No. 4.] AGRICULTURAL COLLEGES. 59 



tively agricultural subjects, could hold such an opinion of 

 them. Motives of policy, if no others prevailed, would lead 

 them to desire results which the public expects. If there is 

 fault anywhere within the colleges, it must be chiefly with the 

 courses of study. Let us consider these. 



The most carefully elaborated of such courses with which 

 I am familiar are based upon three fundamental proposi- 

 tions : — 



1. That all young men in college should be taught some- 

 thing of languages, political science and philosophy. 



2. That thorough and extended instruction should be 

 given in the natural sciences. 



3. That the technical instruction should consist mainly 

 in pointing out the relations and applications of science to 

 agriculture, with more or less training in certain expert 

 methods. 



It is important to test the soundness of these fundamental 

 propositions, because, if they are defensible, we are bound 

 to accept the consequences of their adoption. Regarding 

 the first proposition, that the agricultural college student 

 shall be trained in the art of speaking and writing, and be 

 made acquainted with the refinements of thought, the prin- 

 ciples of sociology and government and the conclusions of 

 philosophy that relate to his intellectual and spiritual being, 

 we may practically epitomize all argument by asking one or 

 two questions : — 



Will the intelligent agricultural masses consent, even in 

 theory, to divorce their calling from a knowledge of those 

 intellectual and spiritual conceptions which are the glory of 

 the human mind and soul? Are they willing to be set apart 

 as ti people who are unworthy of some of the best things 

 that human reason and human experiences have to offer, 

 but with which the followers of other callings are free to 

 enrich their lives? In short, so far as the man side, the 

 culture side of education is concerned, shall we, as a 

 fundamental concept, distinguish between one class and 

 another in our educational means and methods? These 

 questions need no reply from me. The common judgment 

 of humanity has answered them long ago. We are bound 

 to freely open to all young men who seek college halls the 



