The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1878-03-22
The Agricultural College Question.

ultant filings of the opponents ofagricul
tural education, that the farmers feel no
Interest in IL; aud their very wise pre-
diction that no agricultural school can
succeed IN Vermont, which prediction
is manifestly the outgrowth of their fer
vent hope that none will ever be cstab-
lshed.
Now / hold, that in so far as the agri-
cultural colleges of this country have
proved failures, there is a reason for 1t +,
and that that reason should be removed.
And thatif the farmers have no conf
dence in agricultural schools, that there
is reason for that, which should also be
removed. That if the apathy claimed
to exist among the farmers of Vermont
upon this subject is real, and results
from their inability to comprehend its
Importance, it only indicates the great
CT necessity for educational work in
this direction. There will be ample
time to predict the failure of agricultur-
al schools among us, when an honest,
sensible attempt TO establish them shall
have been made.
Have you ever considered the mani
fest Righteousness of our present situa-
ton with regard to this matter, when
viewed from an honest, earnest stand
point1 To every considerable, intelli-
gent friend of agricultural education,
our past efforts to improve our educa-
tional facilities in this direction must
look farcical and absurd in the ex-
IRENE.
Had an appropriation been made by
the general government for the develop
ment of any other calling than that of
agriculture, and had those whom it was
designed TO benefit shown the same in
consistency in its expenditure that the
farmers of Vermont have allowed in the
use of the one in question, they would
justly have been considered worthy only
of ridicule and contempt.
These remarks do not apply to YER
mont alone, but to large proportion of
the states of the Union; but / speak to
Nermonters, and only of Vermont's re-
sponsibility In the matter. And while
| speak frankly and plainly with regard
to the blameworthy course its mana
gers and the state, | would temper my
censure with charity when / consider
that the field Is new and untried one,
and that the best course to be pursued
In order to secure the best results, was
by 10 means clear, and that the tempta-
ton to legislative manipulation and
flnal diversion of the fund, on the part
of Burlington College, was great in
view of the ease of its accomplishment
and their own urgent necessities.
1t is the part of wisdom to learn from
past experience how TO direct our steps
more wisely in the future. While our
opponents grant that our agricultural
college is a failure, it is for the friends
of agricultural education to detect the
reason and remove the cause. Let MS
inquire what we have yet done to de-
serve success.
What is the object which we would
attain? | answer, better agricultural
education for tho masses, and through
this channel a better development of
orr agricultural resources, and improv-
cd prosperity to the state. What have
we accomplished with the means placed
in our hands by the general govern
ment! Absolutely nothing towards the
accomplishment of the object for the
promotion of which the fund was grant
, cd: while the managers of the fund free
~ assert that agricultural schools are
necessarily failure, and that state of
apathy and distrust with regard to agri-
cultural education has settled down
upon their wards, the farmers. A dis
graceful acknowledgment indeed, in
view of the fact that they have expend-
cd ono hundred and .fjtee,, %. f,renfy
thousand dollars in the accomplishment
of this result.
Let us inquire the reason for all this,
and contrast our work with educational
work in other departments. Suppose
that previous to this time there had
been no medical schools in this coun-
try, and that consequently there had
been but little progress made in the de-
velopment of the science and art of med
icine, and suppose that an annual ap-
preparation of ten thousand dollars
should be made TO promote improve
ment in medical science and practice
ought such an appropriation to fail in
the accomplishment of its object? Most
certainly not and if properly applied il
would not. Ii failure did result il
would be prima .facie evidence of an
improper use of it. 1t would, in the case
supposed, take time 10 accomplish all
that the friends of medical education
conld desire, az it would be found nee
essary TO commence at the foundation,
and by slow degrees work upward to
final success.
If those in charge of such fund
should initiate the example of the farm
ers of Vermont, and place it in the
hands OF some poverty-stricken CLASH
call law, or divinity school, whose Off
GERS and professors did not pretend to
know anything about the science or art
to be taught, and were intent only on
building up their old institution, and
who withal were unassisted by a soli-
tary professor of medicine, and unpro-
vided with any of those Indispensable
appliances of Il successful medical col
lege, with no facilities for teaching tie
practical work of the profession, and
with 10 skill or experience to qualify
them for their use if they had | say. hv
such an absurd course, could rational
men expect success and patronage?
And if, as would inevitably be the case,
the physicians of the state should prefer
to educate their SONS at home, even illi
their very limited means for teaching
them, would there be just cause for HE
cry that they did not appreciate medical
education; that they were apathetic ard
stupid? Yet why not, if under existing
circumstances the farmers merit such a
charge?
Take another example. An agricul-
tural college without a solitary agric,l-
tural professorship, and presided ever
by d. D., occupies the same relation
TO agriculture, that divinity school
without any theological professors, and
presided over by farmer, would to di-
vinity. The one is no greater absurdity
than the other. Every minister of re-
spectacle attachments would Justly be-
lieve that he could better fit his son for
the ministry in his own study than at
such an agricultural divinity school.
And why should not the farmers apply
tho same reasoning TO the education of
their sons for agricultural pursuits, AID
repudiatc the claims of theologico-ai :
cultural schools? The failure of tie
farmer to patronize such schools is but
the result of tho application of their