AGRICULTURAL COLLEGES. 13 



In the preceding brief synopsis we have not mentioned 

 the names of the many public-spirited and liberal-minded 

 men, by whose disinterested efforts all these attempts to 

 found agricultural institutions of learning have been made. 



It was sufficient for the purposes of this paper to briefly 

 note what they have done, and leave their names to history, 

 which will yet tell their deeds to unborn grateful millions, 

 who, in future generations, will enjoy the blessings of agri- 

 cultural education in institutions originating in their un- 

 rewarded and unappreciated efforts. We now come to that 

 which more nearly concerns us in the present history. 



This Institution, though about the first that was founded 

 in the country, is still hardly old enough to constitute a 

 subject for a history ; but as many questions are often 

 asked in regard to its origin, it is deemed proper to devote 

 a few pages here to this subject. 



AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES IN PENNSYLVANIA. 



The State of Pennsylvania was one of the first in the 

 Union to adopt measures for the diffusion of agricultural 

 intelligence. As early as 1785 the Philadelphia Agricul- 

 tural Society was founded, and its members met regularly 

 for a number of years. In 1823, the Pennsylvania Agri- 

 cultural Society including the counties of Philadelphia, 

 Chester, Montgomery, and Delaware, was founded. This 

 Society held some fairs during its existence. 



PENNSYLVANIA STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



In 1851, the present Pennsylvania State Agricultural 

 Society was organized, under the auspices of which the 

 Farmers' High School of Pennsylvania (now the Agri- 

 cultural College of Pennsylvania) originated. As already 

 intimated, the primary 'idea of Educational Institutions, 

 especially devoted to instruction in agriculture, and the 

 industrial arts, was of much earlier origin. 



ORIGIN OF AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION. 



It was a legitimate consequence of the progress of modern 



