424 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



modatcd fifty cows or more, and one man could have done the 

 work. As an educator, however, rendering the students familiar 

 with the method ofi making factory cheese, it is indispensable. 



The Labor System. 



On looking over my account-book I find the sum of the charges 

 against fifteen students who have been here quite constantly during 

 the past year, amounts to $1,939.41. Of this sum they have paid 

 in work $800.91. One hundred dollars of this was paid for dig- 

 ging the cellar of the laboratory ; about $60 for surveying and 

 ditching where we under-drained ; $25 for carrying the mail ; and 

 various other sums should be charged either to the construction 

 account or to the general account. In earning this largft sum of 

 money 1 question whether any one of these students interrupted 

 materially his college studies. It is often true that the most in- 

 dustrious, faithful laborers on the farm are the best students. One 

 desirable result attained here and observable to all, is, that labor is 

 made honorable. One of the best scholars in his class hag assisted 

 our washer-woman regularly every Monday afternoon, using the 

 washing machine. He did it with entire cheerfulness, and had no 

 thought of loosing caste by doing it. A son of one of the most 

 wealthy farmers in the State has with the same cheerfulness and 

 in the most faithful manner assisted regulai'ly in milking the cows. 



The money earned by labor or the information obtained by it is 

 not, however, the object of primary importance with the students. 

 We wish it to be fully understood by all, that students come here 

 to obtain, in the words of our organic act, " a liberal education." 

 This is, and should be the leading, primary object. But subsidiary 

 to this comes in the labor plan, and if it does not interfere with the 

 leading object, is there not a great gain in it ? It is needless to 

 ask such a question of poor parents struggling to educate their 

 sons,' or of any man of experience who has considered well the 

 value of industrious habits, and the pernicious eflect of so educa- 

 ting young men that they ofteu come to esteem manual labor 

 degrading. 



