Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1869-03-26

American Schools FOR American students.
1t Is Of the first importance that the
schools which train American boys for the
scientific profession should be American Eu-
Korean schools teach American students "a
great many things which are not only inap-
plicablc in America but positively misleading
and dangerous The prices of labor, fuel,
and transportation are 50 very unlike IN Eu-
rope and in thi, country. that methods and
processes which are profitable there are ruin
Gus here, in spite Of the fact that scientific
principles do not change with the latitude
and longitude The conditions of success IN
all manufacturing and mining industries are
very different in a thinly Ieoplcd country Of
immense distances from what they are Do
compact, crowded communities so that II is
not to be wondered at. if men thoroughly inn
bued with the spirit Of European school, and
taught only the practice and results of estab-
lished European industries are less success
full than could be wished when they attempt
to put their school knowledge in practice uu-
der the novel American conditions \ man
who has spent all his apprenticeship in build
ing Dutch gailiots is not likely u excel 10
building Baltimore clippers. An uneducated
Welsh miner. perfectly familiar with every
detail Of his trade at home, Is utterly lost il
be l. Fut down among strange rocks and min
erals. His home experience Is almost useless
to him. \ well trained man, perfectly conf
petent to superintend zinc works in Belgium
or Silesa, may easily prove an unsafe guide
in Pennsylvania. or Illinois An architect,whO
would have no difficulty in finishing taste
full house or handsome church in Paris with
in his estimates, might be quite unable ID
make feasible plans and binding specifications T.
in New York Conditions of business and /
ways Of living in America are fundamentally .
different from European habits and conli- .
tons An average American does not eat.
drink, sleep, work or amuse himself like an
average European. He wants different tools.
carriages, cars, steamboats,. clothes. medi-
zines, and houses. His necessities and hi,
luxuries are both unlike those of the Euro
pean. The industries which exist to supply
American wants are therefore not Ike tie
corresponding European industries They
Will be better leaned at home than abroad
The whole spirit of the school at home Will
he in conformity with American require
ments. The spirit Of European school can
not be but foreign in many respects % Amer
lean habits. 1t is not now as il was thirty
years ago. when an American boy had to 20
to Europe if he wanted to learn chemical
ANALYSIS or the elements of engineering.
Now one might as well 20 to Europe to learn
the multiplication table. a. 10 study the COM
mon subjects in chemistry, physics. mechan-
les, and engineering. The instruction IN
these and many other scientific subjects j. ar
good in several American schools and colleges
as it is anywhere in Europe More schools
are needed but even now the American
! 4
When be has become a master in his art. he
may well 20 to Europe to see how his bust
ness is there conducted.-Atlantic Monthly.