The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-03-31
AT BENCH AND FORGE.
MECHANICAL TRAINING m THE
SCHOOLS CT nc" YORK CITY.
Visit To the Manual Department Of the City
Coiiegs--An Optional Course Of study.
Knowledge That VIII Provo Advantage
Gus to Young Men.

'o'ifto-An Opttonn Course OF study
Knowledge That VIII Prove Advantage.
Gus to Young Men.
While theroisau Lonest diversity Of opinion
az to the benefits of industrial training il
schools, 1t must 10 conceded thnt the labor
market can never be harmed by thorough,
skilled workmen The apprenticeship system
u almost thing Of the past. BOYS do no.
learn trades, but learn branches, and even
their limited knowledge Of thee branches
they are compelled to PICK up themselves
There are too many saw and hatchetr men.
too many 'shoemakers" and "backsmiths
IL the industrial schools will turn ont printer.
who can print. aud machinists instead OF
machine tenders, II they viii give ne builder.
who can build house from foundation %
turret, and deal likewise with other trades
they will be doing something which Is no.
taught the modern apprentice. and 20 tina,
extent viii b. blessing.
INSIDE THE COLLEGE WORKSHOP
In the public schools OF this city manual
training Is now successfully carried on. while
at tho Gramercy Park Tool house, Work
ingmen's school, New York Trade school and
the Hebrew Technical institute, fun aodasd
mechanics are turned out Tue object Of in
PRODUCING this system into the public schools
aud colleges, however. Is uot to teach trades.
but 10 train the faculties ~ observation and
manual accomplishment For Il Is claimed
that by tuis system child need only com
mence 10 learn TO read when or ; years O.
age, and that owing to this training ho will
pas by one who may have learned reading
several years earlier. but who never had O
similar training
As visitor enters the College Of the CITY
of New York he is surprised. Tor he hears the
music Of the anvil, the hum Of the lathe the
grunt Of the bellows. and the hiss Of the saw
Here manual and technical training 4, firmly
established, and the education Of the hand
Keeps pace with the development Of the brain
The workshop IS Toy no means an amateur
one II contains an engine, foreos. Il
vises. 10 anyils, % wood lathes. engine
athes and Is carpenters tables, with com
pete outfit Of tools
There are in this course OF the COLLEGE go
boys, all OF whom are enlisted for three
years The boys range in age from ~ 10 -.
and work in groups Of fifty They wear
striped aprons and manifest such an intcnt
interest in their tasks as to impress the yi.i
tor az glance with the wisdom OF those who
established the shop.
To the left, rs one enters, Is the carpenter
shop, in which the first year boys are in.
structed to the right are seen the embryo
backsmiths Of the second year. while immedl.
ately in front are the lathes Of tho third year
wood and metal turner's Shafting and belt
Ing extend IN all directions. even 10 the grind
stones where the boys sharpen their tools.
some OF which they have themselves fashioned
at the forge. The six Buffalo FORCES In the
smithy are aglow with rudy light Tic
charm Of the wheezy grunt Of the old
fashioned bellows is lacking. while tho new
fashioned one which has taken it, place has q
tune OF il own which it bangs on 10 with a
perslsiency deserving Of more euphouious re-
suits
After general survey Of tho place, tho re-
porter sought ont Mr.. Harvey Mitchell. the
director Of tho workshop. who is a graduate
OF Stevens institute
I've are not trying 10 make artisans or
mechanics here. said Mr. Mitchell 1--WE ain
simply 10 give a practical idea Of tho value
OF teaching tho hands as well a. the brain
Some of or boys, indeed nearly halfof them.
come in voluntarily They are pursuing ona
Of the college courses in which this work is
not required. yet OK their own choice they
take upon themselves tho additional wori. %
this department There are In the shop I'D
OF these voluntary workers and 10 Of thoao
who are taking the regular mechanical cous-
-,
into the shop The boys seem 90 ike IL, rnl
their work here is certainly Of assistance %
them IN many Of their studies, which aim
simply 10 develop mind power Tho method
we nave adopted here is tho kindergarton
method OF Frobol, tho main object of which
Is 10 train tho faculties 81 Cbl.rvauon hy
means Of object lessons Tho object system
bong established as a foundation Tor eiucq-
tional training, tue extension OF the same
system 10 higher courses seems but logical
Tue BOYS AT WORK
"The first thing we DO with the BOYS il 10
put them ot plain carpentering They arc
taught the Use Of all ordinary tools EN-.
ployad in plain work, and at tho same time
construct many little things, Of which We
have several cases filed With specimens ia
the second year the boys learn smelling. wise
wori; and soldering. while in the third year
we give them Instructions ia metal and wood
turning and IN the use OF the engine lathe
Our plan has proved a success think Tho
shop although not established Tor the puI-
pose OF teaching trades, has already turned
out several skilltul mechanics. Five Of our
graduates are teaching this system IN the
public schools Our classes are Increasing
annually, and quite frequently we receive re-.
quests from other schools TO send them some
Of our graduates who are capable Of giving
elementary industrial instruction Now, look
about you and you can jsgcrmino for your
SELF the character Of our woGS. "
The reporter wandered from bench -
bench where the young carpenter, some Of
them 50 small that their big saws and pieces
of timber seemed almost moro than they
could handle. we're engaged IN making yari-
Oh, joints from drawings which were accom-
panied with written instructions. The max
inc of the different joints, such as mortise,
tenon and dove tail, is one Of tho features Of
the carpenter shop, and in this connection tho
subject Of sharp tools Is no. lost sight o.
The students receive special Instructions IN
sharpening their saws. planes, irons, etc
Each boy is furnished with locker in which
ne keeps his tools aud for which he Is re-
soonsiblo. Tue tool drawers arc kept IN re
markably neat condition, and the care with
which the benches we're Cleaned, when the
time 10 Quit woTa arrived, would have car
risd 10Y to the heart Of tic most tastidious
boss carpenter.
In the blacksmith shop tho speed and en-
zine lathes. which are used for metal turning
are constantly in USE The treatment Of
iron begins with forging, The general primer
ples of which arc given 10y the Instructor win
bIackboar1i illustrations. The students after
coming their aprons, light up their own
fires. and in groups wor. at their assigned
tasks The mode Of instrueting the boys IN
the metal department Is similar to that In the
wood working department The Instructor
begins by drawing diagrams OF the WORK On
a blackboard, and then explains 10 the boys
the wbv and the wherefore. The lessons ex-
tend through various styles Of welding ana
include the fundamental principles OF WORK
In steel -.
TINS II will be seen that the city or Now
York affords to the sons Of her citizens o
couple;e manual as vel as mental training
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