Delaware gazette and state journal., 1884-02-21
ST. LOULS.


Some OF the Characteristic Features
OF That Great Centre OF Food Pro-
ducfiOn.
In Hdrper's for March W. Il. Bishop
has an interesting article on st. Louis
from which this Is an extract: To regu-
late more fairly the whole matter OF rail-
way freights, there has beea lately
organized unique institution known as
the "St. Louis Freight Bureau" Il ia
maintained by the union Of 200 firms of
leading merchants, each guaranteeing a
payment Of 800 per anLum, and ia in
the hands Of skilled railroad men. Its
patriotic duty ia TO watch over the
interests ct St. Louis and OF individ al
cases In an etfeotual way, which no mere
private person unversed in the
scope and technioalities OF the subject
could do. Much good is said to
have already resulted to the city In
the brief time Of it's establishment and
Its officers say that they have found the
railroads, with one or two exceptions,
heartily In accord with them in clearing
away Misunderstanding Other char
acteristic institutions Of St. Louis, to be
named either for their early establish.
ment as the first Of their kind,o for their
exceptional development, are the Pom
pier Corps, for life saving at fires; the
kindergarten system; aud the manual
training school.
the Pompier Corps was organized in
1877 for life saving and climbing to the
tops OF tall buildings where ladders will
not reach, as part OF the truck service of
the fire department. During its existence,
not q single accident has occurred.
Exhibitions of its drill and efficiency
have been given in many other oities Of
the country; and the leading cities,
ncluding New York and Boston, are
'spidiy adopting it IS model for
themselves
The s.. Louis kindergarten system, first
installed A. the urgent instance Of ladv,
Miss Susie Blow, daughter Of a former
'sined such proportions as to number
s 730 pupils and 81 paid teachers.
The manual training school, depart
ment of Washington University, and
under the excellent management OF Pro-
lessor Woodward, cannot 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
times borne home. Its II otto is, "The
cultured mind, the skillful hand. -
Such schools are well known
in continental Europe, and the
writer remembers with pleasure
the exhibits made by them at the Paris
Exposition of 1878, from as far away as
Russia, Italy, aud Spain. But here all
such aids to digniiying labor, Investing
the mechanical trades with the fasoina
tion that really belongs 10 them with the
| youthful mind when rightly approached
and preparing for useful and paying
| livelihood whole class, drawn now t.
| worthless olerkships aid the like on the
| ground of petty respectability, are fsl
too rare. The encouragems is devoutly
to bs wished tor. A sufiieien'
idea OF the purposes of the mauua
training school is got from the articles
establishing 1t. Its working during
four years existence, the appearance o
its shops, tools aud pupils, are materis
for an article in themselves The ordi
nance Of establishment declares "lt
object shall be instruction in msthe
mstics, drawing, and the English b,anche
of a high school course, and instruction
and practice In the use of tools. Tn
tool instruction., as at present oonten
plated, shall include carpentry, woe
turning, pattern making, iron clippin
and fling, forge work, brszing an
soldering, the use of machine shop toolp
and such other instruction of a simila
character as it may be deemed advisabl
to add to the foregoing from time to time
The students will divide their workin
hours, as nearly as possible, equally bt
tween mental and manual exercises
They shall be- admitted, ON examination
at not less than Ia years of age, and IL
course shall continue three years"