Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1878-11-29

j
follows
In 1858, largely through the e1ertions o
our own honored Senator, Justin ). Morrill,,
bill wes passed by Congress appropriating
public lands for the endowment of colleges
which were TO be of character, somewhat
though not altogether, new. twas observed
that certain callings absorbed almost all the
benefits of education that the highly educa-
ted men of the land fiocked into the profess
sions OF Law, medicine, divinity or teaching,
and that other callings, especially the indus.
trial, suffered for lack of the high intelligence
which alone can elevate a calling and make
it progressive. The object of the grant in
question was TO induce those preparing to en-
ter these other callin2s to seek more ex-
tended education. 1t was, IN the language
of the act itself, to found institutions whose
object should be "to promote the liberal and
practical education of the industrial classes
IN the several pursuits and professions of
life. In another part OF the act, special
mention is made of branches of learning
related to agriculture and tine mechanic arts. "
terms used, | suppose, to cover all industrial
occupations. The object, in short, WAS to
bring learning to bear on all branches of in
dustry, on agriculture as the great leading
industry of the world and, well, on min
ing on manufacturing on building, on trans
portation, on invention. The term agricul-
tural college is found nowhere IN the act, and
no one who reads IT can suppose that it was
the intention to repeat the old experimen: OF
the exclusively agricultural college. which
had everywhere proved failure. 1t was
proposed, rather to found college from
which one should go forth TO life OF agri-
culture, another TO q mining third 10 en-
glneering, fourth to technical chemistry,
all well-trained in the fundamental sciences
which equally underlie every art, and to
some extent in the practical application of
these sciences to their special arts, we'll
trained also in those branches of general
knowledge which fit a man 10 act with intel
hgence and public respect IN any station of
life. 1t was noble project, worthy to make
any man illustrious who conceived and car
RED 1t. But any one can see, and those most
convereant with educational questions can
see best, that it is a project exceedingly diff
cult of practical execution. It IS IN fact,
new educational problem OF vast dimensions
and full of intr cacies. In a report presented
to Congress in 1875, by committee appoint
ed to examine into the working of these in
stltuuons, the committee say : Many of
the colleges very properly ask for delay of
judgment IN regard to the amount and quail
ty OF their work until time has been given
them for further opportunities. 1t is due,
however TO this whole class OF institutions to
say that there is nothing in the results thus
far obtained that can be called discouragirg.
The delays and mistakes are probably only
such as are incident to human nature en-
gagged ia a new enterprise A considerable
number of colleges have done work which
requires no apology"
Let me now ask your attention to brief
statement respecting the College in this
State-a subject on which there has been
some honest misunderstanding and spiteiul
Misrepresentation. The Legislature of Ner-
mont accepted the grant under the cond-
tions imposed and placed the fund realized
from the sale of the land in the custody of
the State treasurer, where 1t now is, secure
and un diminished. As Vermont had long
suffered in her educational interests from
having three colleges, when she should have
had but one, an attempt was first made to
unite all tine colleges under a new charter CO.
incident in aim with the act of Congress en-
dowing the new colleges. To this project |
the late J. 5. Adams then secretary OF the |
State Board of Education. gave his earnest
advocacy, as did other friends OF education,
but 1t failed because of the difficulties at
tending union OF the existing colleges. 1t
was then attempted to start an Independent |
institution called the Vermont Agricultural
College" but as the act of Congress forbade
the spending of any part of the fund on
buildings, the committee went about the
State seeking locality that would contrib
ute the hundred thousands dollars deemed
to house and equip the future col
lege but the effort was again failure. The
only emaining thing to do. to save the fund
from lapsing by limitation, was to attach it
to some existing institution. The trustees
Of the Vermont Agricultural College recon-
mended, and the Legislature, apparently |
without division, decided to connect the
A agricultural College with tie Unive- sity of
Vermont under Il new charter which made of
the two one Institution, with one manage
ment, one Board of Trustees, one Treasurer.
requiring the new institution to Keep on with
is old curriculum and to add the new de-
oartments required by the new character it
lad taken on l beg you to notice that in
addition to the difficulties encountered by ali
he colleges in shaping the new education,
his College has had to deal with otheis grow
ng out OF the union of two institutions, with
lifferent though not conflicting objects in
view. The old friends OF the University,
most of them full believers in the paramount
value of the time-honored classical curricu-
um, were Jealous of encroachment from the
new departments the advocates Of indus
rial education, especially of that looking to-
ward agriculture, were suspicious that their
he latter have given vent to their impatience
N public meetings, through the press, and by
charges brought before the Legislature. 1t
never has been difficult, however, to convince
my candid person or committee or reader of
newspaper. who would patiently hstsn to
he facts IN tue case, that the Institution has
lone all that could fairly have been expected
Of it in the circumstances. II some of the
colleges have done more. it should be re-
nembered that in every such case large grants
nave been added to the Congressional fund
BY the Legislatures of the States, whereas
his State has never aided its college to the
.xtent Of penny. In the session OF 1874
,ill WAS brought in TO provide free scholar
hips tor poor young men, sons of farmers, to
what the State grants to each of the normal
chools. 1t was proposed TO use this amount,
$500. for adding another professorship to
he agricultural department The measure
vas, however, in the language ofa newspaper
devoted 10 the interests of the
armer. handsomely voted down In
hat same year. Maine, New Hampshire,
almost every Western State,
many even of the impoverished southern
states, granted to their colleges IN aid OF
hese departments, sums varying from three
lines to twenty times the amount SO band
lonely refused to poor sons of Vermont far
ners by Legislature of Vermont farmers.
The college asked the Legislature for bread
1nly few crumbs for the help of poor boys
seeking an education, and the Legislature
ave lt-an investigation. This, however,
hough meant for evil. resulted IN good, Tor
I brought before the public the true facts in
he case; the large facilities for study In the
lew departments the goodly number OF
tudeIts who had used them and gone out
ntv the various industrial pursuits and pro-
essions the economy and fidelity with which
he fund had been administered , and the
ull endorsement by the committee and the
Leg isation of the policy pursued by the In
;titution, resulting, to quote their words, in
"a degree of success which has surprised and
,ratited your committee as no doubt 1t will
very person who duly estimates the value OF
education for the practical pursuits of life
But suppose you will not care to have me
pend any more time in justifying the past
.ourse OF the College The question which
mainly interests you is this-"What can the
College do tor youY' And that resolves it
elf into two questions, What can the Col
ege do Tor the education of farmers and,
What can it do for the pursuit of agriculture?
t Is plain that OF these two ways IN which
he College can make itself useful. its prinei-
,al work is the first education. The second,
. E.. experiment, improvement in agricul-
ure Is subordinate and incidental The
,ollege is bound, first and always, to edu-
ate for farming and other professions it
'ul lit also, so tar it can, to contribute to
he advance ment Of agriculture and the other
allings, by discovering, publishing and il
ustrating new applications of science to
hese callings. | shall consider these ques-
ions in their order. What can the College
10 for you in the way of education, and
What in the way CT agricultural improve
nentS
answer, on the first point, that the Col
ege is able to give instruction il all the
ranches OF learning relating to agriculture
NOT, OF course, as fully and with al COM
,lete means OF illustration as we could wish,
IT as may be found in the richer institutions,
,ut yet IN such a way as to include ali that is
most valuable, all that is fundamental and
essential in the several sciences. If any
riend OF the Collge should call our attention
o any important branch which We furnish