The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-10-31
TIE COOPER UNION FACE LECTURES.

Innrz urnl Lecture by Professor Plympton-
Remarks by Mr.. Hewitt. the Secretary.
Last evening the ensuing course OF free lectures
at the Cooper Institute was opened by an inaugural
address from Professor william G. Plympton
The venerable Mr.. Cooper, accompanied by the
trustees, took his seat on the platform, and was
loudly cheered by the audience which, however. was
not very numerous. Mr.. Hewitt the secretary,
stepped forward and said that he desired to make
few remarks, for the purpose OF removing OF very
erroneous impression. before Professor Piympton
took lis place at the Iosrum. That technical educa-
ton was needed by the working classes was most
true. but much nonsense was talked and more was
written on the subject. 1t was undeniabe that the
wOrkingmal would be improved by q scientific
knowledge Of the principles embraced by his WORK,
but 1t was difficult to get him to learn. lie could
not go to school again. All that was possible was
to give him taste for the scientific side CT his daily
toll. That was done In the Cooper Union; and lie
would freely assert that nowhere on The face OF the
globe was this done more fully, more freely, more
broadly than in the Cooper Union. (Appause.)
1t was plain from tho number OF the audience
that such o taste and desire was not in the
community 1t had to be created. Yet he was
greatly encouraged by the fact tnat there was an
audience NJ ALI for up TO that time they had never
dared to give q course OF lectures on Mechanical
Philosophy, which was to be inangurated that even
ing. in order to give additional interest museum
OF models had been provided through an additional
grant o. money rom the founder. tApplause.) The
Institute brought by It's lectures the workingman UP
to point where he could appreciate the real train
Ing ground, tho scientific journals aud magazines OF
the day. Even the daily journals Tiled as they were
with subjects and news from every part or the world,
even they never rejected scientific information.
The language OF the workshop was different from
that OF science. The Institute explained this fact,
compared and illustrated both and made the work.
inginan capable OF understanding what had been
written by the wise and scientific OF all ages In
regard to those forces which he employed In his
daily labor Therefore the resources OF the Union
would be henceforth directed to the library, aud
addition would be made OF every important work in
science and art. Having made these remarks with
a view TO explaining the facts OF technical educa-
ton lie would introduce to their notice Professor
William G. Pympton.
That gentleman came forward and said pleasantly
that he did, not intend to give any set lecture,
but Just TO point out what subjects would
be embraced by the course OF lectures during
the ensuing six months But before he dipped
into this he would point out the necessity OF sup
Elemental education not only to the workingman,
but also to the youth who. intended by his parents for
surveyor or engineer, fondly believed himself ntted
for actual work by q course Of trigonometry ana
mathematics at school, Such an one speedily found
that hardly anything which lie had been taught
seemed to apply TO his work. The principle, II was
true, was the same, but the conditions were so
changed that he did not recognize them. He went
into this subject OF lenahth reading from Scott
Russell and citing numerous examples. lie then
recited the subjects comprised IN the six months
course on mechanical philosophy aud mechanism,
and concluded by the statement thar such o series
OF lectures were not only useful In themselves, but
the preludcs TO the exact comprehension OF oil the
exact accncea.