Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1898-10-21
Report of the bel Alton Farmers
Club.


ostsher. 4th. 1898
o.. -,
htfphr 2F COMMITTEE y '''r
FsaNERs Cars on CHARLES coeSrri No.. os
,,tr N.sv,..,., kss,ri,i.rrnAE CotaHer.
/ Mr. President and qefileiaen q ne ttao;--
| The appointment Of this Connnitiee was oc-
casiooed By the ssalemen, Of the President Of
this Club that but few Of the stadents Of the
MARYLAND Agricultural College took the Ag-
r;eulturai and Mechanical co7rsas and that
the President Of the College would be pleased
at some consideration Of the subject BY this
Club and report thereon as 70 what il may be
able to suggest IN the way Of improvement In
this respect.
Your COMMITTEES met, Me- President, and
considered the subject, under what we are
abliVed to say rather dsadvan aseous circum-
stances, OF what suggestions il could make 10
the President aud Faculty OF The Maryland
d., Agricultural College, through this Club, to-
Z wards awakening greater int crest and secur-
( ing greater number OF students in the Agri-
Z cultural and Mechanical courses Of the College.
The want Of sufficient data and Information
on this subject leaves the Committee entirely
upon q own resources aud wo feel great dif-
fdence in making suggestions npon subject
ca which we are so sensible of our want Of
knowledge and experience. Your Committee
wrote 20 Capt. R. W Sylvester, the President
Of the Gole1r, for copy Of the Act OF its in
corpord ton, for any suggestion from bim in
| the line of INQUIRY submitted 70 the considera-
sion VI this Committse and for any literature
he might have at his disposal beating upon
the sub set and received from him in reply
/ copy the Act Of incorporation and amend
menss down to 1880 and a letter from himself
winch our Committee will insert at this point
Of iis = port.
| Maryland Agricultural College,
College Park Nd, Sept. l6, 1898
As vou know the Maryland Agricultural
Collegt was organized by a body OF public
spirited citizens of the State Of Maryland.
I Their puI pose was to give liberal education
to the sons OF the painters Of Maryland ana At
The same time a technical agricultural f-aiu-
ing which they regarded as important 10
planters life This efoTt was supplemented
by the Stale Of Maryland becoming joint own
er Of the property sometime between 1860 and
1870, Tie national government gave aid TO
, the enterprise IN what is known as the First
/ Morrei Act Of 1861, the Hat Ii Act Of 1888 and
the Second Morrel Act of 1890. These Acts
are liberal in their intent.
{ In my administration Of the affairs OF your
/ College, ! have striyen to make agriculture
the pronounced course ia equipment ana en-
[
. by the farmers OF Maryland with that degree
Z Of cordially that | would like. Many toe
that this education is not needed. that we
have good farmers without IL. I would rather
say, 10 spite Of the eneumbraaee which we
nave to oess, with such feelings, the agricul-
lEal course vt the College must iangnish.
Gntil farmers appreciate the necessity Of edn-
eating the BOY on the farm, such condition
must prevail. In many States the realization
Is at hand and the Agricultural Colleges of
Michigan, New York. Wisfpagia. Iowa and
, illinois ors doing great Work iyr tnsse States.
! nope am not too sanguine dhen ! ''y that
! feel that can see something OF the awEssn-
ing a Maryland can never feel that your
College IS doing the work for which /; was
called into existence until its rooms are filed
with farmers sons and daughters and its
ileoorelories are swGrnng ~ith trained hands
and heads preparing Tor liieg work on the
fsrm. The children will never realize this
necessity while fathers and matiisrs detry
vocatioa ano urge any iorm Of occnpstion
rather .han lie one with whlcn they are con-
neeied
| IL would add to my present obligations 10
/ -FOUR Club if you would let me know the re-
suit Of your deliberations on 3 subject SO vitHl
| to oar agricultural interests.
Very truly yours,
r. W SYLVESTER President, H. A C.
Mn. A. W. NEALE, Bel Alton, Nd To-
1t will be seen from his letter that President
Sylvester gives strong expression to his own
/ feeling upon The subject, which corresponds
/ very thoroughly with our own bu. makes no
suggestion ef q remedy, preferring, no doubt,
TO hear what our owu unprompted sugzes-
/ tons nay be.
Your Committee feels very sure that Presi-
dent Sylvester, with his great expert
knowledge on the subject Of education aud
Y his lone experience in the management of
Schools and Colleges 10 doing all that he Gao
30 TO influence both pupils and parents to
avail themselves Of the opportunities offered
By the Agricultural College Tor scientific study
and trailing in Agricultural and Mechanical
knowledge. That parents and pupils alike
seem averse TO availing themselves Of such op-
portunites opens up q question OF great social
/ Rnd economic speculation, which your Com
mittee confesses it has not bad the time. the
facilities, or the literature 10 indulge in 1t
' ould take in many reflections and. yo1r
T Committee thinks, especially the question OF
!. rhg it thst Agriculture is not considered
10 public opinion, Upon plane with other
I profess ons that are deemed learned and hon
orable and that seem to US go much more re-
muneriiive. We beg to be excused, Mr.
President, from entering at present upon so
large isld OF speculation as why it is there
are no AS many millionaire farmers IS bank
ers, ma nufacturers, lawyers, melchants l., l..
Limiting the question therefore to the
specific consideration OF a suggestion to in
duce .arger number Of pupils 10 adopt the
Agricu itural and Mechanical courses, one idea
at leas suggests itself TO us, though so far as
we knew, there may be obstacles and objec-
tons u il that may prevent its application.
As the State of Maryland is joint owner
Of the property, may not some compulsory
legislation he enacted in regard 70 these
branches OF education; compelling all students
If tine College, but il not competent to compel
al, 1t least ITS own hsne6ci.fies who
enjoy free scholarships. II there are uny--to
take those Two courses; for Agricultural and
Mechanical edoration 60 most appropriately
together
Then again the attaching Of certain little
privileges TO particular studies, an extra holi-
ttft3 frit mr. al ffVif- cat.