Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-04-23

academies and colleges established all
over our eountry-and the one great OBJ
lection urgel against them was that they
did not fit young men for inteliigently
working on Il farm, but educateed them
away from the former, and that an education
was needed which should be free from
this very serious objection. More espe-
ciallv pernicious is the doctrine that edu-
cation is only Just begun in schools of the
grdac Of the agricultural college. II the
college is OF such a grade that can do
nothing more than that; that fact will
deter the young man seeking higher
education from entering one of such con
fessedly low grade, and with no aim to be
anything better.
We entirely agree with this farmer that
"auriculture is not science and never
can be-" notwithstanding Mr.. Whitta-
ker's very positive assertions that it is.
and when the farmer speaks of sciences
related to and having bearing on agri-
culture, we don't happen TO know of many
which do not Gin the language of the act
establishing these colleges) relate to agri-
culture and the mechanic arts. What
every intelligent farmer desires is, that all
farmers should be better educated, and
the system which makes it impossible for
the seas of poor farmers TO avail them
selves of its advantages, and that such
4" had better stay at home or go on the
farm" shows at once the failure and the
mischief of such Il system. 1t tends to
foster and keep up the idea which has
been so largely held, of the mental and
social inferiority of the farmer, by assert
ing that The place Of the ignorant and
poor is on the farm, strikes at the very
root of all the good we should strive for
in educating and lettering the condition
of the poor and ignorant. If what he
has before said be true, and sound policy,
how will farming ever offer inducements
sor educated men? if it be the natural
inheritance AMI normal condition Of the
poor and ignorant how shall We expect
the learned and wealthy to enter its fields
1t has been urged against classical
education that it sends the graduates of
he farm. Farmer admits this tendenc,
in his course of study, and asserts the
benefits of such result. Perhaps he i,
correct, bat we can't see II desirable agri
cultural education in such a system.
And finally the great and vexing ques
lion is brought out in the close of his
article, The practical farmer isn't the
best person to lay out a course Of study
for an agricultural college" The question
is, who is the best person for that work?
Here is another addition to the literature
of HE agricultural college matter. from
the New England Farmer. Evidently
Mr.. Cheevcr does not believe in q course
which leaves II practical education out o
its lines, or of a system which would leave
the poor boys on the farm, and educat,
the others away from the farm-anc
that's just where we think alike
Why was it that, through the influence
Of y few flrseeing minds, the Unitet
States, through her congress. was induced
to give her public lands for estahishin.
these colleges? Simply because thest
men saw that there was not "a college il
the land where agriculture was not d., spis
ed. The control of our colleges had been
under men who never thought of such :
thing rs educ lting man to industrial
pursuit Our whole educational system
until within very few years. has beer
against industry. But somebody hrd The
sense to see that industrial colleges wer,
needed.
The work of our agricultural college
should be not only the teaching pupil
what is known, but they should do mucl
experimental work, also, in order to adj,
to our stock of needed knowledge. Man
investigations can be carried on her
better and with less cost, than anywhcr
el>e-for they have the men and necessnr
opportunities. Very much can be don
W llpIofc INC cOnulllOn anu lncfeaS
Intelligence by organizing and supporting
Just such farmers clubs as this and tn
hundreds Of others scattered over Ncy
England and the United States. They ar
among the very best means Of educatn
the adult farmers, provided every membr
will look upon the club us school 70
each and all. In five years time, such
club if well organized. may regenerat
the face Of the whole town.