to adapt them
selves more fully to the wants Of the com
try and the people. The matter, however,
cannot be forced. Though thee colleges
were not, in the beginning. natural
growth; from the wants Of the community,