Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-11-22
ssseiaons for members Il TIE Iie.lsc q Rep
feschhfivcs.
indnstl1aI Edncation.

The argument that iadustrisi education
81 The young il preventive Of crime re-
ccises strong support from the statistics o.
the Eastern Penitertiary OF Pennsyivania-
Ameng the f.0ii prisoners in that iastitu-
ton, there are only ssyen mechanics. The
Philadelphia Times. In noting this fact, de.
clarcS that II Il rare exception for rep
resSnfatiye q skilled tabor to he guilty OF
,he ordinary forms Of crime, and lays down
this proposition:
"Conseniuent with ones condition In
lie Increases after certain stage OF intelli'
gtnce is reached in proportion as that in-
ttlliccnce tecOmes more aarled aud pract,-
fsl. The rossessnr OF II does not coyet
Whit le.obgs 60 Others, and, a. the ri.-
sav1cfa within liinsC1f increase. hc j. less
iisrcted 10 infringe on others rights
And Ihsi this is true has been the expo
nertcia England. Taking industrial cdu-
cs,ion Under The most disadyanisgeousc con-
tiiions that Is. ~ feature OF the Govern
ucol policy applied 10 the children OF the
paupei and criminal claSses-7-wc have the
most gratifying results. The report Of the
Home Secretary Cor 1880 give, some inter-
cstiag figures in regard TO the sys-
tenn. There were then I2G Government.
industrial schocis--aearly double the
numhor OF nominal "pnson rcforma.
tories" For the support Of these the
Government appropriated over $780,
Ce0 and, sars the secretary, the To-
ycsimeut paid even Oh none
tary basis.' "FoF." he adds. every
saIibing that was spent IN this direction In
wtiI-msuagcd schools saved Fifty aye =
hUndr,d-per cent. and even MOTE than
That in poor rates, In jail expense, and ia
other matters. besides the moral effect
TIE design Of these schools Is TO supply in.
dr,striaI knowledge and technical skill ~ y
which. when the lads leave, they can pro-
Vide for thcmselvcs." Moral restraint aud
guidance accompany the training, and. says
ctr srthority
"Ghe numtcf II youlg yagr0rt> Ia the
districts covered 81 The English industrial
se1COls gsb reduced Que hall by means ~
Tie instruction which tley gave. And 50
pCr cent. Of The boys who pa, ,ed through
tcen.--ia some instances even more tban
that src claimed 20 have been entirely re-
lorwed. redeemed. ard made honest and
.cli.supponins members Of the c0mmu-
mty."
The question naturally arises if such re-
suits were attained with cllssc, whose
earliest surrounding, had in the nature OF
things Justified in them idle and viciOu,
habiis, what might not De expected from
children raised under proper home infu-
Cncea--whaj might not be expected from
general syStcin oi industrial education con-
ntclcd with orr public school system or sup
ported by private enterprise; II has been
well said that "it is not idle hands alone
for which Satan find, mischief; it
+, hands thst are unlnstructed in WAYS Of
earning reasonably good living" Let
OiT rnblic-spiritcd citizens, our educators
anJ our LEGISLATOR, take this matter 10
Heart. The subject i, pregnant with
suggestions and involves question Of So
Cial aud political science worthy OF their
most profound consideration. Despite
The good work that i, being done by our
educational system. we must sooner or
later grappir with the problem that will DE
presented by too many hand, "uninS,ruct-
cd in ways OF earning reasonably good
living"