Evening star., 1877-12-18
Industrial Education.

The extent to which state shall educate its
citizens is a subject discussed i'm all parts of
the civilized world. and its decision involves
important national consequences. The result
of the worlds debate seems to have been the
eTyStaiizafion of one opinion. at least generally
conceded to be sound, viz If it is just that a
state should carry public education beyond
the amount which necessity requireSin its cit
liens for the peTpetuatiOn of its existence.
then no limit can I've fixed To the extent To
which a state may rightly attempt. by educa-
ton. to make its citizens wiser. better. and
happier: il more than the rIdmeHts he taught
the national university follows logically
though circumstances may make the fun de-
SelOpment Of the course iueNpedient. Now
the one great objection L. public instruction i'm
the higher branches of knowledge is that il un-
fitSthe student for any but pure headwork and
makes him dissatisfied in any field of labor out
Side of the SO-called learned professions. The
vast majority of young men. whose lives are
destined To- be spent in the noble work of de
yelOping he nations material resources, thus
Come from their course of mental training un-
skilled and prejudiced in respect Ia their life
work. Industrial education aims To Obyiate
this objection by preparing young men for
mechanical industries just IL they are now
prepared for law. medicine and theology. II
Teaches the art which is applied to practice in
Ni'tlit llliuStlt>. anu NCtNtN dS IL
tiOn for their successful pursuit. IL de
velOpS the powers of that wonderful in
stTument the human hand, along with those
of the mind, and raises human manual
labor above the eXertiOn of meri brute force
In the professions which require a trained
hand. skill has been obtained in the past by
the apprenticeship system, in W Iich the pupil.
commencing far from the elements, learns
only by bungling. BY the proposed plan the
analytical method of instruction is to be ap-
Piled. and those manipulatiOns of the hands
and the Use of those tools are 10 be taught,
which in a general way run through all me-
chanical pursuits. Industrial education is not
merely theoretical, but is practically exempt
fled in the Massachusetts Institute of Tech
biology. whose president in a recent lecture i'm
This city exhibited some remarkable specimens
of his pupils skill and this Institute is itself
an imitation of the Imperial Technical School
at Moscow. Russia. The introduction of the
manual element in public instruction can
hardly fail To have beneficial results. The OBJ
lection that all men cannot be mechanics is as
strong as the similar one to liberal education
that al men are not to follow the learned pro-
fessiOn>. No one uses every particle of knOwI-
edge that he possesses; ii is the power to draw
from this stock whatever the emergency re-
quiTeS that alone il valuable. Industrial edu-
Cation will increase the capacities of the hand
while bringing il more completely under the
control Of the mind: il will aid in developing
our cOuntry's most important resources, by
sending forth for this purpose body of trained
yOnth. enthusiastic in their work; il will pre-
pare the large majority of young men for their
life labors; and as for the remainder without
detriment To their peculiar studies. it will give
them new power TO meet and solve the prob
lens of life and TO overcome its difficulties, by
too wonderful in its manifold adaptations to
hang useessly by the side, or to be employed
mainly in the Office of carrying food to the
mouth.