450 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Very unfortunate has it proved that the popular misnomer, 

 " Agricultural College," has become so strongly attached to the 

 class of institutions provided for by the act of Congress of 1862 ; 

 partly because the act itself says not a word about colleges for 

 teaching agriculture, nor for teaching any other specific art or 

 science ; and more because the name popularly given has caused a 

 great deal of misapprehension in regard to its objects, as well as 

 greatly exaggerated and unfounded expectations of immediate and 

 direct results to ensue for the benefit of agriculture by reason of 

 these colleges. 



The facts of the case, as I understand them, are simply these : 

 Congress, by the act referred to, endowed a new class of institu- 

 tions, differing in essential particulars from those before existing. 

 Their special function and mission was to bestow a liberal and 

 practical education upon the industrial classes. That is a work 

 never attempted before. And how and by what methods was the 

 work to be done ? — Simply thus, by employing the natural and 

 physical sciences for the purposes of discipline, development and cul- 

 ture, as well as for instruction. 



There were plenty of colleges before, probably more in number 

 than were actually needed, where a liberal education was given, 

 that is to say, they took a comparatively raw, unformed youth, 

 attended to his growth in knowledge, his training and the devel- 

 opment of intellectual power, and graduated him a man of culture. 

 But it was a general culture which required supplementing by 

 special preparation for his future profession in life, whatever that 

 might be. Nor was there any great lack of other institutions and 

 opportunities of every grade, where practical and professional 

 instruction could be obtained. The graduate could afterwards 

 prepare himself for practicing law, preaching the gospel, healing 

 the sick ; for constructing bridges, railroads, ships or cotton mills ; 

 for the production of food or the breeding of cattle ; for working 

 mines, assaying metals, or for whatever other calling or profession 

 he chose. He could go upon the farm, into workshops, or to 



