Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-09-29
Industrial Schools More Needed.

To the Editor of TEE EVENING STAB:
notice there is controversy about teaching
Greek in the High school. In that matter the
great mass Of the public will side with Mr.. Biz
ney. 1t may be all very nice for ~. C. G.. K"
and few others of elegant leisure to pirate
about the beauties Of ideas expressed in Greek,
and all that sort of thing, but what proportion
OF the people have the time or leisure for such
enjOyments? The great mass of the people must
work for living in one shape or another, and
the object of the public schools lie simply to give
the mass an elementary education that will fit
them for the ordinary av0cations Of life. Indeed,
1t Is q serious question whether we have the
right to tax the public to support a High school
for the special benefit Of the very few; at least,
until we have provided school facilities for every
child In the community. We have to-day but
little more than half as many seats as there are
children Of school age in the District; and we
cannot be provided with fulI-day schools. Under
these circumstances it may well be questioned
whether we have the right to spend the public
funds on High school at all. It should be
borne in mind that but a very small proportion
of the scholars ever attend the High school,
and they are almost universally the chill
dren OF the weather. portion of
the cOmmunity-Of parents who are
far more able to give their children special ed
ucation than are the great mass of the people.
If we had the means would be in favor of CIV
ing every one the very highest education posi-
bic; but we have not, and the question is. who
Is most entitled to what we have the favored
few or the mass? 1t is with the utmost diff
Guilty that funds can be obtained to pay the sal
aries Of the teachers, and only this week the
trustees have pettiOned the Commissioners to
increase their estimates for that purpose.
In my opinion the great want of the day is
not more facilities for learning the classics but
industrial schools, in which the mass OF chill
dren can be taught at least the elements Of the
practical branches they are to pursue for a liv-
Ing. Everywhere and in all branches the call is
for skilled mechanics and laborers The aboli-
tion OF apprenticeship and the arbitrary rules
Of the trades unions by which boys are pre-
vented from learning trades Is fast decreasing
the number Of skilled artisans among our peo-
pie. and the result Is that they are being crowded
out Of nearly every kind of business. The for
eign born, who, In consequence of the abun-
dance OF industrial and technical schools in
European countries, come here prepared to mo-
nopOlize nearly all the best places. II any one
questions this he has but to visit the various
manufacturing establishments of the country
and he will find that four out of FIVE, II not nine
out OF ten Of all the skilled mechanics are for
eigners As result Of this we find our Amer
lean youths crowding into the cities seeking
clerkshps, the pay Of which will barely pay for
board and clothes Unless remedy be pro-
vided it will not be long before the race Of
American skilled artisans will be known no
more In the land OBSERVER.