The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1886-02-17

learning, but as an agricultural COL
leqe, in the sense and meaning con-
templated by the Act of Congress,
we are forced to say in all kindness,
after a trial of a number of years, 1t
is a most lamentdble failure.
Let the fund of $685. 900 be placed
in our Treasury to the credit of the
industrial classes, to whom, by the
law, it only and %rightfully belongs.
Let the remaining assets be added
to it. Let the interest, now used
by the University, 60 to the support
of schools for the training of the
industrial classes-let this money
which belongs to them, be applied
for their benefit as the law requires.
Let this be done and the Legislature
can then establish a system for the
industrial education Of our youth,
instead of offering a single little
school "to the highest bidder
Let this be done, and then let the
Legislature go to our State Treasury
and take out whatever amount may
be necessary and give it to support
the University. We would not Grip
pie the University, but we would
favor liberal appropriations by the
Legislature for it. But let these
appropriations be made from a fund
provided by the State, and not from
a fund which should go toward the
establishing of schools, as directed
by law, for the masses of the people.
The PROGRESSIVE FARMER is a friend
of the University and will stand by
it in all righttul measures to promote
it's prosperity and enlarge it's useful
ness, and it knows of no kindlier or
friendlier office it could perform, at
this stage of public thought among
u people, than to admonish those
lhaving authority to surrender grace
fully to the demand Of the masses Of
the people, that this fund shall be
applied as the law directs. Do this,
and there will be less opposition t.
appropriations for that Institution.
Refuse it, and the opposition will
grow stronger.
In a matter involving the stand
ing of the University in the minds
and affections Of the people, the
PROGRESSIVE FARMER would be un-
true to the best interests of that In
stitution, if it failed to speak plainly,
and it would be grossly false to the
farmers and other industrial classes
of our State, if it failed to demand
that their rights be respected. 1t
makes no war on the University
bnt it stands for the unquestioned
and undoubted rights of the people.
Oldest agricultural organ
ization in the State is the Pioneer
Club at Littleton. The plan upon
which it is based is, we think, ad-
mirable, and adopted to almost
every neighborhood/ We give a
brief outline with the hope hat
it may induce many of our progress
sive farmers to organize neighbor-
hood clubs on Il similar basis. The
membership is restricted to twelve.
They meet once every month and
each time at a members house,
where they read essays, exchange
experiences. and discuss such ques-
tions as may be Of immediate in
terest to the members. The plan of
proceeding, and which we. think
has many commendable features is:
To meet in January at the residence
of a member. The whole Club in
spects the farm, the barn, the gar
den, the orchard, the stock, the i'm
.plements, the machinery and inves-
tigates his methods in all depart
ments. After this, they hold their
meeting, appoint a committee of
three to make a report at its next
meeting in February on this farm,
methods, &c. This report is dis
cussed freely, aud thus the Club
goes from house to house. until at
the end of the year it has visited
every member. We see how pleas
ant as we'll as profitable this plan
must be. Each member visits his
eleven neighbors and spends a most
delightful and profitable day with
each during the year. He gets the
benefit Of the methods and expe-
rience of all the others, by observa-
ton and Of their fund of informa-
ton on various subjects in the meet
ings. 1t is simple, practical and pleas
ant. Why cannot we haye a thous-
and such Clubs in cur State? ANY
vacancy in the club by death or
otherwise, is filled by election, and