Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-11-16
Technical Rducafion.


and it Is being discussed by the many trade
journals now fiourlshing. In the current num-
Der of the Decorator and Fstrnishe, is an article
on the subject, in which the following views
are presented
When the modern trades unions. societies and
associations OF every description, entirely shut
OH the old fashioned system of apprentices and
when the hurry and hustle of modern life de-
manded achievements of the child, that. but
yesterday were thought worthy work for the
man, 1t was high time that some means should
be sought by which the older training could be re-
placed; hence. Technical Schools. ;" COnseonent.
~ we now see machine schools filed ND with all
the latest appliances of cunningly devised tools
In winch the pupil may be taught the Uses and
capabilities OF the .''vi,; year or two serving
80 turn out fully instructed. scientific and
competent mechanic. without. perhaps, having
soled one OF his adjustable cuffs or spotted his
immaculate shirt BOSOM In Olden DAYS these
accomplishments were learned by an apprentice,
who BEGAN at the shop floor, and gradually
worked up from the science of sweeping mot an
easy thingto master, either). through the various
until the mastery which belongs to manful exer-
ton came TO him. To he sure this shop ''edu-
cation may have turned out some men that
belonged to the same class
AS THE INVENTOR
who couldn't draw design or make model of
it out of section of an apple with his penknife;
they may not have known the exact relation of
tangent to a curve, or radius to diameter
but they did know their business, practically
from bottom to top. and if they did not happen
to have technical knowledge of drawing. they
could almost always make design that would
enable another mechanic of the same school to
put the work into shape.
And in the fine arts. who ever. in our DAYS,
expects would-be Raphael or Titan to enter
the studio of some already we'll known capable
artist. and by washing the brushes and paiette
and patiently watching the methods of the full
grown man to gradually learn the art of sub
1ectlng the natural and undisciplined ideas to
the practical processes OF Interpretation. The
modern way to fame would be through q few
years tuition. at the hands of some technical
educator in the ''Principles of Ornament" the
Theories of Color and few other such works
by authors whose lives were probably spent in
defending some pet theory, until they became
perfectly blind to the beauties OF possibilities Of
any system but their own.
Let it be acknowledged at once that the old
methods of art and mechanical education are
now practically ObsOlete yet the question may
fairly be asked whether the new methods are
entirely sound and wise.
Is there not tendency, and a growing one,
on the part of every teacher to ignore the versa
tility of genius and of art and to adopt and
search some particular school of theory until
the unfortunate pupil is in danger of being
graduated into cast iron aggregation of me-
chanical. geOmetriCal or ornamental theOrems,
whose path through the world Will be worked
Dy either the friction or scientific rOnghneSs, or
the isolation Of scientific polish. rather than by
the ease OF the kindly and receptive disposition
OF one who sees some good in things.
1t depends upon the methods of technical
schools. methods which must be fully devel
Oped within very short time whether we
shall be surrounded by
who are either like stone. entirely unable to
assimilate the advantages and beauties of NOV
ing life around them, or like the sponge. with
ever one more space ready for the absorption Of
the experiences and the common sense with
which they will come In contact-which shall
it be?
Candldly appealing to the good Judgment OF
all who may read this, we would ask: Is there
not growing danger that the pupils of our
modern technical schools will fall into the con-
ditOn so graphically described by Rabelais:
'Can there be any greater dotage in the world
than for one to guide and direct the courses by
the sound of bell, and not by his own judg-
ment and dscretOn!"
Would it not be an excellent idea to organize
q national association of technical educators.
OF equal numbers of teachers and
manufacturers. SO that the theoretical could be
tempered, at least. by the practical and thus
avoid the danger that technical education shall
become mere qucksand of theory in which
shall disappear all practical results OF the sys-
tenn.
This is not pessimlst's opinion Of technical
schools; 1t Is not an opinion at all neither Is it
a protest against the present system; but it is
only faint expression of feeling which we be-
lleve to be very common. and which will, We
lear, DE very loudly and disagreeably expressed,
unless some radical changes are introduced into
the possible tendencies of the present system.
A Tr1cyclist'S Dress.
DR.. Richardson in Good Words.
In practicing on the tricycle. and in making
Journeys upon it attention should be paid to the
dress. The dress should tit neatly to the body
without being in any point cumbrous Loose
flaps of dress aud tails Of coats are very trouble
some. and even dangerous. The jacket should
fit nicely to the body. and the trousers sufficiently
free and loose, should not he pursy about the
legs and feet. Trousers answer very we'll but
and well-ftting stockings are an
Improvement on them. Shoes are better than
boots. unless the boots fit uncOmmOnly well and
lace far down toward the toe. SprinG-sde boots
are bad; they prevent the easy movement of the
ankle. which is so very essential for free pedal
play. The shoes should have good firm sOles
but they neednot be unusually heavy. The sOles
should be free of nails and of steel plates, and it
Is worth the trouble to have them sharply rough
ened. so as to grasp the pedals firmly The neck
u
silk handkerchiefis far better than collar and
stiff tie. Every convenience should be given for
easy and rapid motion of the head in looking
round, and the circulation through the vessels of
the neck should be quite unimpeded. The head
dress should be light and yet firmly fitting on
the head. straw hat, In my opinion. answers.
on the whole. the best. The dress of the trycyc-
list should, on no account. be heavy. Thick
flannel Undertaking is an entire mistake; it
prevents free Transportation from the skin, and
causes the body to become wet through from
which during the process of tri-
cycling Is always thrown off very freely The
substance of the clothing should be porous as
we'll as light, and the color gray. 1t is we'll to
carry an extra suit of clothing in waterproof
case attached to the tricycle. and it is always i'm
peratlve to change the dress after every Journey
II the garments are made damp, either from rain
or from perspiratiOn.
L do not strongly recommend waterproof
coats for wear during tricycling These coats
Keep out rain. truly. but then they keep I'm the
water which is TRANSPORTING from the skin, an evil
quite as serious as that which occurs from rain.
1t Is all very well to have a loose ventilated
waterproof cape to wear during a shower with
the body at rest, but 1t is not wise to work hard
under the waterproof covering: it Is better to
push on unencumbered by anothine Of the sort.
and. having arrived at the place of shelter. to
chanpa the inst aDtlv nd not into ~ H.,