Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1886-04-22

4 FEW WORDS TO FARMERS ABOUT THE
EDUCATIONAL WANTS OF THE SOUTH
CAPT. TILLMANS IDEAL COLLEGE, ETC.
NO II.
In my article, published last week, I
showed advantages based on economy
whereby college with we'll equipped CO.
ordinate Agricultural Department is better
than an exclusively agricultural college.
The next reason I offer is, Second-As a
University is an established and thoroughly
organized institution, as it generally has
larger resources and as its courses are GER
tainly more advanced and extensive, it
necessarily offers advantages superior to
those of the new agricultural college pro-
posed. Each of its departments feels the
stimulating influence of the others; the stu
dents in its varied courses are fired by the
generous rivalry and example of those
pursuing studiesf different from their own.
There is the enthusiasm of numbers, the
friction of mind against mind, the quicken
ing impulse of a large corps of teachers, the
stirring and ennobling traditions ola historic
past. These influences may, at first glance,
appear imaginary; they are real, potent
and valuable; they 60 far toward making
up the true intellectual life of a college.
The advantages of university connec-
ton are recognized by the schools of law,
medicine, science and theology-and in
Germany, where the best educational work
of the world is done, it is held that for the
best results the agricultural school should
be also a part of the university system.
Capt. Tillman suggests class legislation for
South Carolina. He would turn every man
who is not farmer out of the Legislature.
The farmer is already in majority and no
other class objects; but the farmer, on ac-
count of his partial training or one-sided
development, falls before the rhetoric and
logic of the literally educated adversary.
Is not class education surely as Objectionable
as class leqislations Now, Gen. Lee actu-
ally boasts that his college is patronized by
the laboring classes only. And yet, he de-
clares that his students are educated not
only as farmers but also as citizens. Should
not the future rulers of the State-and in
the Southern States the farmers are the
ruling body-be educated equally with those
they are to govern?
One of the strongest arguments in favor
of a State College is that it keeps down Sec
tional and sectarian prejudices by drawing
to common centre young men from all
parts of the State. Is it not more important
to throw together at the formative period of
their lives the youth of every class and con-
dition of our people? Against this connec-
ton Capt. Tillman and the advocates of a
purely agricultural college urge, that prece-
dence will be given literary and other
studies and the agricultural course depre-
ciated correspondingly. This objection will
no longer apply, for, in the greater number
of institutions, notably in the South Caro-
lima College, that most jealously guarded
of degrees, the Bachelor of Arts, is now
open to agricultural students. To urge the
above objection is a confession Of inferiority
of agricultural studies which neither the
President Of that College nor myself can
ever admit. Isolation is not conducive to
education. In order to obtain mastery OF
the principles underlying his calling the
farmer cannot be too we'll educated in the
related sciences. How can he secure this
| in college like the one in Mississippi
(Gen. Lee's) where but little more than the
rudments possessed by ten year old child,
are required for admission: Where one
half of the day is taken up in military drill
and manual labor and the course Of four
years is, consequently practically, reduced
to but two? How much science is it posi-
BILE to give to a student with such prepare
tion in this limited time? 1t is claimed
also, remember, that within the same Pc
riod the necessary general culture is given.
The Mississippi institution has been held
up to our farmers as the perfect ideal of an
Agricultural College, the establishment of
which in our midst would usher in the ag-
ricultural millennium. Now, is it not lit
tie strange it has not done so in Mississippi,
where the lien law was repealed only few
weeks ago on account Of the terrible agri-
cultural depression?
Let us examine the methods and working
of Capt. rs "beau ideal" In the nominal
four years, course of 36 months session 8
months each) with hours per week in each
study, Algebra, Geometry and Trigonome-
try together are studied for Is months, En-
glish l04 months, Agricultural Chemistry
and Writing each 8 months, Botany u
months, Mechanics and Drawing each E
months, Natural Philosophy, Book-keep-
ing, Horticulture, Veterinary Science, Ag-
ricultural Chemisty, Physical Geography,
English Literature, Military Tactics, Phys
les, Geology, Mineralogy, Meteorology,
Astronomy, Civil Engineering, Art of Crit
csm, Zoology, Moral Science and Ento-
mology each three months O Anatomy,
Physiology, Political Economy, Consti-
tuition of U. S., Military ScienceO and
General Literature each sic aceeks!! If such
courses give anything but the merest smat-
tering, then the whole of Europe, with its
superb educational methods and machinery,
are at fault. Why even in the graded
schools of our smaller towns the course in
any science is never less than fourteen
weeks.
In the corresponding courses Of the
South Carolina College, for which Mr.. Till
man processes such unmeasured contempt,
sc months of Chemistry, % of Mathematics, 9
of Physics, of Surveying, 8 of Mechanics,
8 of Agriculture, 8 of Agricultural Chemist
ry, of Botany, 8 of Mineralogy, 8 of Geolo-
gy, 8 of Political Economy, AZ of Zoology,
the same of Physiology, the same of Astron-
omy, English months, History 8 months,
and French and German each 224 months.
Surely if time is an element of thorough
ness in teaching, then the course at the
State College will not suffer by comparison
with "Gen. Lees" agricultural machine.
gentleman of eminent educational attain
ment and influence we'll acquainted with