The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1889-02-19
AGRICULTURAL AND MECHANI-
CAL COLLEGES.
No. q
by Gen. S. D. Lee, of Mississippi. j


Mr. EDIToR:-In my first article /
discussed the curriculums of the col
leges and universities, partial to the
old system of education, and attempted
to show that the practical workings of
those institutions inclined them to
favor the learned professions; and in
the changes which they had intro
duced to meet the wants of the pres
ent day, they still were partial to the
better educated and weather. classes
of society. That, though half of the
population of the United States were
engaged in agriculture, the basis of
all arts and wealth, they made no pro-
vision for teaching agriculture, either
as an art or as science. That In
consequence of this partiality one
| half of our population, not farmers,
were accumulating wealth to an alb
normal degree, causing great depres-
sion among the farming classes This
/ showed by statistics / showed also
that in the common schools little dis
position was shown to teach the ele-
ments of agriculture, although new
studies were being constantly added.
That the drift and tendency was for
population to move and live in cities,
instead of building up wealth in the
country That new conditions were
affecting the farmer which made it
absolutely necessary for him to be
educated in order to compete with
1 tho hntfnr ndueata6 class
Congress saw this, and saw also how
difficult it would be to change sud-
denly the entire theory of education,
and by the act of 1862, provided by
endowment for the establishment of
new colleges, having for their leading
object "the benefit of agriculture and
the mechanic arts" so as to reach and
benefit the very large class engaged
in the pursuits of agriculture lone
half of the population) and also those
engaged in mechanical pursuits; also
to increase the number of educated
persons, recruiting them from the
classes not attracted to or attending
the then existing colleges and uni
versities. These Agricultural and
Mechanical Colleges are not intended
to supplant the older established col
leges (for they could not be dispensed
with), but to provide additional edu-
cational facilities, more practical and
on different theory. To provide
educational facilities for the large
number not partial to classical insti-
tutions, but who attach equal impor-
tance to modern classics; for the large
clsss, who believe that modern sci
ences, which deal with modern indus
tries, are more utilitarian in value and
present a shorter road to enable one
to provide for support than the ancient
classics. To meet the wants of this
large class, Congress passed the law
of 1852, stating in the caption of the
act that it was "to benefit agricultu-
raj and mechanic arts" and to "pro-
mote the liberal and practical educa-
ton of the industrial classes in the
several pursuits and professions of
life" These quotations show that
Congress, although intending to create
bias in favor of agriculture and me-
chanical arts, did not intend to make
an ironclad rule and confne young
men who attended these colleges to
these two pursuits, but allow them
the same latitude in selecting their
callings as were allowed young men
attending any other college, for the
law says ''the several pursuits and pro-
fessions of life." The law of Con-
gress (1862) was can act donating
public lands to the several States and
Territories which may provide col
leges for the benefit of agriculture
and the mechanic arts" It gave to
each State and Territory at the rate
of 10000 acres of public lands, or
"scrip" representing it. for each Sen
ator and Representative in Congress.
The land or money obtained by sale
was to constitute perpetual endow-
ment fund and only the interest is
to be used for the endowment, support
and maintenance Of at least one college
a0here the leading object shall be with
out excluding other scientific and
classical studies and including military
tactics) to teach such branches of learn
sng as are related to agriculture and the
mechanic arts, and in such manner as
the Legislatures of the States may
prescribe, IN order to promote the liberal
and practical education of the Industrial
classes IN the several pursuits and profes-
SONS of life"
The different sections of the act
bring out the condition of the gift
and its acceptance, viz: How the fund
shall be invested. How, if any por-
ton of the fund is lost, or interest
"by any act or contingency : it
shall be replaced by the State to