Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-04-16
massachusetts Agricultural College

They have been having an interesting
season together in the Legislature in Mass
achusetts on the question of paving the
debts of the institution at Amherst, and
for the benefit of those in our state who
seem to think IN agricultural millennium
could be set up directly we had farm
connected with our college, we print the
following from the Boston Hcra1d's report;
Maj. Emery of Lawrence made BRIGHT
speech in the House on the bill GRANTING
AID to the state college of agriculture.
Maj. Emery, who is Il practical and sue.
cesSiuI malket-gardcner, remarked that
he ought to know something about the
subject. lie had made Il visit to the col
ege, and saw some things which instruct
ed him as to its value. Since 1871 the
college has cost the state S2Ol, 57j, and
with all that, it had been continually RIM |
ming into debt, and as continually askipo
for state aid. The college reminded him |
OF Il man who, on getting drunk, was in
the habit of stealing things. One day he
took II slab from saw mill. In tryinn to
get home without meeting people he
strayed into swamp, where he cot stuck
lie didn't dare to call for aid, lest people
should accuse him of stealing the slab
But by and by he was forced to cali for
aid. When people did come to him he
said he had tried and tried to uet ont. and
had even gone to the mill for II slab TO
help himself ont. Laughter. This col
leSe has been trying to get out of debt,
and has been continually calling on the
state for Slab. Maj. Emery, abiding to
President Clark s absence in Japan, said
that the trustees continued his salary, for
they considered his absence quite as valu-
able rs h!s presence The major had ;
seen the European hogs at the college, I
but better hogs can be bought within ten
miles of Boston for less money. Their
noses are four inches longer than we al.
low our American hogs to have. Laugh
ter No man well acquainted with a
Nell-bred hog would 80 to the agricul- ,
tural college for one. They pretend to be +
teaching the boys agriculture The wny
they do it is to hire Il president ut $1,000 {
and professors at $4,000 each; but they l.
pay their farmer $500 II year! The pro S
lessons work twenty hours u week, and i
have three months vacation year. The :
farmer work sixty hours u week, and has I
no vacation. The proportion of professor d
TO farmer is rather large. The students a
are taught how 10 analyze plants, but they Il
know nothing of hotbcds The professors -
if put on Il farm would have TO 90 TO L
Tcwksbury almshouse in II year or two q
[ Laughter. A boy goes there; he looks
1T the S2U0O-a-year professor and the
S8O0-a-year farmer, and he says: ~ u
guess III be II professor" Mai. Emery, n
after ridiculing the Stockbridge fertilizer, le
said that he heard at the college of verv h.
smart graduate. He was making $1,000 a b.
!ear, said the professors. They were h,
proud of that young farmer. The major v,
hunted him up, and found that he was q,
making his $1,000 by selling the fertilizer; 81
he knew he could make more money sell.
ng the fertilizer than by using it. fGreat
aughLerl President Clark brought home
rom Japan many things of interest and ST
aIue to Massachusetts farmers. There 10
vas II crooked wooden pillow and Il bean nc
hat COW wouldn't eat. The college was GO
successful military institute, but no place ~
D make farmers. He was glad there was Sc
prospect of a change for The better.
Mr.. Bennett of Lowell made u sensible
peech He said that the trustees had
ever learned how TO tinancier. Our
aimed Massachusetts mechanics never op
radualed from any college. He made wi
ne satlncal suggestion that the state tel
ut each student at the college out TO pl
orvice with some practical farmer, and ST.
fterward give the boy S2250 to buy him a de
'rm. Then he would, ut least, be a pro. ais
lCCr. va
Mr.. Thayer Of Boston contended that pr
lie state was bound TO pay the college Nc
cbt. mi
Finance Chairman Ladd made strono do
;eech against the college which turned bu
1t brakemen, physicians, editors. theo- ma
gical students and other farmers of that -,
'rt. Out of one hundred and fortv-seyen Ger
raduates, twenty-eight are farmers COZ
ours are given to French, to ALGEBRA du]
C. -Four hours daily are given to military lie
rill, and two hours to agriculture. Thc the
'olessors are mere theorists. They tell one
J how much weight a squash will lift in
hen growing, and such like valuable in. for
rmation. Laughter Mr.. Ladd said pri
at the college had been wrcslcd from fan
G purpose OF its foundation; the state is cen
vt bound TO pay its debts. the
MI Hyde OF Boston held that the State 1t
Is not liable Tor the debt of the institu- hig
~ and there was no lawyer who could pric
iouha 10 say Otherwise, as he believed. can
moved 10 refer the whole matter to the uct!
vernon !n ana council with request that dep
y WIZ consider IL and report their rec. In t
mcndation to the next Legislature cow
VII GIoweii ol Amherst said he had the
y nlSh legal authority for the statement vicil
It the stale was liable for the debt of pric
college. Mr.. Hyde Withdrew his mo. as ,
L. Inc amendment OF Mr.. Walker, Thel
KING Inc trustees personally liable for grad
aepC III excess ol the means of the the
ege, was adopted, and the bill ordered Giles
third reading. cnno