Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-04-14
Industrial Instruction Abroad.

IfHm cir NrHEEa Advertiser.
Governor Mcclellan, in his last
and most worthy message, Is very en-.
phatic in his recommendation of in
dustrial schools, and if his words of
wisdom are needed a. they should be
his administration if il had no other
rclccmiug point. would thereby shine
illustriously. There Is no State in the
Union that can 80 easily devote all the
necessary means 10 establish industrial
education, rs there j. no State where it
would prove more profitable. ltis the
one thing that is lacking to round out
the enterprises of our people, and TO
still further draw hilhcr the capital and
enterprise OF the world. Newark, as
we have said before, should take n
lively interest in the matter, for it has
n larger interest in manufactures than
all the rest Of the State together, and
it is strange that it has shown 50 little
activity when it would add so largely
to its future wealth and population.
Europe takes the lead of the United
States in applying special education TO
the advancement o. manufacture. 1t
will surprise many to learn that even
in Italy. which Is popularity supposed
to cultivate only beggars and fruit,
there are technical schools, each school
or community where one is located
providing thrccfiiths and the govern.
mcnt twp-ffihs of the cost. This would
seem to be proper division. Is the
State Is sure to receive q benefit from
the promotion Of any local industries
l. is in Belgium and Saxonv, however,
where the advantages Of these school.
have been most apparent, and some Of
the facts are 80 singular and sugges-
tive that reference 10 the report OF
an English investigating committee
cannot be other than interesting Il
Is we'll 10 note that no State in Europe
50 much resembles New jersey a Bel.
gium. II depends wholly on its man.
uiactures for It's wealth, and in these
it has been obliged to compete with
France, Germany and England. and
it has met that competition success.
fully by applying education as the mo.
tive power
There is one town in Belcium-Sc.
raing-that in 1917 contained but
1000 souls, all peasants it now has a
population of over 10000, nearly all
engaged in the production Of iron and
steel. 1t has an industrial and mining
school sustained by the company, with
nearly 400 scholars. while the common
schools contain about 5000 children.
Education is compulsory on all who
wish to enter the employ Of the com.
pany. The technical schools turn out
excellent foremen, mining experts, and
scientific engineers, and the company
is therefore sure that all its employees
can be trusted in important situations
that may be filled. At Ghent there is
an industrial school containing 300
scholars, and this large attendance is
easily explained; preferences being
given in the manufactures there and
elsewhere to the pupils, and thus, in.
competence being at discount, the
ambitious naturally turn to the school
as an avenue of preferment 1t may
be remarked in passing that we have
never heard Of the explosion Of
boiler in Belgium through the mistake
or ignorance Of an engineer, or in the
displacement of n safety valve.
The direct effect of science applied
70 industry Is still mors marked at
Verviers, famous for its wollcn ma.
chinery and yarns. The yarns spun
here are exported to Great Britain at
the rate Of over f14,000 600 annually,
and this has been accomplished solely
through the scientific and economical
processes, the result of education. In
Saxony the spinners of Angola yarns
absolutely buy their cotton in Eng.
land, pay the transportation both ways.
and uudersell ENGLAND In har ov,,,