Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1883-02-07
INDUSTRIAL EDUCATION.

The chief part of our best mechanical
work, says the New York Sun, especially
that which is tasteful and decorative, is
row done by foreigners who have not
been long in the United States. The
most of them are Germans, but there
are also among the number many
Frenchmen, very many Englishmen,
and not a few Belgians. The hands in
the cabinet makers shops are chiefly
Germans and immigrants from the same
country are gradually monopolizing the
business of paper hanging, while they
and the Frenchmen and Belgians are
doing nearly the whole Of the household
decoration of various kinds for which
there is now SO universal a passion
among well-to-do people. Germans and
Englishmen Of comparatively recent ar
rival are also getting into their hands
large part, if not the chief part, Of the
more tasteful carpenter and joinery
work required in New York. Besides,
they are becoming our best painters,
shOemakers and other mechanics. The
Sun thinks the explanation of this is to
be found In the fact that the foreign
mechanics get far better schooling in
their trades than is customary in Ameri-
ca, especially since the old apprentice
system has gone SO much out of vogue.
They come to Us after training not only
liz the shop, bat alsoin industrial schools
and schools Tor the teaching and prac-
tioe of industrial art Some facts pre-
sented by Mr.. MUndella in a recent ad-
dress ct the West London school Of art
show what is now done in England and
other European countries III the way of
training in industrial art. As long ago as
1886 the British government granted
81, 800 for the purposes of art training,
and the sum has been gradually increased
since. As Mr.. Nun della explained, the
object of the grant was g not to increase
the number of pictures which were an
Rually rejected by the royal academy,
but to give technical art training to
those who were practically engaged in
the Industries and manufactures of the
county," By the aid of the schools
established for such instruction, the lace
manufacturers of Nottin CHAM were able
to hold their own aggressively against
the lace manufacturers Of all the world.
And there soon became observable de-
cided improvement in ali mechanical
work IN the direction of taste.
At the worlds fair of 1851 the clumsy
and inartistic productions of England
presented sorry show beside the beauti-
full handicraft of France. But since 1851
there has been a great advance In the
taste displayed III the trades. Mr.. Nun
della's boast that it was now "knoWn
that Englishmen possessed more origin
atty and more true artistic feeling thar
was possessed by Frenchmen," of course
drew out applause from his hearers.
But even is his assertion is questioned,
it cannot be doubted that in passing
from French to English exhibits of later
years there is no longer reason for COM
parsons unfavorable to the product ions
of Mr.. Mundella's countrymen, who IN
questionably have attained superiority
In certain directions. The total num-
Der who receive art teaching in institu-
tions aided by the British government
was only $4,000 in 1857, while in 1881
it was 9l7,00 In France, where he
had lately been to investigate the new
system of education which came into
operation in that country on
the first of last October, Mr..
Mundella was "perfectly astounded"
by the progress the French were
making IN art instruction. He had seen