The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1888-12-13

MinisterS..... .. Al U
Teachers. IL
81 VI U
Ofce.hoId der vi U
Total 1O0i 100 10Ol 100
+"1 year, means students rho spent / year at
the college; "2 years." those who spent years at
Per cent. Of farmers for year with other Occu-
Per cent OF farmers tor ? years with other occu-
Per cent of farmers for 8 years with other occu-
Per cent. Of farmers for years with other occu-
pations ~
OF the whole number of students
Sc 6 per cent. are farming and going to
farm.
This table was compiled in the spring
of 1887, from replies to a circular sent
to all students who had been in atten.
dance at the college prior to that time, q
period of-seven sessions.
INFLUENCE UPON AGRICULTURE OF
THE STATE.
It was our desire to ascertain, if posi-.
BILE, what, if any, influence the college
was exercising on the agriculture of the
State in addition to the educational
influence upon the industrial classes.
We we're reliably informed, since the
college established its creamery, it has
influenced the erection of twenty others,
some of which are very successful and
have completed successfully with
Elgin and other Western and Northern
creameries, which has moved this indus
try several hundred miles South.
Silos have been erected all oye1 the
State, and farmers are now improving
their cattle, who before did not believe
that Mississippi butter could be sold at
all in competition with the Northern
product. The numerous letters to the
officers Of the college, which we had the
privilege of inspecting, on oil kind Of
farm topics, with the large number of
visitors who came to the college to get
information on stock breeding, horticul.
ture, draining and kindred subjects, indi-
cate that the people of the State largely
look to the college for guidance in agri.
cultural matters.
We learned of one community whose
agricultural matters had been go changed
and improved by the influence of two
boys returning to it from the college that
the section has been named after them.
Time to canvass and investigate would
doubles discover many more. There are
many other evidences of the good
influences of the college, which would
render this report too long.
OPPOSITION ENCOUNTERED.
We fud the Legislature of Mississippi,
at its last session, cut off $4,000 of the
usual annual appropriation to the college,
which caused it to lose some of its ablest
professors. We have been at some pains
to ascertain the cause and the extent of
the opposition, if any, to the college. 1t
seems that the Legislature, some years
ago, reduced the taxes below what was
necessary to run the government, which
left deficiency. 1t also erected new
asylum and added wing to the old one
and erected an industrial college for
girls, which necessarily demanded an
increase Of taxes. This raised cry for
retrenchment. 1t was claimed by some
that the farm was not yielding as much
as it should to the support Of the college,
and this reduction would not materially
| iniure it. A notion prevailed with some
that the college farm could not only
furnish educational labor at high rates
to the students, but could largely support
the college. This ignorance as to the
necessities of an agricultural college and
the difference between farming to educate
and farming for profit caused some to
advocate this reduction. These were
Joined by a small party in the State who
are opposed to all appropriations for
higher education, and claim that no
educational tax should be laid
save for common schools. There
There seems to be no opposition to the
college itself, except from this latter
class, who are equally opposed to the
other colleges as to this. We learn from
the people we meet and an editor who
exchanges with the papers of the State
that there are but FIVE papers out of
more than 100 in the State which approve
the reduction, and that large number
are warm advocates of the college Dis.
cussion of the subject has caused
reacsion in favor of the col
lege among those who favored the
reduction, and the college seems TO be
securely fixed in the hearts of the people.
The places ofthe distinguished professors
who have left have been filled by young
men of ability and enthusiasm, who are
in full sympathy with agricultural edu
cation and the college. These, headed
by General Lee, with his extraordinary
executive abilities, his implicit faith in
the usefulness and success Of the institu-
tion, his profound sympathy with the
industrial classes, will, we have no-doubt,
conduct the college into still greater USE
fnlness in the future.
IN CONCLUSION.
In submitting this report we would
express our appreciation Of the kindness
and courtesy of the President and officers
of the college and for the unrestricted
freedom allowed US to look into any
detail, even the minutest. We submit
nothing in this report which can not be
verified absolutely to the satisfaction ol
any one who will take the pains to inves.
tigate.