Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-07-07
The Indu.triaI Education Society.

MEETING LAST NIGHT-ISTERESTING ADDRESsRs-AN
INSTITUTION TO BIZ STARTED AT AN EARLY DAY.
The Society 10 Promote Industrial Education
| met at the Educational Bureau last evening. Hon.
Horatio Burchard, Director OF the Mint and presi-
dent OF the society, took the chair, with appro-
! pirate remarks.
Prof RichIds, formerly superintendent OF the
Washington public schools, remarked upon the
impractical character OF our present school train
! Ing. b. tier systems exist, but they have been
! ignored 10y those who manage the schools. Tho
tendency is 10 fall into machine process, which
does not call out the powers OF the child IL leaves
! the school and enters life with its powers be-
numbed and lifeless. He would begin with children
| ana teach them the language or the trades, ana
then the use OF simple tools. Thus they would
! grow up with knowledge or work and respect for
| IT, and the schools would be fountains OF living
knowledge. Pupils thus trained would have mental
alertnesS and vigorous minds well as bodies, TO
meet the needs of everyday life.
Hon. AiOnZo Bell, Assistant Secretary OF the
Interior, said that under the present system the
| cares OF parents just begin when what IS called
the education OF their children Is completed. The
/ youth comes home with his diploma, but, what
Shall he do TO live? lie is utterly without capacity
! 10 earn money in any productive pursuit He has
been trained upon plane above hard labor OF any
kind lie Is not even lit for clerical duties, and IL
he were there are hundreds waiting for every
place. III he could make 4 pair OF shoes,
or build house, or letter a sign, run
steam engine, or manage a farm well, his
services would be in ready demand. As ft is he
Will wander from one thing 10 another, and In
most cases be dead failure in life. At the time
when children should be a comfort and support 20
parents they are likely TO become a serious bur-
den and care. Mere moths eating out the care
ful savings OF fathers and mothers, who were
trained TO work and save. We need schools OF work.
instruction in this city, and every child should
be trained In them 10 use tools and acquire skill IN
some pursuit that will make him able TO earn an
honest living. This training should be made q
part OF the public school system. An Institution
near the city, with ample lands for agricultural
instruction and the conduct OF trades, on an ex-
tensve scale, would be an essential adjunct, and
would qualify the students TO go out into life
fully armed, not merely as laborers but mama
gers OF mills, shops, farms mines and every held
Dr. Dyrenfurth, examiner in chief of the Patent
Office, endorsed the views expressed above. He
hoped to see these things done, and the whole
OF the ILL., he character. A bill prepared by him.
self would on be introduced into Congress TO
found here an institution OF the highest grade In
the world for instruction In the sciences and arts
relating TO Industry.
Coz. Eiward Daniels remarked that the want OF
Industrial education was generally admitted
This society was formed TO crystalize this senti-
ment into action;-to start schools which should
supply the admitted needs OF the public This can
only be done by private enterprise giving success
fui example Government aid Will come later
when ii is proved that men and women with bet
ter brains as well as healthier bodies independent
and self-Supporting, can be made under this sys-
TEN than under the old one, and at vastly less
cost Such school does not need costly buildings
TO start with. III the pupils lived In log houses
and built them for themselves, as they did at
Oberlin, all the better They should learn 70
they can create better. Extensive bodies OF cheap
land are. .SOw accessible near this city where It's
idle youth, coming from the schools with no outs
look for living be practically taught the in
duStral arts. IL is scarcely possible 70 estimate
the good that would flow from such an institution.
Ii would relieve thousands or parents here who
cannot now give their children useful training.
1t would diminish vastly pauperism and crime.
1t would send into all pursuits skilled workers, and
add greatly TO individual happiness ana 20
the general prosperity. It is possible
TO make all pupils self-Supporting after the first
year, with reasonably good management The
remarkable results seen at Hampton, Va, in work.
training or the freedmen full OF instruction
The society resolved TO start an Institution near
the city at an early future period Col L. Daniels
was appointed general agent and authorized 20
appeal TO the public to sustain the society ia its
work. A valuable donation OF land has been made
TO the board and its work viii be vigorously pros
ecuted,