STATE COLLEGE. 209 



culture, chemistry, veterinary science, forestry, &c., is very 

 largo. In this country all our former efforts at education were in 

 the direction of the professions, the colleges were for the few, not 

 the masses — and farmers and artisans were kept in the back- 

 ground. Education was tending away from the farm and shop 

 rather than towards them. The need for education was recog- 

 nized in the establishment of agricultural journals, societies and 

 clubs, and these led the way for the higher institutions which 

 have since been organized. The early efforts — if we make one 

 exception — towards agricultural schools in this country, were not 

 successful, because the promoters of them did not understand 

 exactly what was wanted. The efforts were patterned after the 

 existing foreign schools, which were not adapted to us, on account 

 of the different conditions of society and the people in our own 

 country and the old world. The exception is that of the Michi- 

 gan Agricultural College, founded by that State in 1855, more 

 than twenty years ago, which is now in a most flourishing condi- 

 tion and well endowed. By the National grant of Congress in 

 1862, agricultural and industrial education was rendered possible 

 to the masses through the establishment by the different States of 

 colleges u|!der its provisions. By this act of Congress, 210,000 

 acres of land were given to Maine on condition of establishing a 

 college in this State in conformity to its provisions. This act was 

 accepted by the Legislature, and in 1863 the subject of the new 

 college was very generally discussed by the Legislature, the 

 Board of Agriculture, and the press and people. A proposition- 

 to connect it with Waterville College was not accepted by the 

 Legislature, and the Board of Agriculture passed resolutions 

 deeming it advisable and expedient to establish an independent 

 Institution, on a different basis from that of any existing college. 

 In this year — 1863 — a resolve was passed by the Legislature to 

 choose thirteen Regents of an agricultural college to be established, 

 but the resolve was never carried into effect. In 1864 a commis- 

 sion was appointed by the Governor, consisting of Hons. W. G. 

 Crosby, Joseph Eaton and S. F. Perley, to receive donations and 

 proposals for the location of the college, and the Governor was 

 authorized to sell the Land Scrip in its aid. Proposals were made 

 by Hon. B. F. Nourse, of his farm in Orrington ; by Hon. F. 0. J. 

 Smith, of his land and buildings in Gorhara, and by President 

 Woods of Bowdoin College, of buildings, teachers, library and 



experimental farm to be furnished in connection with Bowdoin 

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