Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1872-01-31
BOARD OF TRADE.
Lecture by Professor Nicholson.

The audience present at the Board of Trade
| Rooms yesterday evening was not large but
none the less appreciatiye. His subject was
| The Relations of the Industrial Glasses to Ed
ucation," and was handled by the speaker IN
way not only instructive but highly entertain
ing. This he thought an appropriate .SuoJect,
because this is q time and we are III a country
where the question is being solved. The move
| ment is one Of magnitude and universally, by
the term Industrial Glasses, 1t was not meant
that one class was wholly idle and one indnstri-
ous He thought erroneous ideas were involved
in the phrase Labor itself was not dignifed, ex-
cept as considered in connection with the purpose
of the laborer. Labor was dignifed noble or ig-
noble according to the purpose of the work
man. By the Industrial Classes are meant those
who labor with the body more than with the
mind. Erroneous ideas also prevail in reference
to education. Education is the great American
idol. We wOrshipped it as q kind of Buddhism.
He did not believe that the power to read and
write would secure one passport through the
gates of which St. Peter was supposed to keep
the key. rFE rl-E tfE
The office of education is to purify, to cleanse,
ennoble and elevate He alluded to the degrad
ed condition of the labOring classes in other
countries, but said we need not go abroad for
field in which to bestow our charity in this re-
spect. The condition of laboring men in some
of our mountain districts was anything but
what it should be. He drew some pictures il
Illustrating them by what had come under his own
observation, showing that much may be done
for the elevation of many of our own country
men. He bad seen family of seven persons,
none of whom knew anything of the Bible
These people knew nothing of making home or
life what the Creator intended it, their only en-
joyment being to eat and sleep.
The object of education was to elevate the
lower classes of humanity These classes sought
to regulate matters by combinations to shorten
the hours of labor, known as trades union, &c.
Education taught the labOring man how to save
labor and time and would do more to solve the
great labor question than all other agencies
combined. One of the agencies now brought
into play for the ameloration of the condition
of laboring men, is the establishment of scien-
tifc schools and colleges for their instruction
He referred in fitting terms to our own Agr-
cultural College, and thought its influence
would be felt among the industrial classes in
Tennessee. The true office of education is to
increase the skill Of the laborer and thereby
give him more of his time for something else
than making bread-to teach him how to spend
the time thus gained,
He closed his lecture by abiding III most eo- |
and the number of its agencies.
We can give but faint outline of what he |
said. His remarks bore evidence Of thought, |
and originality throughout. We regret that |
the incicmency of the weather prevented many |
Of our people from being present, as it was a
lecture we'll worth hearing.
The next in the course will be delivered by |
DR.. Saltmarsh, on the evening of February |
18th. His subject will be, Tho Dangers of the |
Republic and Their Remedy