Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-02-10

sity for protection to the whole social and polt-
the ay we do not ' see scientv tss
| changes in the relative numbers of persons In
| these SIX classes that have been made In recent
Years; nor are educators sufficiently alive to the
necessary changes in the scope Of public educa-
ton thereby entailed. These changes have
been enormous, sufficiently so to completely
reFolut0nfZe the old relation of these Glasses to
one another. A Slight examination of the ma
Ierial and political condition OF any one OF the
lead1Dg states to-day shows that its material
ana political power is centering about its in
dustrial classes and that as these flourish or
decline, so all other interests of the state flourish
or decline; Indeed IT Is a we'll established econ
/ omc truth, that Industrial wealth, in other
words healthy condition of the industrial
occupations is absolutely necessary for the sue
cess OF all other occupations. SO clearly is this
Iact recognized by the five great European ma
lions, England, France. Germany. Austria and
Italy, that to-day they are in earnest competi-
ton with one another to develope to the Ut
most the Industrial productiveneSs OF their
people.
Pointing out the value of technical education
as lmpaTt1ng the element OF skill TO LABOR. Prof.
Smith proceeded to consider the question:
What constitutes the element OF value in human
labor? The skilled workman is the one who
same material than the unskilled workman can,
and with less waste OF time and material. He
is, therefore, more profitable agent TO employ
than the unskilled, and his work being more
valuable he receives higher compensation for
1t. whilst his employer finding a ready market
at high prices Tor industrial masterpieces, makes
IL
skilled productions.
There is another view. that may be called the
sentimental aspect, in contradlStinctiOn to the
practical one 1t is this That the workml m
whose taste and skill are employed, is a happier
man than if only his muscles are used IN his
work. His soul and spirit are engaged, the i'm
mortal part OF him is influencing his labor.
breathing into the work OF his hanuS the very
breath OF the life that shall never die
If we were purely agricultural people the
loss we suffer from want of industrial skill
would not he so great as to be formidable. nor
would the danger to our commercial prosperity
be so imminent as it is. But we are manu-
featuring people, with very heavy interests in
VOWED In this question. and these interests can
only be preserved and developed by investing
them with taste and skill. In other respect.
our people are highly educated and have refined
taste, and will not be satisfied with clumsy and
tasteleSs objects, whether of native or foreign
manufacture.
WHY OUR WoRKMEN ARE OUT or EMPLOYMENT
We have common sense and rein
enough to want things TO look well. and wear
wen. and unless native manufactures can h So
made, We don't buy them. Hence the enormous
iinportations of foreign goods which do satisfy
our love OF honesty and beauty by their skill
and taste. You have only TO 60 into the stores
or any large city and inquire where the finest
goods came from, TO find out why a good many,
native W0rkmen are out OF employment. Ii the
present condition OF labor is thrlftess and un-
profitable, what should be done TO insure It's
improvement? We know what other nations
have d0Ie when suffering from the same cause
The first thing England did was to establish
schools OF art III the centerS of Manufacture.
but that did little good. Tor their influence was
too limited 10 improve public taste The next
experiment was to teach drawing in the public
schools, ana train highly skilled teachers OF art
ana therein was found
THE TRUE REMEDY.
The public was taught at the right age for
learning in childhood, and the pupils OF the
pubic schools whose taste had been encouraged
by regular exercises in drawing, crowded the
schools or art in the evenings, as soon as the
apprenticeship to trades began and practical
Life commenced. In 1851 there were ID schools
OF art in the United kingdOln this year there
are nearly loco schools OF arr and art classes
and OF much higher standard OF success than
III 'e7l. What has been done Tor art by the
government and the people Is insignificant
compared With what has been ACCOMPLISHED i'm
scientific instruction during the last twenty
bears, The regular teachers OF lie day schools
nave QualiiIed themselves TO give instruction in
art ana science. and the national school build
tngS are used FOR classes. In consequence there
ale many thousands OF science Glasses spread
IKE network all over the country, discover
ing, developing and ecOnOmSing all the native
talent OF the people. The French are devoting
more and more attention TO technical educa-
ton In the public schools and whilst he was In
Paris the legislature passed an ordinance ap-
pointing Il inspectors OF drawing for the public
schools OF the republic. This was entirely a
new measure. but it shows how keenly alive
the French are concerning the sources of their
national prosperity, and how little, they feel
they can afford 10 rest oh their laurels
THE EXAMPLE OF MASSACHUSETTS,
Iaklng a particular instance, in reference to
Which reliable statistics are available. to eS-
tabllSh the value OF industrial education. Prof
Smith maintains that Massachusetts exists TO-
day as state by virtue OF her manufacturing
or industrial interests. As these interests nro.
per, other interests in the state prO5ner. as
these decline, all other interests IN the state
decline So that you have a community based.
so lar as It's material condition ana prosperity
are concerned, upon its Industrial employ
mentS, and able to contribute TO these EMPLOY
mentS nut the one single element Of skilled
LABOR. As we are considering this matter in its
relation to practical life and as The statistics
clearly show that Massachusetts holds her 20
SlticD among her sister states by virtue OF the
labor OF 10000 OF her mechanics and artisans.
1t will be easy to see the important bearing OF
lne puOlc education or the state on their occU-
patiOnS.
Through the urgent representation to the
legislature OF some OF her most intelligent
manufacturers the state passed a law in the
year $50 that drawing. allowed by ell to be the
common basis OF all industrial education.
should be taught to all children in the public
schools; also, that all cities and towns having
more than ten thousand Inhabitants should
provide classes for free instruction in Industrial
drawing, either in day or evening schools,
under the direction of the school committees
WHAT Is PRACTICAL EDUCATION FOR GOOD CIT
IzENSHIP?
Having considered the bearing of educ alton
upon the occupations OF adult life it is now
considered What viii be practical education
lW SOcu CitiLcuSulp. by S0Od Citizen
ship is included an Intelligent use OF the
franchise, aud ready compliance with the
laws promoting social and political oder
Looking again at this classification OF occupa-
lions in this Massachusetts community OF
600 persons, it Will be found that Ia this
body OF $1,000 WOrkmen lies the CHIEF danger to
social and political order. If danger shall arise
1t is not among those who are employed In
trade, agriculture or the professions, or among
the servants OF the households that the state
needs to apprehend danger. They are all the
servants OF the meC lanie by whatever name
known, and fear no competition, for they never
encounter any, so long as their providers. the
mechanics, are In full work and can employ
them. But discomfort and hatred OF Capit1l i
apt TO Turk among those who have to do skilled
work without possessing much skill, and have
TO compete with the highly trained artiZans OF
Europe, without ever having had the opp0rtu-
nifty OF being qualified for the competition
GOOD PAY MAKES GOOD CITIZENS
\ man who cannot earn or command of cloi-
ia! more than a dollar a day, has a mich
stronger hatred OF capital than one who can
earn three dollars, and one has but to study
the labor question cOnScientiOuSly to see that
the more you can increase mans wage earn
Ing power by virtue OF superior skill and taste
the more you increase his respect for social and
political order, and the larger is his stake In
their continuance.
So we see that the ma tprial corfaI and nnriti