Omaha daily bee., 1888-05-27
OMAHA DAILY BEE: SUNDAY, MAY %. 1ss-s1xTEEN PAGES

dustries being left to ''pick up"
his trade instead Of having it taught to
him. 6#
The result of thiScondition OF things
is that the supply d American skilled
workmen is steadily diminishing and
the ranks of such worKmen must be re-
cruited from abroad. A remedy for
this is sought in the establishment OF
mechanical schools where boys may en-
ter and on the payment of a moderate
fee secure practical instruction in what
ever trade they may select. Some seven
years ago schools Of thib character were
established in New York city by Colonel
Richard y. Auchmuty, and have proved
entirely successful. The schools are
housed in comfortable buildings erected
for the purpose, and instruction is given
in he evening to classes in plumb
ing, bricklaying, plastering. stone-cut-
ting, house and sign painting, fresco
painting, wood carving, carpentry and
blacksmith's work. During the day
there are classes in plumbing, house
and sign painting, stone-cutting and
tailoring. Most of the pupils are young
men between between eighteen and
twenty-one years of age, and among the
attendants at the evening classes arc
many clerks who, dissatisfied with tho
poor compensation OF ordinary clerical
work, devote their leisure time to learn
ing a trade. The teachers are skilled
mechanics, and the instruction is of the
best n most practical kind.
1t Is proposed by the Master Builders
exchange of Philadelphia to establish
in nut city mechanical schools modelled
upon those in New York, and there is
no reason to doubt that they would be
equally successful. If so, the example
will doubtless be followed in other large
cities in the country. The matter of
establishing such schools is one of very
great Importance in its bearing upon
the question whether this country is to
train its own skilled workmen or to be
brought finally to rely wholly upon q
supply from the old world, and also in
thc-effect it might have in stimulating
the youth of America to learn trades,
toward which generally they are not
favorably disposed. The average Amer
can boy seeks what he regards as
the light and genteel employment
OF a clerk, although the average
compensation Is smaller and the
hours of labor longer than in mechan-
lcal employments. The necessary re-
suit is that the supply of clerks keeps
constantly in advance of the demand,
there is u iostling aud pushing for these
positions, which has the inevitable cf-
feet OF reducing the compensation. and
even now in most ofsthellargc cities the
young man is extremely fortunate who
can get sufficient for this sort OF service
to enable HIM to live respectfully and
keep out of debt. NIeah while the sup
ply OF thoroughlYs skilled mechanics
does not keep pace with the demand,
and everywhere the wages of such is
generous and the employment constant.
Were the immigration of this class
OF workmen to . stop for a sim
gle year the consequences would be
serious to many industries. There is
something required that will enable the
country to recruit the rdnks of skilled
labor from its own Eboys, whose future
welfare is also deeply concerned, and
it is not questionable that the establish
ment of mechanical schools may do
much to accomplish this.