Weekly Chillicothe crisis. (Chillicothe, Livingston Co., Mo.) 1878-19??, 1884-03-06
Some Characteristic Features of st.
TtOuis.

William Henry Bishop, in Hdrper'S S
Magazine for March, To regulate
more fairly the whole mater of railway
freights, there has been lately organ
lied a unique institution known as
the "St. Louis Freight bureau" 1t is
maintained by the union of two hun
dred firms of leading merchants, each
guaranteeing payment of 800 per
annum, and is in the hands of skilled
railroad men. Its patriotic duty is to
watch over the interests OF st. Louis
and of individual cases in an effectual
way, which no mere private person
unversed in the scope and technicali-
ties could do. Much good is said to
have already resulted to the city in the
brief time of its establishment; and its
officers say that they have found the
railroads, with one or two exceptions,
heartily in accord with them in clear
ing away misunderstanding. Other
characteristic institutions of st. Louis,
to be named either for their early es-
tabliShment as the first of their kind,
or for their exceptional development,
are the Pompier Corps; for life-saving
at fires; the kindergarten System; and
the Manual Training School.
The Pompier Corps was organized
in 1877 for Iifc-saving and climbing to
the tops OF tall buildings where lad
ders will not reach, as II part of the
truck service of the Fire Department.
During its existence, not single acci-
dent has occurred. Exhibitions Of its
drill and efficiency have been given in
many other cities of the country; and
the leading cities, including New York
and Boston, are rapidly adopting it as
a model for themselves.
The st. Louis kindergarten System,
first installed at the urgent insance OF
Il lady, Miss Susie Blow, daughter of a
former Representative in Congress,
has now attained such proportions rs
to number $3.50 pupils and 81 paid
teachers.
The Manual Training School, a de-
partmcnt of Washington University,
and under the excellent management
of Professor Woodward, can not fail
to inspire especial interest in all those
upon whom our defective methods OF
education as a preparation for the
duties of life are at lines
borne home. Its motto is "Thc
cultured mind, the skillful hand, "
Such schools are well known in conti-
mental Europe, and the writer remem-
bcrs with pleasure the exhibits made
at the Paris exposition of 1873, from rs
far away as Russia, Italy, and Spain,
But here all such aids to dignity labor,
investing the mechanical trades with
the fascination that really belongs to
them with the youthful mind when
rightly approached, and preparing for
Il useful and paying livelihood whole
class, drawn now to worthless clerk
ships and the like on the ground Of a
petty responsibility, are far too rare.
| The encouragement is deyoutly to be
wished for. A sufficient idea Of the pur.
poses of the Manual Training School i,
got from the articles establishing it. Its
working during four years existence,
the appearance of the shops, tools, and
pupils, are material for an
article in themselves. The
ordinance of establishment declares
"Its object shall be instruction in
mathematics, drawing, and the English
branches of a hig-school course, and
instruction and practice in the use OF
tools. The tool instruction, as at
present contemplated, shall include
carpentry, wood-turning, pattern-mak-
ing, iron clipping and filing, forge
work, brazing and soldering, the use OF
machine-shop tools, and such other in
struction of y similar character as ii
may be deemed advisable to add to the
foregoing from time to time. The stu
dents will divide their working hours,
as nearly as possible equally between
mental and manual exercises. They
shall be admitted, on examination, at
not less than fourteen years Of age,
and the course shall continue three
years"