Louisiana capitolian., 1880-07-29

j
our shrine, and every year, when
| Peggy and old Lugubrious are litched
| up for the pilgrimage to jackson, the
picnicers will be most cordially joined
by Local
Our A ericpltural and Mechani-
ical College.
A friend who has observed closely tho
| recent controversies that have arisen in
connection with the conduct Of the Lou
isiana State University aud agricultural
and Mechanical College, has sont us the
following extract, taken from tho New
| Orleans Homo Journal &bout the t,mo
of tho consolidation of the two schools.
WHO can say but what the writer's
prophecy has thus far been verified Z
Would it not DO well, therefore, to profit
by the errors of the past, and cndeavor
to accomplish the two-fold purpose of
establishing % State University aud
Agricultural and Mechanical College.
The Board of Supervisors will again AS
| semblc here on the 4th Of August, We
hope, with the broad purpose of provid-
| ing for the thorough education of the
youth of Louisiana. On this dispassion-
! ate action will rest the success or down.
fall of so needful an institution.
Hero is what tho Home Journal said
These so-called institutions are scat
tered all over the country, thanks to tho
patriotism of tho Federal Congress,
which recognized tho fact that tho tiller
of the soil needs special course Of in
struction as well us q physician, the
attorney, the merchant and the clergy
man. Ample means have been provided
for thispurpose, which, properly applied;
cannot fail to produce most excellent
results.
A great mistake has been made, in too
many cases, by uniting these industrial
schools with literary and scientific in
stitutions already in operation. The
Industrial depal tmcnt is made to play
"sccond fiddle" and tho agricultural stu.
dents are made to feel that they are
"clophoppcrs"-inferior in every way to
those who are preparing themselves for
tho learned professions. Professors of
almost everything but what is most TO-
quired are employed at liberal salaries,
who grudgingIy give % moiety Of time
to subjects which it is fair to suppose,
they impcrfcctly understand. A valued
exchange, speaking upon this subject,
says:
Gas our agricultural colleges arc at
present conducted, with u faculty of
scientists instead Of practical men, with
o course that treats agriculture rs less
important than military drill, study Of
language and mathematics, the ideal
graduate, after q few years. course,
would ordinarily be of but littlo service
to himself or the community. His head
would be full of ideas that belonged to
other people, and which he had never
learned to use; he could, parrot-like,
repeat tho constituents of soils, yet in
the field he couldn't distinguish between
loan, clay or sand he could discourse
cloquently in borrowed language on the
rotation Of crops, yet ho could neither
| plow nor plant, nor cultivate; he could
repeat pages of veterinary science, but
could not harness q horse could give
an analysis of butter or cheese, but
couldn't milk COW. He is too superb
cially educated for q farmer, and knows
too little of practical methods to get his
| living at any other occupation, except
perhaps as a professor or something. He
is too highly polished for earth, but not
quito fitted for any other sphere of ac-
tiOn."
We would not be understood as Oh
jccting to Or lightly approaching the
value of q classical education. We know
it's full worth. It is an absolute neccs-
! sity, if certain stations of lifo are to be
successfully f'led. We do object most
decidedly, too, to making. agricultural
science q study of minor Importance,
especially when the student is to be an
agriclllturist by profession. Wo also
object to to tho diversion of money, pro
vidcd for tho education Of our sons Of
the soil, and its payment to professors
who do not know q harrow from q hand
saw, or 4 wheelbarrow from q stone
boat, though they may bo talented,
highly respectable and competent in
in their proper spheres.
| Tho agricultural colleges Of the coun
| try should have some Distinguished fca,
| lures beside the name. Practical agri
tcuIturc should be exempl;fod by compc'
! tent and experienced instructors. Min,
| ute details as w6ll as. general theory
| should be as familiar to every student
as his place at the dinncr table.
| We regret to note that our own State
| institution does not rise superior to til,
prejudices of the past and place it's agri
cultural standard in the front rank
The Board of Control, in our humble
opinon, committed a grave error il
marrying our young and vigorous Col
lego to the superannuated carcass Of tll'
University; an institution which car
show o past record of ability to contract
debts which itncyer did and never will
pay, and not much else. It was q per
feet god-scnd to this decaycd institu
ton when, in an evil hour, misled by
false statements and specious arguments
it's old corpse was rejuvenated by th'
infusion of fresh, vigorous blood from
the State treasury in the shape of inter