SUGGESTIONS AS TO PUBLIC MANUAL TRAINING SCHOOLS.

83

practicability of the proposed innovations, and the history of this country is illumined by the record of such services undertaken by large-hearted individuals. It, nevertheless, remains true that in cases where the novel methods have proved desirable, the community has adopted them in order that all might participate in their benefits, Among the more recent instances of this public action may be cited the adoption by the Boston school authorities of the cooking classes first started by Mrs. Hemenway, and the recent large increase in the annual appropriation made to the Maryland Institute by the city authorities of Baltimore.

THE CONDITIONS OF MANUAL TRAINING SCHOOLS VERY DIFFERENT FROM THOSE AFFECTING SIMILAR PRIVATE SCHOOLS.

The first promoters of the Manual Training Schools were very emphatic in protesting that no trades, or special industries, were taught in them, and in urging on this ground the greater value of their methods educationally.

This position need not be controverted; but, when considering the relations of the public schools to industrial education, it is necessary to remember that these first "Manual Training Schools" were practically private institutions, with large tuition fees; that their pupils were, for the most part, able to devote the time and money requisite to acquiring a liberal education, professional or mechanical. The advocates of the addition of this feature of the manual training schools to the public school system follow the line of the originators of the private institutions in giving prominence to the fact that no special industries or trades are taught in them, only a general foundation for all mechanic employments. The value of this form of elementary training as a basis for future special training is conceded. It is, however, suggested that, owing to the different conditions affecting the pupils of the private schools and those of the public schools, there exists, in the latter case, the need of practically bridging over the gap between the manual training school and the workshop, or manufactory, which is to give paying employment to the graduate of the public manual training school. Consequently the protests by the directors of private manual training schools against trade schools, technical special schools, etc., are not pertinent when uttered by the promoters of public manual training schools.

THE PRACTICAL DIFFICULTY NOT YET SOLVED BY THE ADVOCATES OF THE NEW INDUSTRIAL TRAINING.

What is true in regard to the smaller class of boys who may graduate from the public manual training schools, is still more important in its application to the large majority of the boys who go out from the lower grade schools. If this much discussed question of Indus

trial Education in the public schools, is to be of any permanent practical benefit in training large numbers of school children into more or less skilful artisans, some feasible way of introducing them into the ranks of skilled laborers must be devised. No such way at present exists. This is a question of such practical importance that it cannot long be ignored. Objections to its discussion that may be urged by timid advocates of the new industrial education, for the reason that there are already difficulties enough to be met at the outset, must not be given too much weight; because, otherwise, the experiment must needs fail before it is fairly begun. As a chain is no stronger than any one of its connecting links, so much the more the links, by themselves alone, are but useless fragments. This is the present condition of the industrial education scheme so far as any connection between the children in the schools, and the workers in the various trades, is concerned. And this ugly factor of the problem must be fairly met and successfully solved; before any permanent succeess can be achieved.

LOCAL INDUSTRIES.

This consideration also emphasizes the importance of so shaping the industrial training of schools in the various localities as to give to the pupils the best preparation for entering upon the local industries. As a practical question too much weight can hardly be given to this point, since the majority of school children are under the necessity of finding employment in the immediate vicinity of their homes. The chief concern of the public must be concentrated on those who form the large majority, and who are compelled by circumstances to remain attached to the soil, if not in the sense of the like class in mediæval times (for in this age the peaceable populations as well as the war reserves have been largely mobilized), still they are so to the extent that the local industries must be the main dependence of the majority of the inhabitants of the locality. How the connection between the industrial training in the schools and the industrial employment of the former pupils of these schools shall be effected, is the problem awaiting solution. Whether by private or public institutions is immaterial, if only the connection is established. This problem will vary in its phases with varying localities, and its solution must be undertaken in compliance with such existing conditions. It is plain that no hard and fast lines can be laid down in advance, and equally that no theories or prejudices should be suffered to thwart or impede its practical solution.

THE PUBLIC MAY NEED NEW DEVICES TO MEET THE NEW EXIGENCIES.

Public "Trade" schools and "Technical" schools may yet be found to be necessities in many localities; while the rapidly varying forms of

EUROPEAN TECHNICAL TRAINING AGGRESSIVE.

85

industry arising from the multifarious discoveries, inventions, and novel applications of power may, doubtless must, necessitate novel, forms of industrial training to meet the new contingencies.

The above paragraph had hardly been written before the startling statement, then just published in a leading journal,* fell under the observation of the writer, to the effect that in the European technical schools the development of American inventions was closely observed, and the students were carefully trained in the use of the latest American tools and machinery adapted to their trades; so that the trained European artisan, on landing here, was fully as familiar with American tools and methods as the practiced American journeyman. It will thus be seen that European competition is as aggressive in education, as in traffic. It is clear, if this progresses, that something far beyond the mere elementary knowledge of the names and uses of the simpler tools of the artisan will be requisite to fit our school boys for the higher ranks of skilled labor. This latest phase, it is true, applies rather to the "Manual Training Schools" proper, than to the lower grades of public schools; but whatever retards the front of the column delays the march, and, if not overcome, will gradually call a halt all along the line; and, in the end, effectually oppose all progress.

A REMARKABLE MOVEMENT IN ENGLAND.

In this connection the recent action in England in the formation of a "National Association for the Promotion of Technical Education" is noteworthy. A great meeting was held in London July 1, 1887, to organize this association. The Educational News of July 9 says of this, editorially:

In the end of last week an educational gathering, likely to be memorable, took place in London, under the presidency of the Marquis of Hartington. Its object was the inauguration of organized measures for placing technical, commercial, and agricultural education on a systematic basis throughout the United Kingdom; and with such men as Sir Lyon Playfair, Mr. Mundella, Sir John Lubbock, and many more equally well-known leaders in all educational movements ready to give the new scheme the benefit, not merely of their names but of their means and of their active personal services, success may be regarded as a certainty. The establishment of a net-work of technical schools, fitted to impart the exact education required by the industries of each locality, will be the beginning of a new era in educational history; and its influence in revolutionizing existing notions of what constitutes education is likely to be greater than the most sanguine anticipate.

* * *

Lord Hartington, in his inaugural address, calls attention to the deficiency of England in providing for technical education in comparison with other countries. He says:

*

*

*

We had in this country attained to a great industrial and commercial supremacy in the world. At the same time, concurrently with our attainment of the supremacy, wonderful scientific discoveries had been made, and, more and more, *See extracts from article in New York Tribune of April 3, 1887, in Appendix K.

science was being applied to the industrial occupations of the world. Other nations had been quick to perceive this, and they were striving, as far as they could, to make their position equal to ours, and to supply the want of material resources which we possessed by extending and developing, at an immense cost to the state and public funds, that scientific instruction which would enable their manufacturers and their workmen to compete successfully with ours. If we were passive in this matter—if we were indolent-it was conceivable not only that foreign nations would rival us, but they might also succeed to pass us, with a consequence of which it would be difficult for us to contemplate.

Mr. John Morley, in seconding the motion, spoke in the same strain:

The only match for the development of industry during the last fifty years was that of science. The most important branch of the legislative activity of the last fifty years had consisted in the great mass of legislation the object of which had been to regulate labor. The workshop and the factory of the future must be the great educating centres and schools. [Hear! hear!] We had to place our artisans in as good a position as those of other countries. [Hear! hear!] The technical college at Zurich far exceeded any similar institution in this country, and this fact, compared with the enormous wealth of England as compared with Switzerland, was not a creditable fact for this country. When the Germans took Strasburg they gave £700,000 to found a college for technical instruction, and many thousands a year for its maintenance. [Hear! hear!] England was not doing so much for its laboring classes as were other countries.

If in Great Britain, with their very efficient provisions for technical training, the leading statesmen, scientists, and political economists feel the need of earnest effort in order to keep abreast of the world's progress, the thoughtful minds among the leaders of public opinion in the United States may well give to this subject of elementary industrial and superior technical education serious consideration.

CHAPTER X.

INDUSTRIAL EDUCATION AN IMPENDING NECESSITY.

Since American Youth are practically prohibited from learning trades, while skilled foreign artisans are suffered to come freely to this country, certain alternatives present themselves for consideration-What it may become necessary for the people to do in the way of training skilled American workers, cannot as yet be determined-The Public may possibly be forced much farther in this direction than the most advanced advocates for public school industrial training now imagine The City of Washington, owing to its peculiar relations to the Government, is a marked exception to the rule that the main industry of a locality should modify the form of industrial training in local schools-The forms of industry best adapted for the needs of colored children at the South and of the children of emigrants at the North-The recent exhibitions of school children's workDangers to the Republic from the materialistic drift of Manufacturers and Theorists - Horace Mann on the power of education to create wealth and to equalize its distribution-Co-operation versus competition-The chief purpose of the Common Schools is to breed good citizens of a Democratic Republic-This purpose must never be lost sight of-The changed conditions of manufactures make it more and more desirable that Art Knowledge and Skill should be generally diffused-The coming American worker should be a craftsman, an artist-Pressing as is this movement for Industrial Training it will be of little permanent benefit unless it leads to thorough artistic skill and develops a race of American Art workers.

WHITHER DRIFTING?

Everything in the events of the past few years tends to press upon the attention of the community, with ever-increasing earnestness, the practical questions of education.

If our youth are to be prevented from learning trades after they leave school, and if immigrant European artisans are to be so drilled, before leaving Europe, as to put them absolutely on a par with our native American workmen by doing away with the slight advantage the latter have hitherto had in their familiarity with American tools and methods, then, if the present forced exclusion of American youth from opportunities to learn the mechanical industries and trades in the workshops continues, the result must be, either, that in the near future all the skilled workers of the country will be imported foreign artisans, since no American recruits are permitted in the ranks of skilled labor, or, some practical plan must be devised by which the public, by some forms of instrumentality, shall secure for American youth such training in the mechanic arts, that they can go out from such schools or training shops as well equipped for their trades as are these foreign artisans.

The only other alternative would be the absolute exclusion of all