The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-01-15
NJ ECHANICS' INSTITUTE.
IT'S FRIENDS WANT 1T TO BE THE
COOPER UNION or TIE SOUTH.
Brief History OF That Great Northern
work of Philanthropy II Has
Done Towards Benefiting Mankind.
What Our Institute Can Do.

Everybody has heard OF The Cooper
Union Of New York. II was established
over a quarter OF a century ago by that
man of pious memory who loved his fel
low man, the veneTated Peter Cooper of
New York, for the purpose Of the adj
vancement of science and art" and to
enable the ambitious, but poor, 20 enjoy,
free Of cost, the advantages II offered.
Space would not permit anything like an
extended history of this noble institution.
and all that can be done in the limits OF
this article Is merely recapitulation Of
TIE GOOD IT Has DONE.
During the past year over 500 1er-
sons have availed themselves Of the free
library and reading-room open every day,
Sundays included The free night schools
Of science and art form university
whose diplomas are highly valued. Prac-
tcal instruction, embracing algebra, ge-
ometry, trigOnOme,ry, analytical and
descriptive geometry, diiferential and
integral calculus, elementary and applied
mechanics. natural philosophy, astron-
Omy, chemistry including analysis geol-
ogy. and.mechanical drawing, are taught,
of q course Of three years, and in II rudi-
mentary mechanical perspective, archi-
tectural ornamental and cast drawing,
decorative designing, and modelling are
taught. over 10000 students pursued
studies i'm these departments last year
and several hundred others were unable
10 obtain admission. The requirements
Of thi. institute are rigid, and all who
are law. listless, and negligent are re-
morselessly dropped This provision is
necessary, as it would be unjust 10 any
one desiring 10 succeed in life 10 be shut
ont from the advantages of the Union by
another inclined to throw away the op-
rOrlunities offered.
WHAT OUR INSTITUTE Can Do.
What the Cooper Union has done for
New York, our Virginia Mechanics lns'i-
tute can and will DO for the South.
Already il is school Of Technology Of
no mean prelensions Georgia has with
in the past two years voted thousands OF
dollars for the establishment OF Stale
School Of Technology, and Atlanta paid
$4,000 for the privilege II having j; lo-
Gated there, but here We have in
Richmond the nucleus for such d
technolopical institution, started a few
years ago By few private individuals,
which has been quietly bat steadily
forging its way TO the front, until even
now f can give a. nominal cost-orly 81
a year-a technical education equal 10
that which Georgia, with all the mOn-
ey she has voted for il, can bestOw.
TIE DUTY or THE STATE
1t is, therefore, incumbent on the state
Of Virginia to aid this most meTtorious
institution by every means in her power,
for Its purposes are 20 instruct and turn
out AN educated class Of mechanics
worthy, in al respects, 10 call them
selves Virginians At present bill is
before the Legislature asking for assist
ance 10 this institute, modest in it, terms,
and yet sufficient % accomplish al that
is practically necessary. This bill should
receive the careful consideration Of The
General Assembly, for L only asks for
$4,000 a year from the State, which would
enable the institute 10 confer hundred
times that amount upon The poor but
ambitious, worthy, and industrious young
men of this old Commonwealth.
THE PROPOSED EXPOSITION.
And in this connection ii will not be
irrelevant 10 allude 10 the Mechanical
Exposition proposed 20 be held in this
CITY. The TINES has already on several
occasions taken the ground that this
Exposition is more IN the line of the
Mechanics Institute than in that OF the
Agricultural Society. The TWO institu-
tions are not antagonistic 20 each other,
and should not be, bat one Of the objects
of this Institute is 10 erect within the
heart of the city a.building and holdthese
exhibitions annually for weeks. day and
night. The Agricultural Society proposes
to have one for few days each Fall al
the fair grounds, where il would be out OF
the reach of The great bulk of the people,
and where its usefulness would begreal'y
curtailed. il is not our purpose 10 oppose
the energetic and active PTesiden. OF that
society in any of his efforts for its re
habilitation and resuscilaiion, but the
$40 coo or Sj0.000tO be asked for the es-
tablishment of such an exposition in
connection with the annual state Fair
could be much more adyaniagc0usly in.
vested if devoted 90 the Mechanics In
st tutc.
Let the good work o. recognizing The
Agricultural Society and placing i, upon
a firm bases proceed, bat let The idea
that the Mechanical Exposition, proposed
to be given, is much more in accordance
with our Southern Cooper Union receive
its due attention ai the hands OF our
pubic.spiriiol and lib.ralminded citi-
raue Fifty thousand dollars SD invested