THE WISCONSIN PARMIR.



of its special schools of shieldl which hare
been established for the promotion of almost
every department of human interest and inqui-
ry. Not only are there numerous schools of
law, medicine and theology, and of the various
branches of natural and mathematical science,
history, literature and the fine arts, but of ag-
riculture, mining, navigation, naval and mili-
tary science, and every important branch of
industry. Similar statements might be made
of the provision made in some other European
countries, particularly some Of the G(rman
States. In this country, beyond the establish-
ment of schools of law, medicine and divinity,
very little has been done, especially on any en-
larged and adequate scale. We have one milita-
ry and one naval school, each on a small scale.
Sevnral States have made a beginning towards
the supply of Normal or Teachers' schools;
but even in these States, a very small propor-
tion of the teachers are trained in those schools.
In a few of our oldest colleges or universities,
some special provision haa been made for sci-
entific instruction, and at Harvard, Yale, and
Dartmouth especially,  scientific schools," so
called, have been established. Two or three
incomplete " polytechnic schools," as they are
termed, have been established in Philadelphia
and elsewhere. A few of the States have done
a very little for the encouragement of agricul-
ture; and there the enumeration of efforts in
this direction must end. That we as a nation
have as yet done so little in comparison with
European States, is attributable, partly to our
newness as a national organization; partly to
our scattered population-which being about
equal to that of England, is spread over more
than fifty times her geographical area; partly
to the peculiar Ipioneer" form that much of
our industry therefore necessarily assumes,
leading to the investment of capital in What
seem to be more immediately Wrgent and re-
munerative enterprises; but partly also be-
cause, as says Prof. Gil-an, of New Haven,
"ithere still exists a lamentable ignorance as
to the extent to which speeial Schools and par-
ticularly schools of science are established
abroad; for it can hardly be doubted," he



adds, "that if a knowledge of their number,
character and influence were generally diffused
among the people of this country, they would
provide for themselves the same means of edu-
cation which despotic governments have found
contributing so much to the welfare and hap-
piness of their subjects."
  The two interests which most urgently and
immediately demand the establishment of spe-
cial schools in our State, are AoaRcULvvTR and
TEACHING. Of the latter I will not now speak.
Of the former it is obvious to remark, that as
an occupation which engages the attention and
absorbs the labor of much the larger part of
our population, and upon the prosperity of
which, that of all other operations so directly
depends, it demands in a large and liberal
measure the fostering regard of Government.
That something has been done, by granting for
some years past, an annual appropriation to
the State Agricultural Society, is true; that
the greater stimulus to agricultural improve-
ment which this Society has thereby been able
to lend, by its Transactions and their publica-
tion, and by its encouragement to County or-
ganizations, has shown the pecuniary aid ren-
dered by the State to be a wise outlay, is also
true: and by all means let this aid be contin-
ued. But such an agency, however useful in
its place, is not enough. It rather serves to
show that agricultural progress and success
are practicable, and to excite a spirit of inqui-
ry, than to diffuse that accurate elementary
instruction which lies at the foundation of any
systematic and general improvement and as-
sured success in the processes of agriculture.
Intelligent farmers are not slow to see, nor to
wish to appropriate, an obvious improvement.
But the attempt to do so may be quite unsuc-
cessful, because they are unable to determine
the conditions of success. These may involve
a knowledge of facts in regard to the constitu-
tion and condition of soils, the effect Of certain
manures, or of the action of certain chemical
changes, to which they can lay no claim-ot
which they have perhaps little conception.
Following merely the outward mechanical part
of a process indicated, they are disheartened



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