Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1882-10-11

TWUHTY HU9fT7Y
have urged the adoption Of the town system, and
greater assistance to normal schools. Some diff
ference Of opinion exists as TO whether we should
have greater or less number OF normal schools.
Those we have are under most excellent manage
ment, and are doing great good. In every depart
ment Of education trust you will exercise a wise
liberality. The superintendent should have sufli-
cient funds to continue his meetings, and in
greater number The people understand their
duty, but need to be continually reminded of il.
These meetings tend to nfuse life create interest,"
enlarge ideas, and increase the zeal of all VINO
attend them.
A request has been sent to me from highly
respectable source that should ask your atten-
ton to the halliday system Of schools
The public library is the most valuable adjunct
OF the public school, No greater aid can be given
to the cause of education than by affording to
the pupils in our schools free access to large and
carefully chosen collections of books. 1t is gat-
flying to note that the number Of public Libraries
in our state is increasing every year.
UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT AND STATE AGRloUL-
TURAL COLLEGE.
The act OF congress of July 2, 1862, which gave
to Vermont the fund of which the income goes to
this institution, provides that this income shall
be used for the support of at least one college
"where the leading object shall be, without ex-
GLIDING other scientific and classical studies, and
including military tactics to teach such branches
OF learning as related to agriculture and the
mechanic arts, in such manner the legislatures
may respectively prescribe, in order to promote
the liberal and practical education OF the indus
trial classes in the several pursuits and professions
in life" November 9, 1861 the legislature passed
an act constituting the present institution, and
provided that the course of study should be such
las shall render the whole instruction in con
formity with said act OF congress" In the sue
ceedng February the trustees, in accordance with
law, established a professorship of modern lam
guages, a professorship of chemistry and its APP
pication to agriculture and the mechanic arts,
professorship of geology, mineralogy and mining,
and q department Of military tactics. The next
August professor of vegetable and animal ply
siology was appointed, and a course of study es-
tablished embracing laboratory practice in its ap.
| plcAtion to agriculture, analysis of soils, rela-
! tons of soil to vegetable productions, botany,
| forestry, habits OF domestic animals, insects in
furious to vegetation, and also civil engineering.
Professional instructors of military tactics have
also been provided and special winter courses of
lectures have been Introduced on agricultural
chemistry, botany physics, entomology, stock
breeding, dairying, fruit culture, road-maling,
farm accounts and bee culture, and these courses
will be renewed and extended as they are called
for. The trustees and officers have been constant
| and indefatigable in their efforts to comply with
| the law in letter and spirit,
At the time of its charter II was an experiment,
and many leading men through the state had
| great fears to its success and would have pre-
! ferred separate institution. | have conferred
| with many Of them during the past summer and
! find that they are now satisfied that the course
| taken was wise and judicious one and its re-
! suits most beneficial, their only regret being the
limited number Of students who have availed
themselves of its privileges. Legislative commit
| tees have been appointed to investigate its pro-
gress and management, and have found and re-
| ported that the trustees and managers have stu
diously aimed and faithfully labored to comply
with their charters, and to meet, so far rs their
means would allow, all the demands for instruc-
ton that have been made upon them, and that
more than the increase derived from the United
States fund Is annually expended in paying the
expenses OF the industrial department The
president and professors are always in readiness
to respond to calls for public addresses from
lyceums, literary agricultural, and other associa-
tons, and in this way do a vast amount of good,
and 1t is to be noted that they uniformly and
pointedly enforce the idea Of the dignity and no.
| bility of labor.
Some persons favor an experimental farm to be
used in connection with the college, and thought
| lessly reflect on the trustees for not providing
one. The United States law provides that not
over ten per cent of the fund may be expended
for land, and that ON NO "pretense whatever "
shall any part of the fund be used for the cree
| ton, preservation, or repair " of any building.
When the state is ready to erect the buildings
and assume their preservation, we shall doubtless
find the trustees ready to provide the land and
tutors Experimental farming had its origin in
| Prussia thirty years since, and has rapidly eX-
tended until there are now many stations in Prus-
STA, France, England and our country. They are
to be found In our own latitude and climate in
neighboring states. Everything of value in the
results of this experimental farming is published
! IN agricultural papers, ana Is easily ana Cneiply
| accessible to all. Such work in Vermont would
be largely duplicate. Every state that accepted
the government fund has largely aided its agrcul-
tural college, in some cases 10 the amount of mil
lions Vermont has not yet expended a cent.
| The institution has always kept out of debt, and
its management has inspired such confidence that
private benefcence is being largely extended to
1t. Through the liberality of Mr.. John 7. How
ard, the old edifice is now being greatly enlarged
and almost entirely rebuilt, and the announce
ment OF MIR. Billings generous gift 10 the univer-
sity has Just been made public. 1t has an extern
siye library, art gallery. laboratory, and highly
successful medical department.
respectfully suggest that you take into con-
slderatlon the propriety OF extending some aid to
deserving young men of moderate means, to the
END that the opportunities here Afforded Tor a
aigner education may be improved to greater
| extent than is now the case As the senate is
based on population, | would MENTION as one
plan, that each senator be allowed to name one
persons residing in his county who should be en-
titled to tuition in the agricultural college.
OTHER COLLEGES IN THE STATE.
Middlebury college has long ranked high as an
institution OF learning 1t has sent out many dis
tinguished graduates, not a few of whom have
served this commonwealth in positions of respon-
sibity, and 1t deserves to receive the confidence
and fostering care of the people of the state.
The college at Mortified is also doing good
work in its special and all other departments, and
is worthy Of every commentator.
LIBRARY AND CABINET.
Your attention will doubtless be called to the
necessity OF providing additional room for the
library and cabinet. ! am informed that books
are being stored in inaccessible places, and that
the specimens in the cabinet are being boxed and
laid away for want Of room. The matter is one
for your examination and decision. OF the two
plans submitted by the commissioners on this
subject much prefer the one which contemplates
the erection Of separate library building, for
the reason that fear any extension OF our state
WOuld tho
structure. 1t would certainly seem that until
better accommodation is provided, the purchases
of these objects should cease.
In making any arrangement for giving more
room to the library it would be well to consider
carefully its design and the nature and extent
of its usefulness. The last report OF the trustees
gives the number of its volumes as 1854, but
does not classify them or make any statement as