The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1891-09-16
A Professor Frees His Mind.

cut has sent to the Connecticut Farmer
communication on the Land Grant
Colleges which ought to be reprinted
in every agricultural periodical in the
country. In it he says:
"In reading the language of the
original grant of 1862, two things are
clearly apparent; 6rst, the object for
which the appropriation was made, and
secondly, the means by which it was
proposed to accomplish that object.
The object is expressed in the words,
IN order TO promote the liberal and
practical education Of the Industrial
classes This object was to be at
tanned by establishing colleges, in
which, without excluding other studies,
preference should be given TO branches
of learning related to agriculture and
the mechanic arts. Now, there has been
a large question and a sharp dispute as
to the proper proportion of the liberal
and the practical in the scheme of
study for these colleges; but the great
purpose of the colleges themselves, and
of all study in them, has been carelessly
overlooked or carefully ignored. At
least l do not know of single effort
honestly and intelligently made to full.
fill that purpose, either in Connecticut
or any other state. There may doubt
less be any amount of explanation and
excuse for the course which has been
pursued; but the fact will after all re-
main that not one in thousand of the
properly industrial classes has received
or could receive any benefit from APP
preparations amounting to several mill
lions of dollars made in their favor
more than twenty-five years ago. Short
of positive political rascality, believe
there is no greater wrong or injustice
existing in this country to-day than is
involved in the present use and expen-
diture of the funds of the Morrill, Land
Grant of 1862, and of the recent appro-
priation for the same purpose"
This is exactly what the agricultural
editor of this paper has been maintain
ing in print ever since 1873. Profess
sor Porter, in continuing the subject,
adds
Everybody knows that the liberal
and practical education of the properly
industrial classes has not been promoted
to any appreciate extent by the COL
leges which were to be established for
that express purpose, and everybody
knows also that several hundred pro-
fessors have received, as a result of the
grant, positions, titles, honors and
emouments, with abundant HOLIDAYS
and long vacations thrown in. 1t is
doubtless true that some of these pro-
fessors have developed a considerable
interest in science, and that some Of
their work has had a certain general
value. But their work in promoting
the education of the industrial classes
has had no appreciable result, if, indeed,
there has been any such work.
This, too, is what we have been as
sorting in print for nearly two decades.
Nevertheless, Senator Morrill, of Yer
mont. to whom is accredited the pater-
nifty of the original bill endowing these
institutions, has publicly declared that
in his opinion the University of Ver-
mont and State Agricultural College is
using the income of this fund, together
with large additional grant recently
made, in strict accordance with both
the letter and the spirit of the law. At
least, that is how we understand the
senator's position.
Professor Porter goes on to remark
further, as follows:
" l am aware of the stupid manual
labor schemes which were attempted in
some of the Land Grant Colleges, and of
the fact that some of them graciously
offer the pittance of a three months
course in winter for the benefit of
those to whom whole college course
is due, and that some free scholarships
have been offered under conditions
which the industrial classes could moi
accept. | am aware, also, of the will
lingness of some of the agricultural
professors to assist in conducting farm
ers' institutes outside the colleges, ant
of the talk about university eXten
SION that is INDUCED in by others
And still say that, so far as l know
not one honest and intelligent effor
has anywhere been made by the mana
gers of these colleges to fulfill the pur
pose of the act by which the college
were created. The most importan
clause in the act-the one which shout,
have been allowed conditioning an,
controlling force in the organic itiol
and management of the colleges, tn
clause namely, IN order to promote III
liberal and practical education Of tn
Industrial classes has in most case
been treated precisely as if it did nc
exist at all"
Professor Porter credits some of tn
professors in some of these Land Gran
Colleges with having done much goo
work calculated to promote industri
progress Gas we, also, have done), br
he adds;
"These objects, however importaI
in themselves, are entirely aside fro
the purpose Of colleges for the 'edl
cation of the industrial classes.' ]
these, economy should be the rule |
it is the necessity of those for who
they are intended. Aud it may as we
be said, once for all, that unless thel