Copiah signal. (Hazlehurst, Miss.) 1888-1899, 1889-03-14
GEN. 8. D. LEES PAPERS.
AGRICULTURAL AND MECHANICAL
COLLEGES.
@Cmrrssmiam ef colleges ana snaver-
sssie.--oel~ss % sessFe.. sa Pre-
vaaaag far the H@sahas.hmena
ef whs.e aa.tisattea.

ta"f~s h@A t@& MNN&~#A&A AHA ktt%AA t&Na@~
lshmcnt What shall write viii be IN
. non-partisan spirit. intended 10 over
come obieetions 10 these Institutions.
whlch are honestly ensert ained By many
who should be their frisads
In the older States thsra ars colleges
aad universities which have grown up
with them many ~ them richly en-
dowed and oshsrs supported by State
appropriations
As the newer States were organlxed.
similar ones we're established, aud IA
most Instances provision was made for
their liberal endowment by Congrcss by
donailoa ~ public lands Many a
these endow meats. both 10 the colleges
aud common schools. have been lost BY
the States
These universities and colleges In all
the States were generally patterned
after the old Eaglish colleges. and thesr
rurrieulums we're gotten up D. cdnrate
young men. ant III them tor the thFec
learned profession. ~ Law. divinity aad
medicine The theory ~ their instruc-
tions wAs based 90 The idea that . thor
ough study ~ the ancient classics was
The only true road ~ iearuhg These
colleges. bea'des giving general H.
erAl education. also prov .icd special
schools for Law. divinity and medicine.
making liberal ahd Ampie provision Tor
those Intending TO pursue these proies-
Sons In dong tbs they afforded
most excellent aud necessary higher
educational facilities unlv 70 . small
part oi the people. bat made no pFov-
sion f1F the special training and wants
u the great majority a the people en-
gagged In the multipl "a and learned
pursuits a the present day.
The recent discoveries a science and
art have made very great changes Ia
the industries ~ the world. and the
education afforded by the older col
legrs aud universities vas too eon-
tractcd. aud favored too much certain
small classes a our population. and
narrowed down too murh the choiae ~
selection IN preparation for the differ
ent pursuits a lia. and we're evidently
favoring the weallhier Glasses aud dis
eliminating too greatly IN not aaurding
s4eelAl trairis.- a. Ale pursuits The ma
ftasAg - lAsFaaam..ss.s -.
TIE eeneus - 1850 shows that N I
ropulasion "a s00o0Uoe A the present
time, thai oaly sAe7i persons we're
doctors and surgeons. q. .e9s we're mla-
asiers. and "a. ~ lawyers. making 2Ia.-
50 persons Ia The learned proies.ioas--
lees than half mllian while The bal.
ance u our population earned their
hseiihuads % other pursuIl.. one-haf
heiug engaged - agriculture and the
others ~ commerce, 10 manufacturing.
IN transportation. and 10 the mechan-
ical arts These glartng facts cansed
the courses a study Ia the colleges and
universities 20 - subjected % critical
elimination The inqulry was made
Why % purely literary Mhy iar The
special benefit uf only three OF four
Glasses a people' WAY - litIe science
Why % much theory ani % Little prae-
tlccP These were perlinsnt questions.
and Sheu made aulhortativvly IN
Charles Francis Adams n Harvard
few years since. they attracted great a.
tcntion Iuder puhltc pressure. these
curriculums have been partially and
gradually changed But even these
changes haye been a,aie only 90 NEE,
The weather. and better educated
classes. rather than % meet the necas-
stiles "a the masse. ~ population.
These colleges have added departments
Tor engineering. analytical chemistry,
domestic economy. commercial traln-
ing. schools "a pharmacy dentistry,
schools ~ arts "a various klnds. poly
technic institutes. normal colleges. IN
fast departments Cor the theoretical
and special instruction ~ aearly every
calling but have peFsistently ignorcd
agrlcuItnre. which. n ah art. j. viz
tually The bass u All arts and u all I.
wealth. THIS l. The uuFsnL spo. thar
one bali % the population Of the United /
state. i eEgaged In. anI IN Mississippi 4
iour-hflhs. The recent changes aud 1
additions In the curriculum a the 1
common schools are following the
same policy. Ia addition 20 the .rhree 1
H.. we end rcceut introductlons of 4
pAslo@~phy. bosany aud rhy.solexv, 1
aud practical Instruction 10 carpenter
ing. weed engraving. type-writing.
slsnography. cooking. sewing. etc. bui
we hear poshing a the Introduction oi
the study q the elementary principles
of agriculture In the eomman schools.
al srt that foaF-iiilhs u iha boys and
girls ~ Mlssisslpri mast necessarily
earn their support from This. too. In
face u the fact that the principles ase
- well arranged and understood and a.
easily mastered by dali boys and girl.
as are the dry facts a arithmetie.
grammar. sreiliag. geography or his
tory. The great straits 10 which the
farming glasses oF peasants In Earope
were broaght. about the bcginning of
this century. has made complste ruvo-
lution IN agriculture. In iss0-iast a.
years ago. Lsebig redaeed 10 practical
aud scientitie order what was Becessary
10 malatain fertility In soil and 20 re-
store fertility A. Consequence. there
are Bow over CO., agricultural schools
and colleges IN Germany. The same
system - iouaA IN France aud other
karopsan states A . result a this
tharoagh system a agricultural ednca-
lion among the peasants. the yield Ter
acre u land In karepe has heen grada-
aliy increasing. whlle 10 the Inlaea
STATES statistics show 4 y gradually
decreasing. TIE stwissies a. 10 the
soa iition u the AR realiaral classes ID
ths United States points 10 the absolute