Repository: UIHistories Project: Book - History of the University (Powell) [PAGE 144]

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History University of Illinois

cultural school, then we have several. The difficulty was that at the greater part of such institutions the classical, literary branches of education absorbed the principal attention, and there was little devotion to the practical application of science to agriculture. There has been very many experiments tried, and the whole project of agricultural schools might be said to be yet, in this country, in the transition stage, the stage of experiment. Near Cincinnati there was an institution professing to give agricultural education; but agriculture was not taught, nor wias there even the indispensible professorship of agricultural chemistry. Thinking that information on this subject might be obtained from the Smithsonian Institute, Mr. Chase had visited Washington, where he was treated in the kindest manner by Professors Henry and Baird, the Secretary and assistant Secretary of the Institute. Though their time was fully engaged in the prosecution of duties then weighing upon them, they conferred fully with him on the subject, and very much facilitated his subsequent inquiries by furnishing him with letters of introduction. " A t Bladensburg, a few miles from Washington, was the Maryland Agricultural college, which had been in operation about eight months. A body of men subscribed for the purposes of this institution $50,000, of which sum one-half had been paid. The State had granted the sum of $6,000 annually, as an endowment. One gentleman from Louisiana had made an annual endowment of $2,800 for eight years, to endow an agricultural professorship. The professors having charge of the various departments were of high reputations. The building was a large five-story one, capable of accommodating 120 scholars—less than that number is in attendance. By the rules, the pupils were required to work in the field three hours each day. They do, in fact, work about two hours, some working very cheerfully, and some taking to it hardly, not seeing the necessity in their circumstances of working. I was informed by the officers that the work done by the boys cost all it was worth; since they had to have it all gone over again. The institution has professorships of Latin, Greek and Mathematics, and an enthusiastic Entomologist who lectures two hours each week and has infused his enthusiasm