Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1878-12-04

and teachers, without experience, without
proper text books, in short. without any
of those conditions and appliances so es-
sential to the success of any class of
schools, they were utterly unprepared to
act in the matter. The friends of the
impecunious University observing the en-
balrassment under which the farmers
were laboring, saw and embraced the OPP
portunity TO get possession of the funds
thus seeking investment, and began tie
necessary legislative manipulation for the
accomplishment of their object. They
labored and brought forth an embryo
agricultural college, which, when devel-
oped, was to become an educational ele-
plant of truly colossal proportions; or
more properly, an educational mastodon,
compared with which the fossil remains of
the antedeluvlan period were butinsignifi-
cantillustrations.
They mt first called for the modest sum
of two hundred thousand dollars, with
which to provide domicile for this Won
derful prodigy. Its feeding ground was to
be the state at large, and its manager the
public crib" Though they afterwards
reluctantly consented to reduce the pro-
posed cost of its habitation one-half, they
still talked fluently of their extravagant
expectation of its success, careful always
| to convey the implied understanding thai
II correspondingly heavy future taxation
would be required for its equipment and
support The more intelligent farmers OF
the legislature, though they well under
stood the nature of the game which was
being played, were utterly powerless in
h,,p IF tbic hns nu-iur lnhhy
influence, while The balance were only too
anxious 10 be delivered from what appear
ed to them to be great impending calam-
ity, and readily assented to the propositions
of the managing party. which would re-
lleve them of the heavy prospective burden
which the support of this unnatural prodigy
would impose. The result was the prep
aration and passage of the bill called nj
Enabling Act" which was expressly de
signed to enable the unnatural mother Of
this monstrosity to SO enlarge her ma
tcrnal gullet that she might swallow it
whole with all its present and prospective
inheritance.
The plea that the University, in its cor
rorate capacity, had nothing to do will
the manipulation of this matter, is entirely
uncallcd for. am not aware that any one
has ever claimed this. Only honorable
work is thus performed. The charge is
that its influence was exertcd individually
and covertly through its personally inter
ested friends, and by use of unfair an(
dishonorable means. This charge they
cannot shake off or evade.
Let lis observe what follows this mar.
velous coup u etdt. In order to answer
the requirements and conform to the con.
ditions of United States law, it becomes
necessary to convert the University into
in agricultural college. This feat was
accomplished in very original and char
actcristc manner. No -professorships
were established, no non-professors ap
pointed, and no additional educational
facilities provided which were not pre-
viously needed by the institution and
which did not properly belong to this OIL
any other institutions bearing the compre.
hensive title of" State Uniyersity.' The
modus opcrandi of this metamorphosis
was us follows: A professor Of some
branch of science which might pertain tc
agriculture under favorable circumstances
in that ancient and honorable calling. Fol
example the professor of botany was thus
set apart, then of chemistry, and SO on
until it was found enough had been select
ed to answer the required conditions, and
more especially, to absorb by their sala
ries, together with that of the president
the amount of agricultural funds annually
received. 1t was obvious that all coul,
not become agricultural professors, be
cause of the fact that there was not money
enough to go around, and also for the rea
son that the new institution must necessa
I rily be of II mongrcl character in order tC
retain possession Of the legacies and be
quests previously in possession of the
trustees. The managers then, with becom
ing magnanimity, increased the salaries o
| all the professors three hundred dollars
EACH and all were made happy, and thu
Vermont University became an "agricul
tural college"
1t may properly be asked by what cvi
denccs other than wel-known history
subStantiate my statements with regart
to the former poverty of the University
and its present dependence upon TIN
agricultural fund for support If you vii
turn to the official report Of the Unite'
States commissioner of education 70
1896, page AIS, you will find Il statstica
table showing the pecunary status of thu
University proper ut that time. 1t is Their
set forth that the entire annual avails o
its productive funds amounted only to TIN
small sum of 81 800. which with only on
endowed protessorshp and the amour
received from tuition fees, must represen
its pecunlary selt-sustaining power whel
unaided by external help. am informed
that the salary of its president alone i
+ twenty-five hundred dollars. Whence
comes the fund necessary for the paymen
of the salaries Of its professors? Woul,
not impending bankruptcy again han!
over it if its trustees We're compelled t,
relinqush their hold upon the agriculture
fund? Yet, desperate as its situation woul,
now be, we are told by the secretary o
its corporation, in his letter to the Spring
field Republican,, signed Justice" ant
recently republished in the Free Press
that eighty thousand dollars have beer
added to its estate since the date of tn
coup detat which have described
Let US consider the evidences of it
former poverty in other respects. | quot
from the letter to which have just alluded
He tells that the trustees have added, sine
!, receiving the fund, competent professor
in chemistry, mining, metalurgy, civi
engineering, botany, zoology, modern Ian
guagcs and military tactics" The
i. have added 10 the facilities of the institu
ton laboratory also. Do not tn es
additions indicate not only previous pecu
MARY poverty, but poverty in nearly Al
=, those facilities and appliances decme
r essential TO the success of institutions c
: its class? Does the character of thes
additions to its curriculum and professor
!, ships indicate anything but a desire t
build up the old institution, regardless O
:, their obligations to the farmersP HAY
they made by their own showing
solitary addition which has been, or vii
: be, of the least practical interest to tn
:. agriculturists of the state? again submit
the question of President Buckham's ow
; asking. viz: Has each of the interest
:. involved received its proportionate shar
! of attention." Which interest should pre-
! dominate, that which annually pays eigt
E thousand dollars into the copartnership, O
, that which pays less than half that sum
= Which interest should be crowded out,
; either? What have the trustees to sho,
a for their exhorbitant expenditure of tn
peoples money, but the " anomaly of ii
; agricultural college without an agricultul