Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1883-08-29
The Scope of the Agricultural College.

The acceptance by Prof. j. @. Green.
ough OF Providence, of the Presidency OF
the Agricultural College at Amherst, suS.
gests new consideration of the place and
functions of that institution and of the work
which it is capable of doing for the young
men of the state. Had President Chad
bourne lived, there can be no question that
his enthusiasm, energy and executive sa-
gacity would have been quickly felt in an
enlargement of the usefulness of tho col
lege. His connection with the institution
was too brief TO allow of the realization of
his plans. but the choice of Prof. Green.
ough as his successor is a fortunate one,
and 1iay reasonably be expected to lead to
the best results. Prof. Greenough has had
a lifelong experience rs an educator in
this State and in Rhode Island, and his
labors have been attended with success
which justities anticipatons of high de-
gree of usefulness in his new relations.
! The work of the Agricultural College is
regarded by many persons rs ii lis sole
purpose were the making of farmers To
the extent to which It's graduates devote
themselves to the cultivation of the soil
the Institution, from this point of view, is
successful; to the extent to which they fail
so to do. the college is Il failure. This is
altogether too narrow view. The num-
Der OF young men purposing to be farmers,
and able and willing to devote several
years to study and experiment at Amherst, |
is not likely to be large enough at any one
time to justify so large an expenditure.
The conditions of soil and climate in New
England are not such as to allure Young
men from other walks ia life to do conflict
with them, or even to retain the allegiance
OF large majority of farm bred youth.
But the hardness of the conditions, while
it lessons the number of Young men who
are likely to seek an agricultural training,
increases the importance of such training
to young men who purpose to be farmers.
More and more will it be true that the sue
cessfu New England farmer will be the
man who puts brains. sagacity and inleli-
gence into his work
The consideration of these facts points
to the proper scope and limitation of the
institution. For young men who are to be
farmers it must provide an education AT
once broad and practical For youn men
whose choice of Il lite work is perhaps not
definitely determined, and who may turn
to other occupations than agriculture, it
mus provide an education which will serve
may nfIerward he needed, tore, her win
knowledge OF the properties of the soil ana
of the processes of M ure which will be val
liable in any vocation There viii be NJ
place for the classics in such d course, bu
Tor the English language. Lilcr,t and
com position, for mnlhena les, and for h.,
natural sciences as well As for the practictl
application of these sciences 10 agriculture,
The amplest room. The graduate VIII"
turns his attention 10 f,rning will be Tie
better farmer, and will lead broader aun
brighter life Tor having gooi foundation
OF general knowledge under his special
training. The graduate who enters some
oher vocation will pursue it to better ad-
vantage if he adds some knowledge OF
agricultural processes and the laws Of
growth to his generel education and special
aiming Oae of the great defects OF the
collegiate course is that 1t does
not sufficiently train the powers of obser-
Vation The power to see accurately.
closely and Discriminatory is one of the
most important and at the same time one
If the most neglected Of human power
There is world of life, beauty and in
truction all about us, to which most eyes
ire blind, Nature spreads her open book
before US, but we will not trouble ourselves
0 read it. Such n training rs is impaired
It Amherst will help the students, what
yer vocation they may adopt, to see with
clearer vision into the world of life about
hem, and if we leave out of consideration
he pleasure resulting from this keener
light, its practical advantages are enough
o justify the labor necessary for its acqui-
ltion.
The new president of the agricultural
ollege will be, we are confident, alert to
II opportunities which may present them
elves for increasing the usefulness of the
1sttution. The college, under his nd
will adhere to the purpose for
'hich it was established; but it Can be
lade to combine with that IL broad and
tactical training, of the general charac
l. which we have Indicted, which will
its graduates to be successful, whether
$ farmers, engineers, business men or in
nv other vocation - Bosom Jourlnt.