28 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



her rich men and her wise men to raise licr agriculture up to 

 the standard of all her great enterprise. And it now remains 

 for her to erect an industrial school, in which the maxims of 

 her early patrons of this art shall be renewed, reformed, 

 improved, by the influences which her best science can bring 

 about them, — a school worthy of herself, an agricultural college 

 where 'thought and labor can meet for mutual benefit and 

 encouragement. 



After the lecture the Board took a recess till 2 o'clock, P. M. 



AFTERNOON SESSION. 



The afternoon session commenced at 2 o'clock, Mr. Stock- 

 bridge occupying the chair. 



AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION. 



This subject having been assigned for consideration, the Chair 

 called upon Mr. P. Stedman, of Chicopec, to open the discussion. 



Mr. Stedman. Mr. Chairman, — I had no thought of entering 

 into the discussion of this subject ; for, although I happen to be 

 a member of the board of trustees of the Agricultural College, 

 I am well known to most of you as " an eminently practical 

 man," as our friend Colonel Wilder has expressed it, and practical 

 agriculture is my business rather than the educational part of 

 it. I have my views in regard to the Agricultural College, and 

 they have differed somewhat from those of a majority of the 

 board of trustees ; that is, I have been disposed to carry out, in 

 reference to it, the practical ideas which Colonel Wilder attri- 

 butes to me. I think that the practical part of agriculture 

 should be prominent in the teaching there ; that while wc are 

 not to neglect the scientific branches, but carry them to their 

 highest possible extent ; yet, at the same time, one important 

 object should be to teach practical agriculture, and teach it in 

 such a way as will enable an individual to get a living by it ; 

 teach our young men how they may support themselves by farm- 

 ing, not how they may expend money in making a line place, 

 when perhaps many of them have no money to spend, and will 

 not have until they have earned it. It seems to me that we 

 want to give them some such practical education as will enable 

 them to make a livelihood, and at the same time increase the 



