Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 01.djvu/263

AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION. ol the production of animals useful to man," and includes especially types, breeding;, feeding, liyjriene, and systems of management of difTerent kinds of farm animals. Agroteohny is "the theoiy and piaetiee of the conversion of raw materials produced by agriculture into manu- factured artiilcs for use in commerce and the arts." In its broadest sense, agrotechiiy includes such things as the making of butter, cheese, sugar, vinegar, concentrated foods, canned goods, lii]Uors, textiles. leather, etc.: but in the agri- cultural colleges generally, only dairying is usu- ally tauglit under this head. Rural engineering is "the science and art of laying out farms, designing and constructing farm buildings and works (i.e., water systems, irrigation works, drains, sewage systems, and roads], and making and using farm implements and machinery." Hural economics "treat of agriculture as a means for the production, preservation, and distribu- tion of wealth by the use of land for the growing of plants and animals."

Unitki) Statks. Agitation on behalf of agri- cultural education began very soon after the organization of the first agricultural societies ,see Acuicii-TrRAi, AssortATio.x). near the end of the eighteenth centurj'. In lT!t2, under the influence of the Xew York Agricultural Soci- ety, the trustees of Columbia College in New York City established "a professorship for natu- ral history, chemistry, and agriculture," and elected Samuel L. Mitchill. il.D., LL.D., an active member of the Society, to till the chair. In 1794 the I'liilailclphia Society received an elabo- rate report from one of its conuiiitlees, in which the claims of education in agriculture through the establishment of college professorships, as well a! of courses of instruction in the common schools, are urged upon the attention of the State legislature. In 1801 the Massachusetts society staited a subscription, which resulted in the establisliment of a professorship of natural history in Harvard College in 1804. and later in the establishment of a botanic garden. Books on agriculture began to be published frequently in this country, among which was The Fanners' Assistant, by John Nicholson (Albany, N. Y., 1814), "embracing every article relating to agri- culture, arranged in alphabetical order." The American Farmer, the first distinctively agri- cultural periodical in this country, was started in Baltimore, Md., in ISIO. The Gardiner Ly- ceum, begiiii in 1823. in ilaine, with the aid of a grant of money trom the State, especially for the education of mechanics and fainiers, had a professor of agriculture, a practical farm, and special short winter courses, and was success- fully maintained for many years. An agricul- tural school established at Derby, Conn., in 1820, proved innuediately successful. A number of other schools in which agriculture was taught were estalilislied in Connecticut and New Y'ork between 182;) and 1850.

In 1840, .John P. Norton was appointed pro- fessor of agricultural chemistry and vegetable and animal physiology at Y'alc College. His pupil and successor was Samuel W. Johnson, the well-known author of flou' Crops Grow, who for many years has been a leader in the move- nu'nt for agricultural education. .ssociated with him. as professor of agriculture, has been William H. Brewer, who was also a student un- der Professor Norton, and was identified with agricultural schools established in New York prior to 18(10. The New Y'ork Legislature passed acts in 1853 establishing a State agri- cultural college and an industrial school, to be known as "The People's College." These institutions, however, did not become firmly established, though Amos Brown, the president of the latter, was largely instrumental in secur- ing national legislation favoring industrial edu- cation. Agricultural colleges which have grown to bo permanent and strong institutions were opened in Michigan in 1857 and in Pennsylvania and Jlaryland in 1859.

La.nd-gkant Acts. Meanwhile, other forces were at work which created a widespread demand for a new class of institutions which should be devoted to scientific and technical education. A national leader for this movement was found in Justin S. .Morrill of 'crmnnt. On December 14, 1857, Mr. Alorrill introduced into the House of Representatives a bill "donating public lands to the several States and Territories which may provide colleges for the benefit of agriculture and mechanic arts." Though reported at first adversely, and after passage vetoed by President Buchanan, tliis bill, with important amendments, was finally passed by Congress, and was approved by President Lincoln, July 2, 1802. In its final form, this land-grant :kt was a comprehensive measure providing for "the endowment, support, and maintenance of at least one college [in each State] where the leading object shall be, without excluding other scientific and classical studies, and including military tactics, to teach such branches of learning as are related to agri- culture and nieehanie arts * * * in order to promote the liberal and practical education of the industrial classes in the several pursuits and professions in life." For these purposes there were gianted to the seeral Stales .30,000 acres of land for each member of Congress, the entire proceeds of the sale of which was to con- stitute a perpetual fund yielding not less than 5% interest. The total fund received by the col- leges established under this act is over $10,000,- 000, and in 1899 1,240,000 acres still remained to be sold.

Amid many discouragements within and without, the courses in agriculture in the colleges established under this act gradually nnidc their way. In 1887, a new impetus was given to their development by the act of Congress (Hatch Act) giving each State $15,000 for an agricultural experiment station (see ), which must ordinarily be a department of the land-grant college. And in 1890, these colleges received a further national endowment, under a second Morrill Act, providing an immediate appropriation of $15,000 to each State and Territory, an increase of $1000 each year for ten years." and thereafter $25,000 annually, "to be applied only to instruction in agriculture, the mechanic arts, the English language, and the various branches of mathematical, physical, natural, and economic science." Provision is made for separate institutions for white and colored students in States which may desire to make such an arrangement. Fourteen States have taken advantage of this provision. These supplementary acts have been of great advantage to agricultural education in this country.

Sixty-five colleges are in operation under the acts of 18112 and 1890, of which about sixty maintain courses in agriculture. These institutions are brought together to constitute a national