The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1889-03-05
AGRICULTURAL AND MEcHANI-
CAL COLLEGES.
The Theory and Management of the
Mississippi A. & M. College.
By Gen. S. D. Lee, Of Mississippi.] ]

EBy Gen. s. d. Lee, of Mississippi
In this article we propose to exam
inc the theory and management of the
Mississippi A. & M. College, and to see
if it conforms to the spirit of the
State law, which is based on the Fed
eral law. Among the duties assigned
the Board of Trustees we find the
establishment and maintenance of a
frst-class institution, at which the
youth of the State may acquire a com
mon school education and scientific
and practical knowledge Of agricul-
ture, horticulture and the mechanic
arts; also the proper growth and care
of stock, without, however, excluding
other scientific and classical studies,
including military tactics.
"They shall regulate the course of
study, rates of tuition, management
of experimental farm, manner of per
forming labor and the kind of labor
to be performed by students. These
quotations plainly define that the
leading object must be to benefit
agriculture and the mechanic arts. !"
Should other studies be taught they
must be secondary, or after provision
is made for what is especially pro-
vided for, and as aids to more readily
understand the sciences which under
lie agriculture and the mechanic arts
The organization must be such as to
familiarize students with and to edu-
cate their minds and tastes to agricul-
ture, horticulture, the care and growth
of stock, management of farms, man
ner of performing labor, &c. The
college must provide for the industrial
classes general education, combined
with such scientific and practical
knowledge as will make them familiar
with the nature of the objects and
forces with which they have to deal.
This necessitates that special stress be
laid on the sciences intimately con-
nected with agriculture, such as chem
istry, botany, geology, zoology, ento-
mology, physiology, mechanics, phys
les, &c. To comprehend these studies
requires considerable liberal culture.
The varied conditions contributing to
an intelligent understanding of agri-
culture as a science and an art, com
prehends an education almost as broad
and liberal as that needed to master
any subject This education must also
be practical and industrial in it's train
ing, and must strive to create taste
for agricultural pursuits.
The Board of Trustees in the or
ganization Of the college and it's equip
ment have had these views before
them. Through the iberality of the
Legislature frst-class institution has
been established, farm of near 1000
acres purchased, buildings have been
erected, such as a college building,
dormitory for 26O students, chemical
laboratory, mess halls, professors
houses, barns, stables, COW sheds,
engine house, creamery and dairy
buildings and the equipment for man
aging an experimental farm as the
law provides. The college herd is
made up of about four hundred head
of cattle of thoroughbreds, grades
and common cattle The chemical
laboratory, museum and other depart
ments of the college have been sup
piled with an outfit for illustration of
the sciences taught. All this property
is valued at $2O6,986.35, and makes
up the plant of the college or what is
necessary for its proper establishment.
This is an investment which is perma-
nent and will last for long time 1t
is similar to the expenditure of the
State in the establishment of the State
University, the plant of which is
valued at 100000.
The Board of Trustees has arranged
for both preparatory and collegiate
course Zone and four years. to the
youth of the State the opportunity of
acquiring, as the law directs, com
mon school education and a practical
and scientific knowledge of agricul-
ture. It is remembered that many
farmer boys in the country have poor
school advantages; the preparatory
course is to meet their wants and to
be also feeder to the college classes.
This class (one-third the attendance)
is taught such studies as grammar,
composition, arithmetic, algebra, ge-
ography, United States history, pen
manship, defamation, &c. They are
also taught by textbook and lectures