1902.] THE CONNECTICUT AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 12/ 



would be a prize if he could get him. And, if he could have 

 given me a little longer time, I am confident that this number 

 could have been multiplied many times. 



We are judged at the college not only by the announce- 

 ments we make, but also by our graduates, and by the people 

 who come there and decide that they want to send students 

 there. 



I am very sorry that a gentleman who visited me last week 

 is not here today. He is a doctor here in Bridgeport, a suc- 

 cessful practitioner; the doctor has a son who is interested 

 in farming. The doctor is not a farmer, but his son has been 

 out in the country, and has a taste for farming; that is, he 

 thinks he would like to be a farmer. His father, therefore, 

 like any wise father, came to the institution to discover 

 whether it would be wise to send the boy up there. He came 

 up expecting to stay an hour or two, and then drive back 

 to Willimantic, but he found that he had made a mistake in 

 the time of his trains, and could not get home that day. He, 

 therefore, accepted my invitation to stay with us that night, 

 and while with us devoted part of his time to going into our 

 classes. None of our instructors knew that he was coming, 

 of course. Things were in just the same situation in this re- 

 spect as when the executive committee of the State Grange 

 came up last fall to look us over. Not a man on the faculty 

 knew that that committee was coming. They went into our 

 classes, and you have their report of what they found. 



A few letters have been forwarded from my office today, 

 and among them is one from this doctor, which I have ob- 

 tained his permission to read. It is as follows: 



" Bridgeport, Conn., Dec. i6, 1901. 

 " R. W. Stimson, President. 



. "My Dear Sir: Allow me to thank you for the cordial 

 courtesy extended to me while at your college this week. I 

 did not intend or expect to become a pensioner upon your 

 bounty. My plan was to arrive at the college about three p. m., 

 and drive down to Willimantic for the evening train. I had, 

 however, miscalculated. Your hospitality, therefore, gave 

 me one of the most enjoyable little vacations which I have 

 had for many days. The hovirs spent in the recitation rooms 

 with the various classes were greatly refreshing; I almost be- 



