The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-08-14
TECHNICAL EDUCATION IN ENGLAND.


the industrial classes have made the following
report;-
persons who have been selected iron the class
of workmen by reason OF their superior natural
aptitude, steadness, and industry. Their edd-
cation, ana that OF the workmen during the
school age, has been received in elem entary
echo Is; and owing both to the detective char
acter of the instruction In some ofthCse schools,
aud TO the early age at which the children go 10
work, IL is rarely sufficient to enable them
to take advantage OF the scientific IN
struction at a later period. Iu this state.
ment the children educated as half
timers under the Factory act must as a rule
be included. The evidence of Mr.. Mundella
and other witnesses tends to show that the
primary education received in the factory
school Is insufficient, except where the employ
meut and education are both uninterrupted
between the ages of eight and thirteen, and
where the instruction is given IN good schools
established or supported by manufacturers who
take an active and intelligent interest in the
welfare vi the children whom they employ.
The little rudimentary knowledge acquired at
school is rarely retained after the young people
have been at work two or three years, and ele.
mentary scientific instruction Is thus entirely
beyond the reach OF large portion OF our in
dustrial population. The series Of schools at
HaHtaX. at Oldham, etc., are exceptional in
stances OF iatr elementary education 10 chill ireu
followed by elementary instruct on in theoret-
cal and applied science to young persons and
adults.
=" "In Scotland where the superior
primary instruction OF the artisans removes or,,,
Of the obstacles to their acquiring scientific
Instruction the Watt Institute of Edinburgh and
the Andersouian University of Glasgow have
render,d good service, the former during nearly
halt century, the latter for more than twenty
years. They can boast amongst their scholars
such names as Nasmytb, James Young, and
many others. Technical objections have hith-
erto prevented these schools from receiving the
grants OF the Science and Art Department.; but
within the last twelve months these have been
overcome.
"The Mining School of Cornwall, as described
by Mr. Robert Hunt, keeper Of mining records
is the only one of its kind. The mining popuIa-
tion being scattered over % wide area it is
necessary 10 send teacher TO the villages in
order to conduct the classes. The miners are
taught The elements of chemical and physical
science with special reference to their occupa-
tions; and the school is producing results which
are excellent, though limited as TO their area by
want OF funds. The wages OF the miners are in.
adequate TO enable them 10 pay fees sufficiently
high TO support the school, even with the aid
of payment on results from the Department of
Science and Art, and the local subscriptions do
not enable the promoters to provide instruction
for all the villages which require or desire it,
PRoPRIEToTs AND MANAGERS OF GREAT INDUSTRIAL
UNDERTAKINGS.
"In those not unTreQuent cases where these
persons also have risen IRON the rank of arti-
sans, exceptional gifts, including more espe-
cially those of unconquera0le perseverance and
energy, " hich had caused their elevation, have
also enabled them generally to correct the
deficiencies Of their early literary training. ANY
knowledge OF scientific principles which they
may have acquired is generally the result Of
solitary reading, and OF observation of the facts
with which their pursuits have made them
familiar. More generally, however, the training
of the capitalists, and Of the mansgers of their
class, has been that of the higher secondary
schools, followed in rare, though in more recent
years less unfrequent instances by a course of
more or less systematic scientific instruction
In colleges like the Royal School of Mines,
the Royal College of Chemistry, University
and Kings Colleges, London; Owens College,
Manchester; and the laboratories of the Univer-
ties of Edinburgh and Glasgow. The scientific
courses of Oxford have been too recently insti-
tuted and have hitherto been devoted too en-
tirely to pure science to have had any apprecable
influence on the scientific instruction of this
class; besides which, a feeling exists, to which
expression was given by Mr. Chance, the eminent
manufacturer of Smethick, himself a man of
great scientific attainments and a distinguished
member of the University OF Cambridge, that
however suitable the universities may be or
become for the training of professors of science
of the higher class, the habits at present acquired
there by the sons of wealthy men are not con-
ducive TO the successful prosecution of an in
dustrial career.
1.-The military and scientific department of the
Proprietary College OF Cheltenham, and the
City of London Endowed School, are excep.
tional instances OF secondary schools in which
instruction IN science holds the first place. In
the great public schools of Harrow and Rugby
instruction in one scientific subject, in addition
to classics and mathematics has only recently
been made compulsory. Any attempt to auS-
lyZe briefly the evidence as to the degree of
instruction given at Kings College and Univer-
| sity College, London, and Owens College,
Manchester would probably fail to convey q
| correct impression. Your committee would
therefore direct attention to the evidence. The
same observation applies to the University of
Edin burgh, where chair of civil engineer
ing has recently been founded by Sir David
Baxter, to the endowment of which the Govern
ment has agreed TO contribute. The engineers
of Manchester and the neighborhood have
raised fund for endowing similar chair at
Owens College in that city. To that fund a
single firm OF mechanical engineers contributes
$4,000, besides a subscription of f250 per anuum
from one of It's partners. The college is full to
overlooking, and O proposed building fund of
ESQ 900 has already received subscription
amounting to 900. The Royal School OF
Mines, in Jermyn street, in addition TO its lee
lures to artisans, delivered by some of the most
eminent men of science, has systematic courses
of lectures on nearly every subject usually com.
prised in a higher technical course, with the
important exception of mathematics
REL ALTON OF INDUSTRIAL EDUCATION TO INDUS.
TRIAL PROGRESS.
"The industrial system of the present age Is
based on the substitution OF mechanical fol
animal power; its development is due in this
country to its stores OF coal and of metallic ores
to our geographical position and temperate
climate and 10 the unriYalled energy of oul
population. The acquisition Of scientific kno "
ledge has been shown by the witnesses to bC
only one OF the elements OF an industrial educa
tion and of industrial progress, Indeed, there
Is apTeponderance of evidence to show that sc
far as the woIkmen, as distinguished from the
managers are concerned, it can be considered
Ian essential element only in certain trades, ol
generally as enlarging the area from which the
foremen and managers may be drawn. In al
cases, another and an indispensable element o
industrial success is the ACQUISITION of practlca
81 YNoriaY and apiT tixya' clr, M