The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1878-03-07
BRYAN AGRICULTURAL AND
MECHANICAL COLLEGE.

Inc STATESMAN OF the tWenty-sec-
ond ult. contained a letter from M.
Sam H. Dixon criticizing somewhat
the conduct and management of the
Agricultural and Mechanical College
at Bryan. Yesterday by accident we
encountered the opinion of the learned
Prot. Eug. w. Hilgard. 1t will inter-
est the many who watch the fortunes
of this Manual Labor System of Educa-
ton, as it is called. Prof. Hilgard is
a master of the matter he discusses; :;
but different people have divergent
opinions on this and all other subjects.
Usually, the less men know of a given
matter the more opinions they have.
True, some opinions are most valuable; ;
others are better, while some are en-
tirely harmless. We think Prof. Hill
gard has a right to claim some
value for his studied assertions.
The Professor did not write this
for the newspaper press, but
as part of his official report
In the matter of religious faith, no
wish is felt by the instructors at Bryan
College to conceal anything. There is
preaching in the chapel. we are told,
every Sunday, the pastors of the vari-
ous churches in Bryan filling the pull
pit in rotation. Prayers are said every
morning at 2 O'Clock. Nospecial creed
is taught, but proper respect for all is
inculcated, at least by example, and
no popular skepticism is held or pro-
mulgated and this is all that the public
care for. The faculty of the Agricultural
and Mechanical College do not desire
to obtrude their opinions on this sub
ject upon public attention. Plof. Hill
gard says:
Those who think agriculture consists
merely in the manual work of blowing,
planting, cultivating, harvesting and
the care of stock, justly ridicule the
idea of its being taught in a college.
Apprenticeship on a well conducted
farm, or in labor schools. is the proper
means for attaining this end, since it
does not necessarily imply material in
tellectual progress, or education, prop
erly so called. 1t is not contended
that such schools, especially such ap-
premiership, are not intrisically USE
full and necessary. But the kind of
training thus attained is clearly not
that intended by the act of Congress,
''for the liberal and practical education
of the industrial classes" on which
the agricultural and mechanical COL
leges of the several States are based !;
and experience in the last has abun- |
dantly shown that it is not the kind OF |
education really desired by the indus
trial classes for their sons, since the |
want of patronage has in every case |
change towards the |
system which makes the manual |
exercise merely a means of fully illus |
trating the principles of rational agri- |
culture. 1t Is not that they may learn |
to plow or hoe little better, but to |
learn why to plow or hoe at all, and |
when aud where 10 do it to the best |
that parents are willing to |
dispense with their sons services on
the heme farm. Without an educa- |
tional judgment, directing the ap-
plication of general principles un-
der circumstances infinitely varied, |
9 little knowledge and great deal
of local routine habit acquired on
model farm are but too apt to obscure
sense, and to render the pos
SCISSOR eminently impractical every
where else. 1t may be thought that
amount of obligatory manual
labor, over and above that necessary
for practice and illustration, might
proflably be enforced in order to main
tain the habit. But the period of four
years now allotted to the educational
course is so short, In view of the multi
plIcity of subjects of which an educated
should have q respec-
table knowledge, that the time
for merely mechanical exercise can
not reasonably be spared. 1t
Is considered q hardship by the stu
dent, since such labor cannot In any
manner constitute q recreation from
.tudy; nor. If rendered obligatory be-
vond the requirement of illustration of
principles, is it conducive to MAINTAIN
ng or creating in the students m:nd
preference for agricultural pursuits.
When such preference Is not the result
If habits acquired at home, or OF ac-
ual bias, enforcement of manual labor
s not likely to promote its acquisition.
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