The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1888-10-09
INDUSTRIAL {
General Barringer's Defence in Reply
Am to DR.. Henry in the Interstate
Farmers Convention. ei}

fEF tF-r tH8s :. 10 q &C. .4 -. $500
The Generals Resignation as a Trustee of
the NORTH Carolina College Of Agri-3 q
culture and. Mechanic Arts"-Mo a.,
Longer q Full Republican. .o"i
ITO the Editor of The Chronicle.]
In my address at the laying Of the
corner stone of the "College of Agri.
culture and Mechanic Arts /" at Raj
eigh, referred favorably to the Indus
trial Institutions of Nississippi-espec-
tally the Agricultural College at
Starkville, and the Industrial Institute
for girls at Columbus.
Much to my surprise, DR.. J. P.
Henry, a delegate to the "Inter-State
Farmers Association " then in SEES
stony from Mississippi, took issue with.
me as to the success of those i~nstituI
tions, called in question the whole
subject of"fndustriaf Education
and went SO far as to. declare that.
their Agricultural College had m it's
seven years existence turned out only
90 graduates, and Of these; only 2had-
OON0AAAS J0l "eCHc : F|R@ EFEaG = ; FkRGsF
Iawella know that the subject of
State support to these industrial In
stitutions" had provoked a bitter con
trovefsy in Mississippi and + soon.
saw that DR.. Henry was a violent par
tizan- of the lnon,progressive- order.
But his speech was remarkable in it's
way, as a sledge-hammer blow at the
incompetency and Encouragement of
too many of our public Institutions,
and more particularly those engaged
in the new and difficult work of elm
dustrial Training" In this aspect [
enjoyed much gofUwhat he said, and
only wished that many nor practical
farmers had the courage to "speak
out" But the inevitable tendency of
all class organizations and discussions
is to extreme one,sided views and I'm
safe conclusions-unless the waser heads
happily prevoA.
II felt r that DR.. Henry was a
prejudiced partisan; and when in his.
zeal, he cried out "Mr. Speaker" l
saw the fight he had waged in the
Legislative halls of his distant State,
, We are likely to have a similar
struggle in North Carolina. [ saw
with some regret that his crude, ILL
digested ideas on this vital movement
of Educational Reform found a prompt
response in the noisy cheers. f'dthe
devoteest of the cold school !" present.
Time was limited, and l did not feel
authorized. to intrude a word in reply.
But on my, return to Charlotte, I wrote
to Mississippi, and [ have in response
to my inquiries; full and conclusive
evidence that DR.. Henry has greatly
mistaken the sentiments of his people
as to the usefulness of their young in
dustrial institutions in number
and that he has unintentionally, also,
most probably done injustice to the
officers, teachers and supporters of
these schools. ."ii "t'" E1I'l jon
AS a trustee Of the Agricultural and
Mechanical College of this State, Ifeel
it my duty to put u people in posses
sion of the main facts elected, not so
much to vindicate the views I CHANGED
to express in my corner stone address,
as to- justify the wisdom of those who
have led in this great industrial move
ment amongst us. In this lead I had
nc share: in fact I opposed it, but on
full and fair investigation, I became
thoroughly convinced that the system
of what is now known as "Manual
Training" or " Industrial Education
lies at the bottom Of all true moral
and material progress amongst us here
at the South; and that it is the only
system likely to reach the masses of
the farming, mechanical, and other
industrial classes. l cannot myself
expect to see these full results in my
short lease of life, but [ have an abid.
ing faith in their ultimate triumph;
and 1 believe their discussion among
the people, in every conceivable way,
may have some immediate effect in
breaking up the ~slovenly slip-shod
methods of business amongst us, and
arouse farmers, and all to a better
realization of the blessings we have at
our very doors in this good old State,
if we only knew how to appreciate
them --,r ~ r.r
Nv proofs are both official and pnI
official, public and private, general
and special, from all parts of Missis-
sippi, and down to the present day,
l begin with Senator J.aZ. George,
one of the Trustees. of the Agricultu-
raj College, who met the "storm of
clamor, against the College !" with ?
full exposition of it's affairs OF date
September 10, lss7slsHe says: II