Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1890-10-27
The Proposed Agricultural College

ricultuIe, in mechanical arts, the En-
glish language and the various branch
es of mathematical, physical, natural
and economic science, with special
reference to their application to the
industries of life and to the facilities
for such instruction, including militia
~, tactics"
The bill provides for the election
of trustees, who shall control the af-
fairs of the college, purchase, erect
and keep in repair such buildings as
shall be needed by said college, with
power to locate the same.
It will be remembered that the
state, by virtue of an act passed ID
1862, received a land grant which
amounted, when disposed Otto $780,
900, the interest of which, 8,100, can
be used in the support of an agricul-
tural college. During the last session
of congress another bill, giving an
annual appropriation of $4,000 was
made to such states as should estab-
lish colleges, or rather S15 900 to be
increased in ten years to $50, 900 an
nually. These two sums will eventu-
ally be S33, 100, available for running
an agricultural college in this state,
oh ho f0nn6oH
Congress appropriated nothing for
the purchase of a college site, or to
the erection or keeping in repair col
lege buildings. Hence this act of
the legislature proposes to raise mon
ey for the purpose of buying the site
and erecting the buildings.
Burlington college has been receiv-
ing the So, 1000 annually and certain
other moneys appropriated by the leg
islature for the maintenance of an ag-
ricultural department, and, of late an
experimental station. The new bill
proposes to withdraw this money from
the college and turn it into the new
channel.
The avowed object is to have some
suitable college, exclusively under
state control, which shall result to
great OF to greater advantages to the
state than under the present disposi-
ton of the funds.
We care not here to discuss the
question whether the Agricultural
department of Burlington college, or
the Experiment Station have been all
they ought to have been or not; we
only judge from observation and re-
ports that many of the criticisms on
the college and the station have been
unjust. We think the reason why
greater benefit has not as yet been
received from these two things is the
wide spread antipathY among farm
ers against 'book farming" scientific
farming and the things taught by
college professors. Until the farmers
of Vermont come to understand and
appreciate the benefits of an educa-
ton that pertains to agricultural and
mechanical science; and until their
sons are taught the advantages of
special education in the pursuit of
agriculture, there will be dearth of
students at Burlington, land no neces-
sity of an agricultural college in this
state. The best instruction in the
world, experiment stations worthy
of the best praise, avail nothing un-
less there are pupils to teach. We
know nothing about the matter per-
sonally, but we venture the assertion
that the trustees of Burlington college
will provide ample means, both in the
college and at the station for thor
ough and valuable education to large
classes of men and boys, if they will
avail themselves of the opportunity
to receive instruction. Let the farm
ers avail themselves of present op-
portunities and there will be no spec
ial demand for an experimental col
lege-we deem the project at best an
experiment.
The legislature should consider
the question long and we'll, whether
the wants of the state demand the
creation of such an institution as the
Agricultural college; and whether if
the college is set up it will receive
such patronage as will make it use
full thing.
1t must be remembered that all
these new things, beautiful as they
appear, entail large expenses. The
purchase of the site, the erection of
the college building and the setting
in operation of college of this sort,
expensive in itself, is but the begin
ming of expense. All institutions of
this kind become pensioners and pau
pers on the state.
We submit the question whether
Vermont is not at present supporting
about all the institutions ofsvarious
sorts she can afford to support? With
in comparatively few years,w have
had added to former state institutions
a House of Correction, a Reform
School, Soldiers Home, while new
and expensive baby was born in 1888
which is kicking and squalling, anc
which will ever hereafter be calling
on the state for care, sustenance ant
money. We refer to the Asylum a
Waterbury. ALI these institution
are good and ought to be maintained
somewhere, but Vermont is not a
large as some of her big sisters anC