Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1890-03-12
AN EDUCATIONAL LANDMARK.
Interesting Ceremonies Attending the
Formal Opening of New MeXico's
Agricultural College.

Cruces on Monday evening. The eXer-
cises took place at Amador's hall. Col.
A. ]. Fountain presided with his accus-
toned grace and tact, and the vice presl-
dents were Mr.. Jacob Schaubln, Mr..
John NJ. Riley, Mr.. Thomas, j. Bull,
Judge S. B. Newcomb, Mr.. Martin Loh-
man, Mr.. Phubus Prudential, Mr..
Nestor Armijo, Mr.. Mariana Barela, Ny.
Jacinto Armijo, Mr.. A. B. Fall, Mr.. }. X.
Livingston, Mr.. Nathan Spatcier, Mr..
Frank W. Smith, Mr.. VIM. Dessauer, Mr.
jams J. Dolan, Prof. Samuel 2. McCrea,
Mr.. Demetrio Chaves, Hon. J. S. Sniffen,
Hon. John Y. Hewitt, Mr.. w. S. Hope
well, Hon. George Lynch and Hon. Z. A.
Fiske.
The hall was packed with fashion
able audience. Judge John r. McFie
called the meeting to order and, stating
it's object, introduced Col. Fountain.
That gentleman made a telling address,
which WIS interrupted by frequent up
pause. He referred to the occasion If
the gathering as a celebration of the adj
vent of a higher civilization. He gave
detailed history of the progress of the
college from its inception to the present,
and spoke at length OF its advantages and
of ,he responsibility the people OF Las
Cruces and vicinity had taken and for
which they must hold themselves ac-
countable in the management OF this i'm
pOrtant educational enterprise.
The chairman read Sc, eral letters from
| invited guests who were unable to be
present and take part in tie ceremonies
Of the evening. A solo WIS then rem
dered by Miss Litsey, the Star Spangled
Banner, the college school joining in the
chorus, Miss French presiding at the or
gan. Music by the band followed and
Prof Hadley introduced the several
classes of pupils now attending the in
stltution, making brief address.
Judge McFie was the next speaker and
made very happy address, which was
not only lul of timely subjects, but served
also TO keep the assemblage overlooking
with mirth. The school sang Columbia,
and after another selection by the band
Gov Prince was introduced.
After few preliminary remarks OF
purely local import the governor said:
In the first place | wish, gentlemen OF
the regency, to congratulate YOU on the
successful inauguration of this college,
which is the first territorial educational
institution in New Mexico which has had
| d practical existence. | say (which has
had practical existence" because it may
| be interesting to some who have come
more recently to the territory to know
that this is not the first agricultural CO.,
| lege which the Legislature OF New Mexico
has intended should be found within its
limits. More than quarter OF century
ago, in the year 1868, the legislature OF
this territory orgaI lied an industrial
college" whose intent vas almost exactly
| the same as that Of this institution, for
therein were to be taught such branches
OF learning as are related to the agrlcul-
tural and mechanical arts. 1t had as its
board OF regents the governor OF the terri
tory. the secretary, the chief justice. the
Roman Catholic bishop and five well
known citizens, Candelario Garcia, Am
brosio Armijo, Facundo Pine, the father
of the popular court Interpreter OF this
district, Nalentin Nasquez and Santiago
Valdez, all since gone to their rest, with
the exception Of the first so you see that
New Mexico can not lie blamed as having
been late in its endeavors to possess an
institution such AS this. 1t is true that il
never assumed practical shape, because
We were then i'll the midst OF the great
war, sterner duties called the citizens Of
New Mexico to other fields of action, ana
SO the institution lived simply on the
paper on which were printed the statutes
of the territory but think it is page OF
our history that should not be forgotten,
that at that early day such steps were
| taken. There is one special feature to
which desire to call attention, and that
is that that act provided for an expert
mental station, to use the exact words,
| Tor Gland for agricultural experiments and
for model farm" This, you remember,
| was in 1868, and if that act had then been
carried into effect New Mexico would
have had the first experimental station
existing in the whole United States, so
that, at any rate, in one respect We have
not reen behind other parts Ot'the union
Applause.
The president stated in his opening adj
dress that perhaps you scarcely recognize
what you have here; the scope OF it is So
broad, broader indeed than that of al
most any agricultural college in the Unit
ed States, because it includes i'll its cur
riculum nearly every branch Of human
know ledge. The usefulness OF such insti-
tuions must be self evident; agriculture
We all know, lies at the foundation OF
the prosperity and greatness of every
nation, it is that pursuit which employs
the greatest number OF men, it is that
" hich has the largest product. In the
olden days it was supposed that the
farmer need know nothing but what he
could learn amid the druid cry of the
fam, but that day has long passed, and
We all feel now, even those who in the
commencement were most skeptical, that
there is no pursuit of humanity in which
more scientific knowledge Is necessary,
and We know that as soils vary and eli
mates vary aid cops vary, so there is
necessity Tor know ledge which can make
OF each climate, OF each soil and each
kind of crop the greatest success which is
possible TO he attained.
Col. Fountain has told you something
of the way in which the United States
came forward 10 foster institutions of this
kind. 10 nay mind it is one Of the most
sublime facts in American history that
III the year 1867, mind the date, in the
year 1862, when the United States Was
in the throes If it's mortal agony, when it
WAS question whether it would remain
among the nations Of the earth, that then
the congress If the United States, with n
confidence and faith in God and Their
country, worthy of all praise, believing
that the union could not die, laid the
foundation If these institutions which
were to increase it's prosperity down
through the years and the centuries.
(Applause.)
In 1862, in the darkest days of the
war, they passed this act, under which
each state and each territory might found