Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1889-02-28
GEN. s. D. LEES PAPERS.
AGRICULTURAL AVID MECHANICAL
COLLEGES.
-Currt<sizm ct Colleges and Uuiver-
.iries--osieet sG Csazre-~ In Prs-
wfdinE for In Es&. bklshm~nf
OF These In.sisatisas


About Agricultural and Mechanical COL
leges. and intend showing the Object
and intent "a Congress IN providing for
them. aad the necessity for their estab-
EshmenE What ! shall write viii De "a
n uoa-partlsan spirit. Intended TO over
come objections % these Institutions
which ARE honestly entertained By many
who should Dc their friends
In the older States there are colleges
and universities which have crown mp
with them many Of them richly en-
lowed and others supported by State
appropriations
As the newer States were organized.
SIMILAR Ones were established. and in
most instances provision was made for
their liberal endowment by Congress BIZ
donation Of public lands Many Of
these eudowments. both to the colleges
and common schools. have been lost by
the States
These universities and colleges in all
the states we're generally patterned
after the old English colleges. and their
~eurriculums were gotten up to educate
Young men. and tit them for the three
learned professions of law. divinity and
Medicine The theory If their instrue-
ti0ns vas based on the idea that = thor
Ough study Of the ancient classics was
the only true road to learning These
colleges. besides giving a general lib
srai education. also provided special
schools foe law. divinity and medicine,
making LIBERAL AMI ample provision for
those intending to pursue these profess
SONS In doing thi~ they afforded
most excellent and necessary higher
educational facilities unIy 70 n small
part OF the people, but made no provI-
sion for the special training and wants
OF the great majority Of the people Gu
gagged in the multiplied and learned
pursuits Of the present day
The recent discoveries If science and
art have made very great changes in
the industries Of the world. and the
EDUCATION afforded by the older col
legss and universities vas too eou-
traeted and favored too much certain
small classes Of our population. and
narrowed down too much the choice ot
selection in preparation for the differ.
ent pursuits Of Ife. and were evidentIy
~flvorlug the wealthier classes and dis
ertmlnafIng too greatly N not afforJfing
special training for the pursuits the ma
iofIty of population were following.
The census Of Iss0 shows that in a
population Of 81. 600. 900 at the present
time that only s5-61t persons werp
doctors AMI surgeons. 6t.69s were min
ssers. AMI 6t-l5I lawyers. making III.
. persons IN the learned professions
less than 4 halt M lIion-vhile the bal
ancs Of u population earned their
~ayslihoods IN other pursuits. oue-haIi
being engaged IN agriculture and the
others IN commerce.. IN manufacturing.
: IN transportation and IN the mechan-
/ ieaI arts These glaring facts causeei
the courses Of study in the colleges and
universities 70 De subjected to critical
examination The inquiry was made
Why 50 purely literary Why for the
special benefit of only three or four
elasseso Of peopIe' Why 30 Little science
Why 50 much theory amt 80 IittIe prae.
tce9 These were pertinent questions,
AMI when made au~thorirativeIv BY
Charles Francis Adams. 1t Harvard. !
few years since. they attracted great at-
ent1on- Under public pressure, these
} eurrpeulums have been partially and
radatIly changed But even these
ehanges have been made only to NEE
the weaIthier and better edueatec
= asses. rather than to meet the neces.
sites OF the masses OF population
These colleges have added department.
for engineering. analytical chemistry,
domestic ECONOMY. commercial train
n. schools Of pharmacy dentistry,
schools OF arts Of various kinds. poIy
teehBIc Institutes. normal colleges. ID
taet. departments for the theoretiea.
ant special Instruction Of nearly every
calling but have psrsistentIy ignored
agrIeu4 tare. which. A. an art. i vIr.
tualy the bass Of all arts AMI of al
wealth This i the pursuit. too. thai
ons-haf Of the population Of the United
states = engaged in. and IN Mississippi
f~oar-afths- Tie recent changes and
n~AlltIous in the curriculum Of the
common schools are following the
same policy In addition TO the three
K. We hni rper.nt intruduetious o.
philosophy botany AMI physiology.
and practical Instruction IN carpenter
n wood engraving. tvpe-writing.
stsnography. cooking. sewing. etc. but
We hear nothing Of the introduction al
the study u the elementary PRINCIPLES
Of agriculture IN the common schools
an art that faur-dfths Of the boys and
<1Ft~ 81 Vt>=s~ pPt nlHst ree@=ss-sIv
earn their support FROM This. too. IN
face Of The fact that the principles aee
~ vel arranged and understood and A.
easily mastered by dull boys ard girls
A. are the dry facts Of arithmetic.
grammar. ; elhnz- geography or his
t0Fy- The great straits To which the
farming classes 0r peasants IN Europe
were brought. ab0GE .he beginning Of
thIs century. has MAIZE 4 complete rpvo-
lEtoa IN agriculture In Is40-Iust ~
Years ago LeebiS reduced to practical
aEt scientific order what was necessary
20 maintain fertI it, IN soil ant "a r.