New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-11-30
INDUSTRIAL EDUCATION IN ENGLAND.

10 A close in London, the whole receipts were
found TO exceed the whole Expenditures by tho
enormous sum Of Gl7O COO Every one asked so
pertnaciOusly what was to be done with this
pripcey sum, that at length the Royal Com
mission encouraged the public to say how they
wished the money should be spent. There was
not so much diversity in the answers 90 might
have been expected. With un,nimity which
show ca how thoroughly the Exhibition had taught
one lesson, the deficiency of Great Britain in
Industrial Education, the request came up from
every portion Of the United Kingdom: Give us
schools of Special Training.
Birmingham, Sheffield, Hull, Bristol, Halifax,
and other towns sent in to the Royal Commission
stately petitions begging that means might be pro
yded, not only in the metropolis but in the prov
iuces, for instruction in those Sciences and Arts
which are most nearly allied to industrial pursuits
The Royal Commissioners, upon q full cOnsdera-
ton of this subject, reported that England
would lose its strength and pride unless some
thing was done to supply want so severely and
so generally felt The Lords of the Treasury were
reused by this strong statement and, leaving the
Exhibition fund to be appropriated in building
where all the metropolitan institutions Of Science
| might be accommodated, decided to institute
| under the direct control and support of the Gov
| eminent Department Of Science and Art which
| should provide throughout the Kingdom that kind
of practical teaching for which a practical nation
was 40 clamorous The Second Annual Report OF
the Department thus founded in March, 1853 has
lust been published, and like that Of the previous
year, is full Of information and suggestions which
| nay be of service in our own country, where the
necessity for schools Of Special Training although
less generally perceived than in England, is not
| less zeal and pressing.
One important principle was shrewdly observed
| in the organization under the Board Of Trade Of
this Department of Science and Art. Instead Of
doIg anything 10 deprecate, oppose, or even rival
existing schools or Institutions, almost everything
| in the way of practical science for which Parlia
mentsry grants had before been made was placed
| under the new organization, Thus the MetrOpoi-
tan School of Mining and the Museum of Practical
! Geology, the Normal School Of Art (Which had
been begun by the previously existing Department
Of Art), the Royal Dublin Society, and the Museum
of Industry In Dublin, the Geological Survey, and
no less thsn nineteen pal Schools Of Design were
nut in relations more or less intimate with the
Depa tment of Science aud Art. The plan of pro
ceedipg was to build up, and not pull down,
existing establishments; and the consequence is
that around the center in Marlboro House there
are now large number of thriving institutions,
many of which are older than the Department it
.elf but all Of which have been strengthened By
the past two years of consolidated interests, hsr
monized under the direction OF one controlling
body.
Another principle has been observed in the oPer-
atoms Of the Department of Science and Art. Be-
pg direc .ly connected through the Board TRADE
with the General Government of Great Britain,
drawing the funds for its support from the public
treasury, and reporting annually to Parliament, it
does not ebdeayor by any unwise system OF cen
tralizaon to absorb in itself local and private en-
erpy. 1t does all that it can in general way to
promote, for instance, the establishment Of indus
trial schools but one of the admirable methods
which it employs is to stimulate and encourage
enterprisiDg men to start and push forward on
Their own responsibility such schools as may be
needed in their several neighborhOods. These
schools the Department recognizes and aids in Va
rious ways, but the local interest manifested in
them lie not removed by too much management
from distance.
From this il will be seen that the relation Of the
Department to many of the provincial schools is
not unlike that which il maintsiBed BY the Smith
soui.n Institution with the Libraries of this coun
try. That great foundation at Washington has no
control over other public institutions bat it has gath
cred information in reference to their wants aud
Management; it has suggested rules and prepared
plan for the publication Of their catalogues; it
has established 8 free system Of international eI-
change. al it has printed costly volumes for gratui
| tous distribution among them
So in England, the Department Of Science and
Art in different department Of public education,
/. aboriDg in q similar way but on broader basis
| for the better maintenance of local schools; it
Offers its counsel and its inspection; it publishes
carefully chosen diagrams and examples, which
may be bought at . moderate price, for instruc
ton in variou, branches Of knowledge; it estab
I.hes central schools Of high order 10 the me-
tropolis, to which young men AID women who wish
to become teachers may resort, at one half the
charge which is made to other persons; it forms
Libraries, museums, and directs annual exhibitions
for the promotion of its one great object the indus
trial improvement Of Great Britain.
Acting upon these two principles, the mainte
nance Of good existing institutions and the encour
| sgement Of new local enterprises, the Department
has already done much oorvce to the country Let
L & la al. ..-~;.a Ia. roua;.ka~ 7 has