Show A itara OF PROGRESS the lon necessity for the establishment of an agricultural college editor ot the ENQUIRER one of the wisest moves on tho part of our last territorial legislature and certainly one promising very far reach ing results was the passage of the bill providing for the establishment of an agricultural college the action was one the necessity of which our leading men have of late years been constantly striving to urge upon our legislator sand the establishment of the institution will be the consummation of the cherished hopes of our prominent educators it is within comparatively becent years that the necessity for institutions such as the one proposed applying the teachings of science to the common bilings of life and making practice go hand in hand with theory has been fully felt and recognized not many years ago indeed distinctly within the memory of many of even the middle aged it was held that all that was necessary for a complete education was the swallowing of prepared doses of knowledge the ampro pi bating by the student of facts already cut and dried for his use A student to become thoroughly educated had but to shut himself up in his cloister and feast upon the brains of others only within later years have even our leading educational cat ional institutions fully awakened to the fallacy of this theory and to the truth that knowledge to be of the fullest value must have its practical as well as face turned to view to the eternal principle that man is a dual being with whom to be fully man practice and theory must bo forever inseparable just lately have these two been welded in college courses As soon as a student commences to put aside his books as the real sources of knowledge infant like trusting his own tender feet in short rambles to beek for himself now knowledge considering bis books merely as aids to his tottering steps or aa guide posts showing the way th at others have gono before him he takes the first step in material advancement alie first advance in radical improvement he gains the first rudiments of true knowledge makes the first faint efforts to become what the creator intended he should be a well balanced man in the interest of this theory our praiseworthy academy deserves mention as the pioneer in combining practical work theoretical in this territory even in tho lower grades have the good results been abundantly shown but in tho higher departments the principle has been especially maintained and carried out it has been customary for the scientific classes to take frequent and often extended excursions accompanied by energetic and indefatigable de instructors in these trips it has been the endeavor to study practically ti what has been learned theoretically verifying the teachings of the lecture room four years ago experimental courses in scientific agriculture and domestic science w ere instituted they proved a success having always been pursued with the greatest enghu sias mand the good resul asare apparent instructions such as the proposed college based upon iho higher and more enlightened theories of education applying the laws of science to the common things of life are yet found the establishment of one in this territory tokens betokens be a consonance with the spirit of the times a healthy interest in th e cause of education and the future prospects of our youths doubtlessly it will mark a new era in our educational history much praise is adno our legislators for their decisive action in this direction the movement is one that will give to our fair territory a name and a fame justly deserved G 1888 |