AGRICULTURAL WANT OF EDUCATION. 75 



merits there must be not only a knowledge of the improvements 

 themselves, but also of the scientific principles upon which they 

 are founded ; that if practical farmers are to remain ignorant 

 of all the higher branches of learning, and to have only the 

 mental discipline and culture of the country public schools, they 

 can never occupy their proper position in society, nor retain 

 upon the farm their more talented and ambitious sons and 

 daughters ; and finally, that the stream will not rise higher than 

 its source. The supposition that the mass of farmers will ever 

 educate themselves, or even appreciate the advantages of high 

 culture, before means are provided for giving it, and the 1)ene- 

 fits of it demonstrated, is without foundation. Most of the 

 leaders, in all the improvements that have been made, have 

 been not ordinary, uneducated farmers, but men of other pro- 

 fessions and liberal education. Our State system of public 

 schools, maintained by voluntary taxation, has been referred to 

 as a proof that the farmers would see their need of education 

 and then spontaneously provide for it. But Harvard College 

 was established before the system of public schools, and the 

 high culture of her professional men has ever been the glory 

 and the power of Massachusetts. The history of the schools 

 throughout the State shows that they have been brought to their 

 present state of efficiency by the persistent and laborious efforts 

 of liberally educated men, and in many towns it has required, 

 years of warfare to bring the people up to the standard of the 

 laws, which have been devised by learned, and not by ignorant 

 legislators. 



The third plan was proposed by the joint special committee of 

 the legislature of 1863, the chairman of which was the Rev. E. 

 0. Haven, who has since gained the reputation, in connection 

 with the University of Michigan, of being one of the most suc- 

 cessful educators in the country. He is now president of the 

 North-Wtstern University near Chicago. 



The fundamental idea of this jjlan was the establishment of a 

 strictly professional school for farmers, as an independent insti- 

 tution. It was regarded as important that it should be in an 

 agricultural region, away from city influences, and that it should 

 equal, in its educational facilities, the other colleges of the State. 

 Its object was to teach the theory and practice of agriculture, 

 and to give its pupils a literary and scientific training of a high 



