Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1878-11-20
Agricultural Colleges.

We made an error in our statement last "
week on the bill presented by Mr.. Poland b
ten voters being required on the petition |,
TO the supreme court instead OF thfee' Us it
we said our impression was. h
Other states have agricultural colleges e
MS well as Vermont, and still they are not 81
happy. New Hampshire, our next door "
noirhbor over the river. has one when Is Il
located at Hanover, and this is about now d
thew are situated: 1t has II cash lunu Oh :
more than one hundred thousand dollars t
the best building for its purposes OF any 4
in the country. which has connected WIN :
it. or rather has the privilege of unlimited
use of one of the most expensive farms IN
Grafton county. On this farm the stu
lents have the chance to work at so much
uer hour, which is not much improved. IL
has access to all the libraries, laboratories
and other scientific appurtenances oil
Dartmouth college, and with its gilt OF
about fifty scholarships and other pecnhi-
arv helps to students, with faculty ol
f,ir abilities and board of trustees VINO
are devoted and earnest, and rs one OF
their agricultural papers expresses H. are
"willing to follow any course winch
nromises success with all these 1aclll-
lies and inducements it had last year but
nine students, only one of which entered
that wear, and the best and most earnest
friends of the college Are substantially
agreed in acknowledging it failure.
Bearing on, and as some friends OF the
collage assert, partly accounting for the
lack of attendance shown, is the treatment
received by the students OF the asrlcui-
tural college from the students OIL p''r'-
mouth, that they are
OsTRACIZED, RIDICuLED AND pESrlsED
Inv the students of the academic depart
ment, and are generally referred to as
.dunoies,' not recognized us members OF
the college (Dartmouth), and to such IN
extcnt WAS this ostracism carried that they
were not allowed to play football with lhe
Others"
Knowing these assertions as we dld, ana
desiring to know fully the matter winch
not only interested us personally 50 deep
Nv. but which was a matter OF lively inter
est and vital importance to our farmers
and educators everywhere, we want@i u
hear the Dartmouth students side OF the
story, and in qualification of this wish we
visited Dartmouth and in conversation
with some of the students and alumni o
frst-class position, whose intelligence an'
candor we had full faith in, gathered The
following facts There entered in 1917 on
student to the agricultural college win
staid awhile, "got sick of it and lett );
that three graduated at the commence
ment of 1873, Tin spring., and there Wer
seven or eight now in college Vine
questioned as to the alleged indignitit
put upon the agricultural students sal
there was some truth in the statement, an
some cause for it !; that they were not SUI
dents of Dartmouth, but OF the Ne
Hampshire Agricultural College; TIL
they were admitted with an inferior pep
ration to that allowed in Dartmout
in either classical or scientific depar
ments, and while these courses took TO
"long" years, the agricultural cole!
required but three short " years, grad
ating them in spring with the degree
BIS; then they 60 away and call then
selves graduates and alumni Of Da
mouth
The sclfrespect of the students
Dartmouth would not permit them
recognize as equals the students OF
leee which accepted students with limit
preparation, and graduated them from
inferior course. The idea that these
tinctions were because they were flrme
sons was secuted Us ridiculous, as IL lal
majority of the students, and some OF
best as we'll as the most popular, are 81
of farmers, and that their intended or I
sble future business has no influence il
CAUSING THESE DISTINCTIONS,
and further, that classical college rec'
ing students with so little preparation
graduating them from such an infe
course would not find its students recci
ut Dartmouth on terms of equality
still if they classed themselves as alu
of Dartmouth. This is the Dartma
bows side of the story, and to us it So
to have some force.
Concerning the occupations taken
&c h ira
ricultural College, we learned from
statistician of the college that one
taken theology. one medicine; others,
list, druggist, civil engineer, architect,
teacher in Indian territory and one {
ina millinery store, but did not kno
one farmer.
In speaking of this matter the N
and Farmer says;
There may be boys who have the /
courage, the pluck and grit to fight
way through college in the face of obl'
derison and contempt, but there ar
many who will fight their way to a
over such obstacles. We are not goi
keep the boys on the farms" by pit
them into places where they will be
to feel lnat lney arc, Ill inc eSJiilltIl
others, the fag end of creation.
In view ofthese facts already state,
gathered on the spot, these remarks
something of their force.
Whatever may be the opinion as
causes, the best and most earnest Fl
of the college are substantially ngrt
pronouncing it
FAILURE.
This being the ease, the next thi
order is to decide how failure nj
changed to success. Some think IL
no demand for a course of study de;
to teach practical agriculture, and
boy goes to college for 'somethin!
than to learn blowing, applying m