The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1909-10-14
THE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE.

THE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE.
One of the notable achievements of
the late Senator Justin S. Morrill, was
the founding of the system of agri-
cultural colleges, which has done so
much for the States and Territories
of this country. More and more tbs
thinking people of this country are
coming to understand that farming
is a science, that it is not a matter of
luck and chance. That there are won
derful undeveloped opportunities in
American agriculture has been es-
tablished beyond a doubt. These OPP
portunities lie along the line Of
scientific education and we cannot
impress too strongly upon the PEG
pie of Vermont that successful farm
ing lies along this pathway.
The agricultural colleges of the
country offer courses of study that
will fit a young man for successful
modern agriculture and makes him a
specialist in his line. OF course no
college can give man energy or
common sense, but with these essen
tial qualities as a foundation the
training he may obtain at such an
institution gives him a great advan-
tage over his uneducated neighbor
The old idea that a man must
study to be doctor, or lawyer, or
a minister, but that no study was
needed to be a farmer, capacity for
hard work being the only essential
qualification, is all wrong.
The National Grange says on this
subject:
There Is but one answer to this
question, for of the men and women
engaged in any industry or profess
sion none needs knowledge specially
adapted to the work in hand more
than the farmer. This fact was rec
ognized by our Legislators nearly half
a century ago, when they appropriate
ed money to establish agricultural
colleges in all the States of The
Union. One of the prime necessities
of agriculture today is better
knowledge of the principles that I'M
derlie the science and an application
of that knowledge in the work of the
farm. The agricultural colleges of
the country are supported to the OK
tent of from $4,000 to $15O,O00 a year
each by legacies, and by appropria-
tons from the State and National
governments, primarily for educat-
ing young men in the science and art
of agriculture, in order that such in
struction may promote the interests
of this fundamental industry.
This result was the object of the
requests that have been made from
time to time to support these insti-
buttons, and the basis of every appeal
of State Legislatures or Congress foy
appropriations. Upon no other basis
would these institutions ever have
received the financial support ac-
corded them, and upon no other basis
would they ever have been establish
ed at all. The heart of every true
statesman beats loyalty for the sue
cess of agriculture in his State and
country, for the reason that it is
the basis upon which all other in
dustries depend.
In order to accomplish this they
must educate men to engage in the
business of farming, who, through
their intelligent and progressive
methods, will stimulate better meth.
DDS among those around them, and
thereby raise the standard of agricul.
ture. There ought to be one hundred
boys each year from each agricul.
tural college return to the farms anC
become object lessons to all in theil
vicinity in the methods which they
adopt in the management of theil
farms or of the farms upon which
they might be employed. They woul;
become leaders in public affairs /.
their respective towns and enable tht
farmers to more successfully lead IL
public matters than they have beer
able to do in the past"
The Grange organ believes tina
too few of the graduates of agricul
tural colleges actually engage il
farming. This may be true, but 8
must be remembered that men train
ed in scientific agriculture are few