Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-04-23
A Liberal Education for Farmers.

rally very crude and mistaken-chiefy, we
are persuaded, because of the low opinion
that the public (and farmers no less) have
of the business of agriculture. Thus one
writer in an agricultural paper says:
"I do contend that just so long as farmers give
their sons liberal education, or sufficient educa-
ton to go into any of the professions, just
will they go into them or some other business.
1t don't require a liberal education to run small
farm for they are run in many instances by men
who can neither read nor write, and run in good
style, too. man need not understand Latin to
dig potatoes, or astronomy to maui rails, or al
zebra to pitch hay"
We honestly suppose that a large proper
ton of the farmers in " educated New Eng.
land would endorse this view at once, and
that any one who would bring it out at an
agricultural meeting in Vermont would be
heartily appauded. Indeed, it is not al.
together nonsense. The trouble lies in a
prevalent confession of ideas as to the ma
ture of education, and of the kinds Of edu-
cation suited to the different avocations in
life. PROFESSIONALLY the education of our
classical colleges best fits their students for
what are called the learned professions
and, though the scientific spirit of the age
requires that even classical colleges and
schools should give some scientific instruc-
ton, it is still only something about science
that is taught, not science ITSELF applicable
10 the uses of daily life and business in the
trades and callings of men engaged in the
active production of wealth.
Our whole system of education is as yet
based upon the classical idea, handed down
from the ages before nature was studied, or
even deemed worthy of study. The exag
gerated reverence for ancient literature, for
metaphysics and the scholastic theology and
mathematics which exclusively employed
the minds Of the learned in past ages, still
fingers in the halls of advanced learning,
and is held especially sacred to this day in
what DIR. Holmes calls the d" fresh water col
leges." To send young man to such insti-
buttons is, as the writer quoted intimates,
and as we have thousand times declared,
to educate him away from the farm. The
training he will get fills him with false ideas
Of dignity the life he leads weakens his
body; his social affiliations fill him with CON
tempt for manual labor and the manual la
borer.
The industrial classes must be educated
on an altogether different system. And
here, right here, stands the difficulty with
an agricultural college, SO called. They are
organized and managed and taught by men
trained under the classical system, and I'M
able to get out OF the old ruts, or to believe
that there is any other road to travel in.
They still have their freshman" sophie
more junior " and senior" classes; they
still insist upon studies for mere intellectual
drill, denying that the intellect can be
ftly developed by the study OF practically
useful things they still teach about things,
rather than lead their scholars to study the
things themselves. This was to be expected
There are not in the country enough teach
ers, at once free from the classical ideal and
competent TO teach the modern learning, to
man quarter OF the institutions designed
to fit youth for industrial life. 1t is a
work OF time to produce such teachers. The
new colleges must train their own teachers !;
and the task, considering how they have
been obliged to start, is too much like a
mans trying to lit himself over fence by
the straps OF his boots.
But every real demand In time meets its
supply. Slowly the new education will be
developed, and then we shall see industrial
schools that will not draw their scholars
away from industry, but will fill them with
pride in the useful arts, with ambition for
practlcal knowledge, and with the elements
OF skill adequate, when joined to the ex-
perience OF life, to make industrial profess
sions as profitable, and therefore as honorable
in human eyes, as any other. We have al
ways maintained that educated industry
could never justify itself without the ex-
hibition of material results. We believe
that it will not fail to do SO where true in
u'''"' eou'"''o' 10 given. has uohe 'o
aireauy III many ar'S' IL Is euucatioh tha'
mas developed the mechanic arts to their
present pitch Of greatness, and a mechanic
uneducated in the SCIENCE of his art canno,
+o-d.v suooaad -, an, ,.u.o. oo.Io 49, o,,o,
10y
i'o ing" do ''iooiuiiia'e' IL VIII sooh oe 81
IN agriculture. Already the air Is full Of
encouragement. Scientific farming is al
much less of discount than il was ten wear,
aoo When the v;ro;n so;l If Amar;ca ba,
loo. -. h;,h a;4;o ,.,...., III /.
Wv. wan
ooiie 'le soie cohui'ioh Vi Prohe from th'
held. linen there Will be no pointing u
men who cannot read and write that ar,
successful farmers They are not peru mn
r,arors oua, nom,
:,
"e'"s '-i"s ",''
III this connection Is surely developing dc
mand for the elements Of natural science il
our common schools. We are lately in re
ce;nt of a lettar from onr vararable fr;er
r.l r -. -. 4,
y"
oiisipai granger Vi Ne" Hhgiahu' iroi
which we make the following extract;
Deor Doo,or vhon ,,o,, oou,,.o, ,,,,,,, -
;mror,ont mot,ar 40 ,or yo, w. aro' ann,
,ha, tha mon u,ho hava haS On. sotooI 49,