The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1891-07-15
Editorial NOtings.

Editorial N0tings.
A CORRESPONDENT asks: "Why do
the lland-grant colleges-the so-called
agricultural colleges-persist in adher-
ing to exclusively theoretical instead of
practical instruction in the Industrial
arts, including agriculture and horti-
culture?" Well, there is little doubt
in our mind that where this is the case
the instructors in such schools are so
ignorant of the practical side of the sub
jects supposed TO be taught by them
that they fear to make themselves the
laughing-stock of their supposed con-
stituency. Certainly, the way prac-
teal work has been exempliied,at the
Burlington College in seasons past gives
color to this belief. But, at least on
the mechanical side, this charge is not
everywhere true. The success of the
Massachusetts, Institute of Technology,
at Boston, has been most remark
able on its practical side, yet with no
sacrifice of scientific instruction. This
noble institution is the mechanical side
of which the Agricultural College at Am
herst is supposed to be the counterpart.
A WRITER in the Atlantic Monthly,
abiding to this matter, says: "Com-
mon opinion among the thoughtful OBJ
servers of these institutions is that they
have signally failed of their proper end,
because by aspiring to teach the whole
range of the sciences, instead of CIV
ing, like the best industrial schools of
the Old World, specific and thorough
instruction in the different branches of
industry, they have already degener-
ated into species of high school, or
cheap college of low grade, where the
national weakness in favor of an ex-
tensive smattering of many subjects is
fostered, and less practical information
given than an intelligent apprentice
would acquire in a workshop, or on
farm. Indeed, as an eminent agri-
culturist remarked, Harvard College,
with its present courses of lectures, and
its neighborhood to the market gardens
of Arlington, and the scientific hus-
bandry of Middlesex county, is, so far,
better agricultural school than any
now so called"
THE above view of the matter is
plainly on the supposition that these
institutions, however weakly, are hon
estly trying to do their duty. But there
is another view of the matter here in
Vermont which many hold, with much
show of reason, in view of the long
years, and vast sums of money used up
at Burlington, with results that are
practically nil. 1t is that the money
has really been used for distinctly other
purposes, under thin DISCUSSES which
an honest and thorough investigation
would make abundantly manifest to
the people of the state. 1t is held by
many that, were it not for the powerful
influences brought to bear upon our
legislature, and on other public officials,
by Burlington parties, such an investi-
cation would long ago have resulted in
exposures of startling kind. We hold
that belief ourself; but we do not enter
tain any immediate hope of better
things-not because desirable changes
are in themselves impossible, but be-
cause the farmers of Vermont are too
entirely Indifferent to the whole sub
ject. We think that the money, even
if misspent, may be doing some good as
things are now, and that hereafter, by
the very pressure of time and circum-
stance, there may be many changes in
the right direction. The men who now
control are not immortal; and they may
be succeeded by others with very differ
ent views of duty, or even of eXpedi-
ency. BY that time new generation
of farmers will have arisen-also, let us
hope, with new views of their duties, as
well as of their rights. There is moth
ing incredible in this idea; and it is
POoolDlC CNCu JlidJ plOCh anu l4dllu
may in time come to be quite secondary
studies in the chief educational institu-
ton of this industrial commonwealth.
On this topic the Stockman and
Farmer of Pittsburgh, Penn, remarks
thus: "Some one tersely says that it is
not the agricultural college that weans
the boy from the farm, but the dude
literary college, which gives a smatter-
ing of science, the languages dead
and literature. It's reliably stated that
in Ontario (Canada), where they make
business of sending children to agri
cultural schools, more than eighty-fve
per cent of them go back to the farm.
HERE is description, dear reader