Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1904-06-07
Holmes Hall, OrOnO.

The new agricultural building at the
University of Maine, Orono, bearing the
above title, was dedicated a few days
since with appropriate exercises in men,
ory of the valued services of DIR. Ezekiel
Holmes.
1t is fitting that on the grounds at our
for agricultural research should bear the
name of him who conceived and organ
ICED the first movement in Maine for
agricultural education. To the great
majority of readers of the Farmer, and
of students of the present generation,
the name of DR.. Holmes carries no sug-
gestion of special service in behalf of
this underlying industry, yet he founded
the Maine Farmer and for thirty-three
years was its agricultural editor, he
organized the first agricultural society
in the state, he was teacher of agricul-
ture and natural sciences in the first
school founded in this country almost
fifty years before the government made
its appropriation for the land grant col
leges. DR.. Holmes was our first secre-
tary of the Maine Board of Agriculture
and one of the first TO call public atten-
ton to the wealth of natural resources
in the state. 1t is to him that Maine is
indebted for its magnificent Maine State
Jerseys, he making the first importation
of this breed. Later he imported Short
horns and some sheep, being in every
case the pioneer. At this period one
cannot conceive of the opposition and
criticism he must have encountered in
all this work and only out of his un-
bounded faith in the agriculture of his
chosen state and the firm conviction OF
the soundness of his position could he
have been sustained.
This is the man, and these are but
hints of the services he rendered the
state which SO tardily recognizes the
fact aud seeks to perpetuate his name in
Connection with the educational work for
agriculture at our state institution.
Whether on the Lille lands of Aroos-
took or the now LOted ox-bow farm OF
Somerset or on his "copperas" hills of
Winthrop he found fresh inspiration for
labor and firmer convictions in the pos
Sible future of the industry and the
necessity for special training. To read
the editorials in the first volumes of the
Farmer one forgets that more than
seventy years have elapsed and it seems
as though the voice of the leader was
speaking out of the experiences of to-
day. 1t is marvellous how clearly he
saw what to-day is being realized. He
was a seer throwing the light of his
gelius down the century to guide the
leaders of the nation in the work they
half century later were TO attempt.
The closing sentences of his mastery
address before the Kennebec Agricul-
tural Society almost seventy years ago
might well be hung upon the walls OF
this building and set before the students
of this day as their inspiring motto.
Said he: "Arouse then from your slum-
bers. Begin the task and let your i'm
provements be on scale as grand and
as magnificent as the works of nature
that surround you, as broad and as ex-
tensive as your rivers and as durable as
your everlasting hills. Let not 'Dirigo'
be placed upon your escutcheon in.vain,
but shake yourselves from your lethargy
up to the work. Go forth like giants
refreshed with new wine, hand in hand,
shoulder to shoulder; press forward to
the march of improvement till every
valley in Maine shall be watered by its
canal and every city and principal town
connected by its railroad. Rest not,
faint not, till every member of the Union
shall point to your state, and say Maine
is our model, Maine is our Polar Star. "
Maine Farmer.