Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1878-11-13
Students, Manual Labor.

labor system at the Michigan Agricultural
College, which we copied few weeks ago
from the Country Gentleman, is again referred
to by the same writer professor Halsted)
as follows In the first article on this sub
ject, | gave list of the kinds Of work done
on two or three days by the students in
their three hours of daily manual labor.
Taking it as solid fact that the students
have manual labor throughout their whole
course, let us look at some of the advantages
which come from this mingling of the skill
of the hand with the training of the mind.
"The students are mostly the sons of
farmers, and come to the college intent on
farmers education. This statement is
founded on the record Of the entrance ex-
aminations, when the occupation of the pa
rent and the chosen pursuit of the student
are given by the examined. Coming then,
as they do, from the farm, they are accus-
toned to farm labor, and need the outdoor
work which they find here to keep them in
sympathy with the profession which they had
at home. The habit which has been formed to
some extent must be continued, or the interest
in daily farm labor is lost Especially is this
true if the person is engaged in the educa-
ton of the brain. The student whose
hands find no time for manual labor in his
college course, will usually choose other than
farmers life when his school days are
over. But very small per cent. of the
farmer boys who go to literary institutions
return direct to the farm. They may find
the farm after time, but they will first try
something which is more to their taste. 1t
is in the fostering of a real love for farm
work that we find one of the strong elements
of the success of the labor system.
Along with this sympathy for'farm labor
there comes the skill so necessary for the
successful competition in the work of the
| farm. The learning hOw 10 do the thousand
and one things which come in the path of
the everyday farmer is part of the stu
dents education. He may know many of
these things already, but with the principles
on which they are based given him in the
class room he is the better able to fix them
in lis mind. 1t is as important to practice
the principles of draining as of cube root, so
that the subject may be understood
Besides the sympathy for farm work, the
ability to do it, and do it Understandings,
which the labor system gives to the student,
word can be said in favor of student labor,
on the ground of health. The three hours Of
daily work performed at regular time, and
of varied nature, are sufficient TO keep the
student in good bodily health, and the mod
crate exercise on farm or garden is far bet.
ter than football and boating, even in a
hygienic point of view, because much less
liable to be carried to excess. The fact that
this labor is compulsory insures that respite
from books that some students would not
otherwise take until their health is injured,
or even life endangered. The students here
are healthy, which is the final test of the
value of the labor system in this point of
view. Again, the labor is remunerative
the amount being ten cents per hour for
maximum ability and faithfulness. This
pay is quite an object to many Of the stu
dents, who, by teaching in the vacations
are enabled with it to meet the expenses OF
their college course. The labor is planned
with great care, and the student performs
nearly all kinds of work before he graduates
" In conclusion, the manual labor system
as practiced here, is success, because il
keeps the student in sympathy with his past
and future work. 1t makes him skillful in
those things in which skill is so important
1t makes him observing, thoughtful and sci
entfc. 1t keeps him strong and healthy
and helps him pay his way. 1t puts the
young farmer on the highway to success aud
Independence"