REPORT OF AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 421 



would move on with ease and certainty, — they would have gladly put their 

 hands in their pockets, and made good the needed funds ; but, if free 

 scholarships were to be given the public, there would be no end to this 

 demand, and therefore necessity compelled the change which was most 

 reluctantly made. 



" But one thing is now established, and established beyond question, 

 — the farming public have yielded their prejudices, and the Agricultural 

 College i-s recognized as one of the great means demanded by our advancing 

 civilization. The only impediment now is our poverty. With means we 

 can again oifer free scholarships, and with free scholarsliips our college 

 will be filled. 



" As a means, then, for meeting om' great want, and removing the only 

 remaining obstacle in the pathway of the State Agricultural College, I 

 present the following resolution : — 



" Whereas The opportunity afforded for free tuition three years since 

 fully demonstrated that the Agricultural College was appreciated by a 

 large proportion of our farming population by the increased numbers who 

 sought and secured membership ; and 



" Whereas The increasing necessities of our civilization demand free 

 scholarships of all our young men who are ambitious to secure practical 

 education, and whose circumstances do not favor the expenses of tuition ; 

 and 



" Whereas The only remaining obstacle in the development and pros- 

 perity of the Agricultural College is found in the small means at its dis- 

 posal, thereby preventing the trustees from continuing the liberal policy 

 of free scholarships so successfully inaugurated three years since : there- 

 fore 



" Resolved, That a committee be appointed to consider the perfect means 

 for the establishment of a large permanent fund for the College, in addi- 

 tion to its present endowment, that its usefulness shall be made commen- 

 surate with the designs of its originators, and its scholarships brought 

 within the reach of all the youth of the Commonwealth." 



The resolutions were unanimously adopted, after full and 



free discussion. The following gentlemen were appointed 



as a committee to consider the entire subject, and to submit 



a plan at a subsequent meeting of the college trustees : 



Hon. Daniel Needham of. Groton, Hon. William KnoAvlton 



of Upton, Hon. George Taylor of Chicopee, Lieut.-Gov. 



Weston of Dalton, and Hon. C. L. Flint of Boston. By the 



suggestion of Gov. Long, the following resolution was passed, 



and the convention adjourned : — 



Resolved, " That the State Board of Agriculture be requested to re- 

 quire all agricultural societies in this State receiving bounties to support, 

 at an expense not less than seventy-five dollars, one student residing 

 witliin its limits at the Massachusetts Agricultural College, and that, in 

 case no student is so supported, such amount shall \k\ withheld in the 

 payment of the agricultural bounty to said society, and applied to the 

 general uses of the college." 



