The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1897-12-09

|
u preparatory schools leads rather away
: from industrial education than to it.
q for this reason, where the agricultural
ana mechanical colleges are connected
Q with literary universities, the students
are inclined to pursue their studies on
the lines OF their previous preparation
o rather than take u new departure into
5 agriculture or mechanics.
i At the beginning Of tho sopf omore
year the students elect either tho agri-
y CGlturc or the mechanical course. The
course in mechanics leads up to me-
y chanical engineering, civil engineering
> or electrical engineering, or to special
5 proficiency in some one 0l these dlVls-
Y ions.
t The course in agriculture leads to II
t broad and comprehensive knowledge,
@ which entities one to tho title OF agri-
r culturist; or the student may, besides
, acquiring Il knowledge Of tho theory
!; and practice in the different divisions
} select some one or more Of the divis-
) ions in which to become Il specialist.
; He may make chemistry, botany hor-
tculturc, dairying, entomology or
veterinary science his speciality, or he
may select agriculture as his vocation
to which the Wedge of all OF those
branches contribute TO make u we'll
rounded agriculturist.
In the sophomore class the students
receive thorough training in theM etic-
al Class worh in general chemistry, H.
iusiratcd by laboratory practices, and
~ LOtany in class and field and field.
They arc taught how PLANTS grow, how
they feed and how they reproduce.
They gather plants from the field and
| classify, name and mount them in the
hcrbarium.
The veterinarian instructs thcm in
tho physiology and anatomy Of domas-
tic animals. The dairyman teaches
them how to feed and manage milch
cows and their calvcs---how to draw
the milk from the uddcr, separate the
cream, rlpcn it, .churn it and prepare
the butter for market; how to make
delicious, honest cheese from whole
milk. They are taught also to test the
| mix Tor butter lat, to StCriliHc it from
| injurious germs. and in fact to do
everything that is necessary for the
| successful conduct Of q dairy or cream
cry.
The chief Of the division of live stock
takes the students into the presence Of
the different species OF domestic ami
| mats, and each, provided with score
cards is instructed how to Judge, &C
cOrdlng to the standard scale OF points,
oi the merits OF each animal as a re-
preventative of its class--in cattle
whether aCapted to milk, butter, beef
or work, and SO with horses, swine
sheep and poultry according 70 the
standard Of excellence recognized by
the best breeders of each species. They
arc also taught how to compound
ratiOns OF standard feed stulrs to pro-
ducc given results. such. as milk and
butter production, growth, fat or
iorcc, and practically trained in con-
duclinS experiments looking to the
determination of the feeding value of
the various products Of the Southern
farm
In the agricultural class room the
principles involved in the treatmct of
soils and plauts-how to bring the for
mcr into the best condition physically
and chemically for the production OF
the latter: how to compound and com.
post fertilizers and manurcs to produce
maximum results with the greatest
economy: how to study needs OF itfer-
ent soils what plants are useful as soil
lmpr0vcrS and how to use them what
rotation will yield most profitable re
turns with the least exhaustion OF
the soil how to protect and improve
worn soils the species and varieties OF
plants adapted to the different soils o
the State, and the best methods OF
CultlVating them. These and many
other questions arc discussed. Tho
tools and implements adapted to the
) preparation and cultivation OF dilrcr
cnt soils ana crops arc not only de
scrib2d to the students, but they assist
in their use.
The experiment work in agriculture
stock and horticulture affords q most
instructive laboratory for training the
students in accuracy Of observation
/ plants and animals, and IL famiiarit,
> with the most advanced practice ir
preparation, cultivation and the i'm
prOvcment Of plants by superior cult
walton and selection. Every subject
; taught in the lecture room is illus
tratcd by practical training in the iabo
ratory Of the farm, the garden, orchard
/, vineyard, dairy or stock yards. The
d veterinarian takes his classes for three
hours weekly to assist in clinics at hi:
G animal intirmary. They are thNs pre-
J. pared to care for the animals which
| may need surgical or medical attan
c tlon, and when our graduates le ONE
;. citizens they will each prove not only
u useful as examples In their neigbOr
l. hood, but will each become q tcachc,
: To lessen the lump Of agricultural igno
:, rance in this section. While all Of this i.
Il being taught the cadets in mechanic:
: civil, mechanical and electrical en-
:, ginccring and the various branches 0
| a. 'NuI Vuioi SClcuCc anu dIt, Iuc llGtf
: AIRY training Of the students is not ne
: elected. They are taught in the schoo
II Of history what distinguished men o
a all ages have accomplished, Cspecia
: stress being placed upon the history 0
/ south Carolina and the United States
They arc required to study in compari
e son different systems Of government
Il and drilled in the science Of politica
= economy. All students are trained il
/ the school Of English and English
l. literature by eminent teach ers from
freshman to graduation. There art
Il three literary societies in which the
Is boys practice in debate and oratorica
IL contests, and the y. M. G.. a. has
}! chapter, which is we'll attended by the
s cadets. The discipline is military, the
I students being in this department