PROF. SHEPARD ON AGRICULTURAL SCHOOLS. 



89 



that of Freiberg, in Saxony. It was found- 

 ed in 1765 by Prince Xaver, and early 

 placed under the control of the celebrated 

 mineralogist, Werner. At the present 

 time, it has eleven professors, on the fol- 

 lowing branches : viz. General chemistry, 

 technical chemistry, analytical chemistry, 

 mineralogy and geology in all their branch- 

 es, natural philosophy, the pure and the 

 higher mathematics, mathematics applied, 

 mining machinery, general surveying and 

 practical geometry, mining jurisprudence 

 and correspondence, and the art of mining. 

 In addition to the corps of professors, it has 

 a surveyor, a draftsman, an assay- master, 

 and a teacher of French. Candidates for 

 admission must produce certificates of health, 

 character, and a certain proficiency in the 

 common branches of school education. A 

 limited number are supported by the go- 

 vernment. The lectures open in October 

 and terminate in July, the vacations being 

 devoted to mining excursions. The instruc- 

 tion is communicated by lectures, illustrated 

 by figures on the black-board, by experi- 

 ments, by specimens and by models, as the 

 nature of the subjects may require. Mon- 

 days are devoted to the inspection of mines 

 in the vicinity, — there being within a cir- 

 cuit of three miles, no less than 100; in 

 which, are about 200 vertical shafts and 

 250,000 fathoms of adit, wherein may be 

 viewed every species of timbering and ma- 

 sonry. The pupils are required to keep a 

 fair copy of their notes, and of all their lec- 

 tures. At the end of each month, they un- 

 dergo a rigid examination upon all their 

 studies ; and at the close of each year, are 

 rewarded according to the result. The 

 course • extends through a period of four 

 years; and is admirably contrived for in- 

 suring correct practice, in every detail of 

 the art, and at the same time, a thorough 

 comprehension of the principles on which 

 that practice depends. 



Another of these institutions, most wor- 

 thy perhaps of being described, was found- 

 ed in 1770, at Schemnetz in Hungary, by 

 the Empress, Maria Theresa, by whom it 

 was also endowed, with great liberality. 

 During the 3d year of the course at Schem- 

 netz, the pupils are required on one day of 

 each week, to go through a portion of some 

 Vol. III. 6 



mine, and to make out a written report 

 of everything that concerns its condition. 

 Some of the poorer young men, even take 

 jobs in the mine, which serve in part, to 

 defray their expenses. The semi-annual 

 examinations are held, not for the vain pur- 

 pose of showing off, but for determining in 

 the strictest manner, what each pupil has 

 learned. The questions are written on 

 small slips of paper, and are drawn out by 

 lot by the students, who give the answers 

 on the spot. The most successful are re- 

 warded, by having the charge of their edu- 

 cation almost wholly remitted ; while those 

 who fall below a certain standard, are 

 forced to relinquish all hope of ever obtain- 

 ing government employ. The number of 

 pupils in this institution is, at present, be- 

 tween three and four hundred. * * * * 



But I return to the agricultural school, 

 upon whose office I have endeavored to 

 throw some light, by describing what has 

 been done by foreign institutions, in behalf 

 of the sister art of mining. Its general 

 province and scope must, after what has 

 been said, suggest themselves to my hear- 

 ers. Without attempting to enumerate the 

 branches it should teach, or the number of 

 instructors it should have, I will only ven- 

 ture to state my hearty concurrence in the 

 suggestion, which some of the leading pa- 

 pers in this state have made, that it be lo- 

 cated near the region of the Connecticut 

 valley ; and that there be connected with 

 it, a tract of land sufficiently ample for cul- 

 tivating every variety of crop, and for rear- 

 ing every species of stock, suited to our 

 climate ; and still farther, to add, that it 

 should have cabinets rich in the necessary 

 apparatus, a botanic garden, representing 

 all the great families of plants, a labora- 

 tory in which the work of analysis should 

 never stop, and a severity of discipline 

 equal to that of West Point. 



It would be an easy task to go on point- 

 ing out other advantages of such an insti- 

 tution, but I dare not presume farther upon 

 your patience, than to allude to one or two, 

 in addition to those already hinted at, in 

 the progress of this discourse. It would 

 enable many a lad, not born on the farm, 

 the sons of men in professional life, or of 

 merchants and artisans, to prepare them- 



