The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1893-12-13
Editorial NOtings.


OUR literary co'l,ge are fist becom-
ing the head-centers of coarse brutality
and license. And some of our alleged
agricultural colleges are trying to pat
tern after them, AS the street boys
pattern after the larger rufliaus. And
vet our colleges are presided over by
Doctors of Divinity; and they profess
to be foci of refinement, as well as
of religion, learning and the liberal
arts. And their refined students call
the industrial students " Dungies."
WHAT we would like TO see in the
industrial schools is an honest, indie
pendent pride in their own purpose and
work, free from, and regardless of, all
other institutions whatever. This feel
ing would be easily introduced and
one of our industrial schools is Differed
and manned, so far as its faculty is
concerned, by men from the literary
colleges. How can we ever expect TO
have proper Industrial schools under
such conditions? 1t is plainly impos-
sble. But it is almost az impossible to
break the chain which binds them. If
the industrial colleges drew the best
men from the literary colleges it would
be bad enough, for " it is hard to learn
old dogs new tricks" But the fact is
that first class man, unless wonder
fully independent aud broad-minded,
would feel himself degraded in school
for " Dungies." And really, he could
do better elsewhere, unless some strong
conscientious principle, joined with ma
tive taste, drew him in that direction.
THE feeling against DDS as heads
of industrial schools is not a prejudice
of ignorance, or an evidence of narrow
intellect. 1t is in way instructive;
but the instinct is a good one. 1t is
not based on prejudice, but rests upon
common sense, and the fitness of things.
We want men of science, not men of
literature, or fine art, TO teach our boys
not only how to farm, but how 10
make agriculture honored in the only
way in which honor on the farm can be
won, by making the farm "pay." We
want school where we can send our
ambitious boys, and have them taught
hoy to make as much money on the
farm as in any other occupation. That,
and that only, can make farming hon.
orable, and cause the smartest and best
girls to be willing and glad to marry
as a liberal art, and the degree of
Master of Agriculture means 10 its
possessor everything that any college de-
gree can mean, in point of knowled &c
and character, then will the agriculture
of the state or country where that is true
offer prizes worth the best mems COM
retition. But that will never be while
these schools are Differed by men who
accept positions in them because they
are not able to get positions Elsewhere.
WE do not write thus in disregard or
ignorance of the fact that there are
now some fIs.-class men in our agri-
cultural schools. They have some men
who are the peers of any teacher, in
any school. But these men remain
there under great disadvantages, so
long as their colleagues are mostly ct
another stripe, cheap men, intriguers,
ringsters-men who know how to climb
siuuously, and to gather laurels, if al
all, in the manner of the politician
rather than of the gentleman and
scholar.
WE know the problem is hard one
at best; and must be hard, until oui
farmers realize the value of liberal
education on the farm. And by" lib
eral" education we do not mean, as
the term is commonly interpreted, the
CldSolCSj UuI lue drlS anu eCltuCts
When constant warfare had reduced
Europe near to barb arism, resort to the
learning and science of antiquity wa'
imperative. 1t is so no longer. Tit
present is the greatest era of the world
history. These are the dawning day.
of "a new heaven and a new earth !"
and "former things have passed away.
1t is time to begin 10 cognize this truth
The unthroning of the Sandwich
Islands queen seems to have bee
chiefly an agricultural affair; the suga
planters, mostly Americans, didn'
want her. They practically enslave
her subjects. We are grieved to not
that Senator Proctor thinks it woul
be un-American to restore her. PROT
ably the literary colleges which hav