Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1877-03-23
The College Question.

| WaifVfeid, March, 1877.
/
The College Question.
lind that the agricultural college ques
tion is becoming prominent one Just now
and is likely to become more so from tht
fact that all the lines of thought radiatins
from the idea Of a better culture of the sol
aud better system Of farming and the ques
tion of how can farmers boys be induced tc
follow farming for an occupation, aud why
do not farmers have a voice and influence il
politics aud in law-making bodies in some
proportion to their numbers, and the impor.
tance OF their calling in the state, all lead TO
and fiud response in q demand for a bet
ter culture and more thorough education
| OF the farmers of the state. Hence arises the
inevitable question of an agricultural college
Farmers meetings, whether held under the
auspices Of the honorable state board of
agriculture or not, in discussing any Of these
important questions usually lead round to the
agricultural college theme, and frequently
crude and visionary schemes are propoundcd
and sometimes remarks are made concerning
a worthy institution that are both il.natured
and unjust.
Now, in discussing matters concerning ed
ucation, if the farmers do not hit the nail
squarely on the head they strike at it and
are liable to keep striking SO long as there
seems need of another blow. There is ap.
parently the fact the state is entitled to some
$4,000 annually for the agricultural educa-
ton Of our people and We have an institu-
tion that has received that money quietly for
some twelve years, and the farmers have u
right to ask where are the graduates and
what use is being made Of the money, to sat.
isfy the purpose for which it was set apart,
and it is useless for the college to fall back
on Its legal rights in this trust; that the
honorable United States senator from this
state, the father of the bill providing this
fund, is satisfied and pleased with the use
being made Of it, that legislative commit
tee of the state held them under examination
and failed to find that they had oversteppcd
their legal bounds in any manner, is not pre-
cisely to the point, for laws are made to Sc
cure the ends of right and justice; if they
fail in that they arc easily changed. And
when it is said that hero is an agricultural
college all provided for you, complete in
every particular, and if we have never had
a pupil in this department it is because the
farmers refuse to send in their boys. The
farmer responds is it expected that we should
shackle aud gag our boys and forward few
for experiment Is an institution that will
not attract pupil in dozen years worthy
of patronage ? 1t is equal folly for the cham.
pions Of the institution to maintain that all
the agitators Of this question are enemies Of
the institution or designing men with selfish
purposes in view, for they are earnest men
aud raise this question either wisely or un.
wisely, but at all events honestly aud con-
scicnciously, in favor of securing better and
higher education in their calling.
Now, while am somewhat skeptica about
all these agricultural college schemes, l am
even doubtful about the course of study US.
sually marked out as purely agricultural,
being the best for farmers boys. am clear
ly of the opinion that the University cannot
afford to let this feeling pervade the state
The report that the state agricultural college
fund is being misapprOpriatod and misap-
piled by their hands, the story of its misuse
is passed with more or less feeling from one
end of the state to the other blasting the
field from which they gather their students
The history of this literary institution and its
future usefulness, both indicate that the trus-
tees and faculty should no longer ignore this
feeling. 1t is hopeless to look for peace
without reaching some practical solution Of
the question. Is there not somewhere a
common ground upon which the friends of
inc university huu tue Hlenus VI agrlcul-
tural education can stand Is there not some
disposition of that fund that might bo made
satisfactory to bothlparties2 Otherwise, as
nothing is ever settled that is not settled
right" this must boil and bubble in public
opinion aud, perhaps, state politics unit JUS
tice is satisfied. DEACON.