Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-03-30
Manual Labor at the Michigan Agrfcul.
tural College.

Judging by our correspondence, there is
much more interest felt in industrial educa
tion now than few years ago, and especially
amongst the farmers. We are often in re-
ceipt of letters from young men upon the
subject, in which our advice is asked as to
the best means of procuring instruction in
those branches of knowledge most closely
allied to industrial pursuits. Quite num-
ber of those who have been our correspond
ents are, or have been, students of the in
dustrial department of Cornell University.
Others have become students of the Massa-
chusetts Agricultural College, and of the
Maine Industrial College; while two Of the
young friends who have honored us with
their confidence are now students of the
Boston Institute of Technology. Others,
unable to leave their homes, have greatly
improved themselves by home reading. Our
recent publication of the details regarding
the New Hampshire Agricultural College
will have been read with much interest, and
may, we hope, lead some, who can best avail
themselves of that opportunity, to enroll
themselves among its students.
As the subject of manual labor at indus
trial schools is one often discussed, and as
very different views are entertained regard.
ing both its practicability and its useful
ness, we are glad to be favored with copy
of a recent address by T. G. Abbot, presi.
dent of the Michigan Agricultural College
in which the results of manual labor in that
institution are set forth. When student
enters there he is put at manual labor, three
hours each afternoon, every day OF the week
except Saturday and Sunday, and he con
tinues this work until within few weeks
of the close Of his four years course. 1t is
real work, and the wages are from eight
cents an hour down to nothing, if nothing
is earned. There is as much ambition to
stand well in wages as in lessons. The stu
dents generally are interested in their labor
and they gain or maintain habits of labor
This is very important to those who expect
to work in after life upon the farm. Foul
years of bodily inactivity at the student ag'
will utterly unfit, for life, a young man fo
farm life. At that time the bones, tendons
muscles and other tissues of the body tax,
on their permanent condition as regards
form and consistence. If not hardened ant
Injured to labor then, they never can be il
after life to the same degree. The indus
trial man and woman must work while the,
study, or they will lose, while studying, tina
without which the knowledge they acquir
will lack the better part of its value.
In the second year at the college all tn
students labor is performed in the farm de
partment. In the third year he works i
the horticultural department The senior
act as foremen of gangs of students at worl
Some of the most important part of the il
struction is given separately to each Of thes
young men while they are overseeing certai
kinds of work One looks after the vim
yard; one, the apple orchard one, the orcl
ard of pears, cherriesand plums anothe
the trees on the lawn; another, the drive
and paths; one, the hot-beds or vegetab
garden; one, the experimental and san
pie beds, etc. Two afternoons in eac
month each unior labors under the eye
the professor in the nicer operations. TIL
labor, besides its advantage in point Of i
struction and the maintenance of physic
vigor, serves TO render education at the CT
lege comparatively inexpensive, especial
as the long vacation occurs in winter, so tn
by teaching at that time considerable sun
are earned by the students. Yet it is CHIEF
esteemed for its educational value IT
farm, gardens, orchards and other workil
places of the college are looked upon as sil
A liar in use to the chemical laboratory
t place for the practice of the principles al
g rules taught in the classroom. The attem
o is made throughout the course to give
y intellectual character TO manual labor,
make it illustrative of principles and 81
e gestive of such inquiries as become mil
| awake to the beauties Of the natural wor
| and the grandeur Of the forces, and the la
that explain the operations of nature. Lat
:, may have added to it this intellectual d
rs nifty, but it is necessary for the purposes
ID discipline that this work should not lose
at character Of hard labor. The labor is N
a therefore, like the unpaid practice of a che
a, ,u ical studentin laboratory, nor of young n
as chinist In chronological school. The cole
labor is continuous for four years, is al phi