No. 4.J AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION. 129 



EDUCATION FOR THE AGRICULTURAL AND OTHER 

 INDUSTRIAL CLASSES. 



BY PROF. GEORGE F. MILLS OF AMHERST. 



The importance of education is admitted l)y all classes of 

 our citizens, and at no time has it had more earnest attention 

 from the people of Massachusetts than it has to-day. It 

 needs to offer no apology, therefore, for its presence at this 

 meeting. Though coming together to consider questions 

 more closely connected with agriculture, we yet recognize 

 the fact that its interests cannot lie severed from any of those 

 vital questions that affect the welfare of our agricultural and 

 other industrial classes. 



An eminent authority has said that " modern science has 

 become fully aware of the importance of knowing every ol)- 

 ject in the light of its history. How it began and how 

 it developed must lead to a knowledge of what it is." In 

 the following paper it is proposed — 



First. To review briefly the beginnings of education in 

 Massachusetts. 



Second. To present some considerations respecting edu- 

 cation in general, with a glance at the more recent phases 

 of its development. 



Tliird. To show liow the interests of our agricultural and 

 other industrial classes are fostered by the Massachusetts 

 Agricultural College and other educational institutions. 



The general outline of the history of education in this 

 Commonwealth is doubtless fomiliar to us all. The fathers 

 laid the foundations and the children have built thereon. It 

 is interesting to notice, however, what early provision was 

 made for the founding of school and college. We tind that 

 " on the loth of April, 1635, five years after the foundation 



