The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1888-11-14
The University of Vermont.

Editor Of Waterman Il had the pleas
ure of voting for the first act of congress
for land grants for agricultural colleges,
and from that day to this / have been
disposed to have the best use possible
made of the share which fell to Vermont.
Permit me therefore to say that l have
seen with regret various articles in the
VERMONT WATCHMAN in opposition to the
University of Vermont and State Agricul-
tural College. These bear different anony-
nous signatures, and the natural inference
would be that different persons were united
in this opposition, while in fact am conf
dent that they were inspired by one man
only. This looks like deliberate attempt
to impose upon his readers. Surely the
legislators, whom he is addressing, have a
right to know who is advising them, and
whether he has any motive influencing him
to do other than good. Had he appended to
the articles his true name / would have re-
garded it as altogether unobjectionable;
nay, as honest and fair. have long known
this gentleman as an ardent and unfair OPP
ponent of this institution, and have sup
posed that it was because his scheme OF an
independent college or school utterly failed
previous to 1865, and that failure caused the
state in that year to unite the University
and State Agricultural College. In 1888 he
is only sticking in the bark, unmindful that
il is the bark of tree that has been dead
for more than twenty years.
| have long esteemed him as a man of
culture, and one who could do great good
in building up an institution which aims at
the highest usefulness within its power.
1t is a misfortune to himself and to all the
great interests involved in this case, that he
is for breaking them down-for destroying
rather than to aid them. We have Uni
versity in name that is struggling to be one
in deed and fact; it is positively poor in
money, being unable to meet its annual ex-
penses from its own funds, and yet this man
says it is " rich, the University prospecting,
but the farmers are deprived of any oppor-
tunity to obtain practical and scientific
education" The solid facts are, that it is
very rich in buildings and library-thanks
to such noble philanthropists as Howard
Billings and Marsh and for the farmers
and the farmers boys it has the farmers
classes, its experiment station, and its farm
for practical work, and the advantages OF
all these other 4" rich " things, il they will
and more still, with the favor of the legisla-
ture. l commend TO this gentleman, as an
incentive to noble work according to his
opportunities, the following paragraph from
DR.. Newman's Idea of a University ;"
" That perfection of the intellect which is
the result of education and its beau idedt
to be impaired to individuals in their re-
spective measures, is the clear, calm, accu
rate vision and comprehension of all things
as far as the finite man can embrace them
each in its place, and with its own charac
terstics upon it.. 1t Is almost prophetic
from its knowledge of history; il is almos
heart-searching from its knowledge of hu
man nature; it has almost supernatural
charity from its freedom from littleness ant
prejudice it has almost the repose of faith
because nothing can startle it; 1t has almos
the beauty and harmony of heavenly con
ten platiOn, so Intimate is it with the eter
nal order of things and the music of thu
spheres" T.. p. WALTON.