34 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



reduce the time from eight years to four and the money cost one- 

 half, or more, the effect will be, not merely to double the number 

 who can and will receive its benefits, but to increase it in a much 

 greater proportion. Where five now pursue the old method not 

 twice five can pursue the new if the cost be reduced one-half, but 

 rather five times five. The increase will not be so much by 

 arithmetical as by geometrical ratio, or in proportions greater 

 still. 



I have no doubt whatever that there are thousands of young 

 men in our State both able and desirous to pursue such a course- 

 of study as the college at Orono presents and that they would 

 come forward at once if the}' were fairly cognizant with the facts 

 in the case. 



And now a word about the matter of labor by the students. I 

 deem it very important that this be properly understood, and the 

 first point I make is, that manual labor was not introduced into the 

 college course primarily nor chiefly to support the student while 

 studying. That attempt was made long since and failed. Some 

 of you undoubtedly recollect the manual labor schools of a gener- 

 ation ago, and what became of them. But in that plan as in many 

 other schemes and beliefs there was much truth, and very impor- 

 tant truth mingled with the error. The error sunk those schools, 

 but the truth did not go down with them ; that floated, and it has 

 now been harnessed to the college at Orono, to help that insti- 

 tution float also. 



Properly viewed and properly practiced, labor in connection 

 with study serves most important uses. In the first place the 

 body needs exercise as really as the mind. It cannot be developed 

 and trained without. Nor are intellectual powers, however great, 

 of much practical utilit^y when lodged in a feeble body. Man is a 

 compound being — soul and body. The soul inhabits a material 

 body and it is only by means of this material body that we com- 

 municate with, and operate in this world of matter in which we 

 live. And the education, the strengthening, the training of both 

 should proceed along together with even steps. How many of 

 the most promising youths who entered college in years gone by 

 broke down in consequence of forgetting and neglecting the im- 

 perative needs of the outer habitation while eagerly seeking the 

 development of the inner man ? Of late years this necessity has 

 come to be generally recognized by the old colleges, and they 



