The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1885-09-05
TECHNICAL SCHOOLS.
THE KNOWLEDGE WHICH ENABLES
ONE TO EARN BREAD.
An Investigating Committee Looking
After the Theory and Practice of In
dustrial Schools on the Cont
nent-Examples of Note.
rsarah K. Bolton in The Congregationalist.l

rssrab K Bolton in The Congregationalist.I
No nerson visits England without being
deeply interested in her schools for tech
nicaI or industrial education This is com
paratively a new matter with her. At her
great exposition in London, in 1851,
largely the result of Prince Albert's fore
sight and energy, England led the world
in textile fabrics, and doubtless in
worlds fair in London, she discovered
that the outside world was making great
progress, and at the exposition in Paris in
1867 she found herself outdone by French
and German looms and by the iron and
steel industries of Belgium and Berlin.
At once she sent an investigating COM
mittee to the continent, who found tech
nical schools at every large industrial cen
ter, supported by state or city. There
every boy or girl could learn the theory,
or the practice, or both, of the trade or
profession to be followed for livelihood.
Paris had nearly 100 free art schools for
adults, most of the pupils being working
men. The College de France and the
Conservative des Arts ct Meters were
thronged by workingmen and women,
eager to hear the free lectures in social
and physical science, biology, mathe
mates and languages. A large amount
of money was given for workshops in
connection with primary schools. The
committee found another admirable thing,
viz. That in French schools of every
grade corporal punishment is absolutely
unknown.
Since 1867 Paris herself has made grelG
studies in industrial education. In the
primary school of the Rue Tournefort, the
children begin to learn drawing, carving.
ioiners or smiths work, from their 9th
year The school hours are from 8 to 8:
In hinhar Rlaacpo n q
consume eighteen hours per week On
leaving school the pupils can earn 81 a
week. Twenty three primary schools have
workshops attached, and twenty two
others are in preparation for combining
mental and manual instruction The lat
ter is usually optional, given before and
after school hours
Several of the municipalities of France
have established free public apprentice
ship schools, where children, after leav-
ing the primaries, can receive practical
instruction in the trades for three years,
besides advancement in other branches
In the summer they visit Industrial estab-
lishments and give descriptions of them in
writing. AT the beginning of the second
year of the course they select their trade.
They enter school at a. m. and leave at
z p. M, six hours in workshop and four
in school, with two for dinner and recre.
alton, usually in gymnasium. On leav-
ing, the pupils can earn from 81 to 81. 80
per day. Paris has found that money
spent to make men and women selfsup-
porting is a safeguard against crime. AS
the trades will not usually receive young
learners, Paris has solved the matter by
her excellent apprenticeship schools
The trouble in our own country has
been that our technical schools. provided
through private gifts generally, are not
free, and, therefore, cannot reach those
90 I'm Nha fof0 ,,cN
eventually take the matter in hand, Civ
ing us not only free schools, but free
books, and free opportunities to learn how
to earn living. England ascertained all
these facts and more in Germany and
Switzerland, and profited by them. In
1874 she established Yorkshire college at
Leeds, with classes in mathematics, Ian
guages, chemistry, geology, engineering,
coal mining weaving, dyeing, ETC., with
evening schools and popular lectures for
the people, at the low price of cents
each Weaving schools were begun at
Huddersfeld and Glasgow, and me-
chanics' institutes were opened in various
parts of the country.
was fortunate in b ing present at the
grand opening of Bradford technical
school, June %, 1882. Bradford is the
center of the wooden trade, and, with
population of little over 200, 900, pays
an income tax on $40, 900, 900. The prince
and princess OF w ales had come from
London by special Pullman train Houses
were decorated with banners, and trium-
phal arches SPAWNED the roadway. At the
station the platform was draped with
crimson cloth, surmounted by beautiful
canopy of flowers. The procession of
lord mayors, members of parliament, trade
societies, cavalry, artillery, and in
fantry made an imposing pageant The
prince opened the door of the elegant
school building. Italian in style, with
great central tower with a key of gold
and silver nearly foot long, bearing his
arms and the words, Labor omnia Tincit
Various guilds contributed largely to
the building fund, while wealthy manu-.
facturers gave plants of machinery and
scholarships. Besides a. public hall the
building contains an industrial museum
where the products of the arts and trades
are shown, chemical laboratory, library,
art department and model mandatory,
exhibiting all the processes Of combing
spinning, weaving and dyeing.