474 [Assembly 



jneet the wants of by far the greatest part of the people. What 

 can a man learn in them that will fit him for either the farm or 

 the shop ] 



President Wajland, who has had a very large experience as an 

 educator, and whose works are now becoming text books all over 

 the country, and doing us, as a nation, great honor in Eujrppe, has 

 said that West Point has alone done more for the country, in 

 educating engineer >, and has made more canals and railroads 

 than all the colleges we have ever had. The course of study in 

 college was marked out for one particular class of men, men who 

 were to spend their lives in talk? To that end th'^y teach 

 language for nearly the whole course. At West Point the studies 

 are arranged with entirely a different object. Men are there 

 educated for deeds. And allow n^e to add to president Wayland's 

 remark, that West Point conquered Mexico. 



The time is coming, perhaps has come, to revise our system of 

 education, and if it can be done in the name of an Agricultural 

 College, let it be so. But if our profession is to be connected 

 with any experiment in reforming our mode of educating, let us 

 as farmers have something to say about the manner in wliich it is 

 to be made. It will be remembered that recently a commission 

 was appointed by the Governor to report a plan for an Agricul- 

 tural College, and that no action was taken by the Legislature in 

 favor of cairying the plan reported into execution. The reason, 

 in my opinion, that/nothing grew out of this report, was that the 

 commission entirely misconceived the whole question. Had the 

 object been to educate farriers, the plan would have been quite 

 good ; but the farmers of the Legislature felt that something 

 higher than the art of doctoring horses and cows must be reached, 

 if their names were to be used. The standard was too low and 

 too great an eflfurt was made to have a college that would cost . 

 the State but little, while it appears to me that the resources of 

 the State are ample to give us what we really want. 



Up to a certain point, all professions require the same prepara- 

 tory study ; and in proposing a reform in the course of liberal 

 education, there is no necessity of disturbing either our excellent 

 common schools, or our academies. These should continue to 

 instruct in the riCdiments and in many of the higher branches. 



