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the fertility of the soil and improving the live stock of the country, but the 

 various subjects now regarded as " related to agriculture " and as of the highest 

 importance are quite beyond the conception in the mind of Congress. Indeed, 

 we recognize that there has been a considerable development in the colleges 

 themselves in the way of minute classification as well as in interpretation of 

 subjects not then in the minds of the founders of these colleges. We are dis- 

 posed, therefore, to assume that tliese men, looking at the subject in a broad 

 and general way, were willing to leave it to the natural development that would 

 come from the influence of such institutions when organized. This would 

 assume that a higher grade of work than was contemplated at that time is 

 probably done at this date. Our theme looks the other way and makes the 

 inquiry'whether a lower grade of work than would be recognized in our time as 

 college work could be admissible as meeting the terms of the act. 



I may add that the same remark could be applied with equal force concerning 

 the subjects related to the mechanic arts. The one subject of electricity would 

 be suflicient to illustrate that nuich work now being regarded as perfectly 

 logical and exactly within the terms used in the statute, was at the same time 

 entirely without the horizon of most men at the time the act was passed. 



Further, it is noticeable that the statute provided that the subjects should 

 be taught : that it neither makes nin- suggests any idea as to the grade of instruc- 

 tion — that is, whether it shall be collegiate or preparatory — but that the empha- 

 sis is put clearly upon the teaching of these subjects. It is plainly upon the 

 surface of the statute that these subjects were new subjects of study and 

 instruction. The colleges that were to teach them were making a new depar- 

 ture, and were introducing the study of branches hitherto almost entirely neg- 

 lected. It seems clear, therefore, that we may safely assume that the teaching 

 of the suVtject meets the statute whether it l^e done in an elementary or in a 

 more advanced way. 



III. A further interpretation is suggested in the phrase, "in such a manner 

 as the legislatures of the States may respectively prescribe." It is a matter of 

 some imi)ortance to note that in the discussions of this bill and in the veto mes- 

 sage of President Buchanan there was serious oltjection raiseil on the ground 

 that education was a matter in which the local government should have supreme 

 control. It was argued that a federal government had no right to interfere or 

 to restrict in any way the rights and privileges of the States in the matter of 

 education. This old argument is still used against the organization of a 

 national university. It seems fair, therefore, to say that this phrase now under 

 consideration left the whole question of the manner of teaching to the several 

 States, and that it was an effort to avoid an unpleasant debate in Congress, 

 which might have defeated the bill. Assuming this statement to be true, it 

 seems entirely clear, therefore, that the several States must teach the subjects, 

 and that the manner of the teaching is wholly a matter of local jurisdiction. This 

 allows large liberty as bearing upon the question of elementary and advanced 

 discussions, ic assumes that each State knows how money can be expended 

 most wisely within its borders in order to i-each the general ends outlined in 

 the statute. It would be assumed then, as it would be assumed now. that the 

 conditions in the several States would vary, and that what was wise in one 

 instance would not be in another. There is a substantial unity in these agricul- 

 tural colleges, but there is no such thing as absolute uniformity. The statute 

 is general in its statements, and wisely so. The chief problem is, therefore, to 

 so Interpret the statute that it may in the several localities do the thing desired, 

 namely, teach certain subjects, and through instruction in these subjects awaken 

 a new interest, perpetuate good conditions, and make way for improvement. 



IV. We are interested in one other phrase: "In order to promote the liberal 

 and practical education of the industrial classes in the several pursuits and 

 professions of life." The several terms in this phrase offer opportunity for a 

 wide discussion, but attention is called to one or two features only. 



(1) The expression "practical education" svas evidently intended to supple- 

 ment the word " liberal," which then had a very distinctive meaning. A li])eral 

 education was not then assumed to be a practical matter, as it now is. Most 

 men now regard a liberal education as a thoroughly practical one. At that 

 time a little different conception existed in the minds of most people. The 

 expression " practical education," therefore, was supplementary, and suggested 

 in a broad way that new subjects were to be introduced into these colleges and 

 a new emphasis put upon the importance of a so-called practical education. 

 The general idea in this practical education was that it should prepare men to 

 do things. The liberally educated man was a thinker ; the practically educated 



