Wichita eagle., 1889-03-06
SOME INDUSTRIAL HINTS.

10 the Editor OF the Eagle:
A writer in 1.-THE Forum" of recent
number enters quite fully into compar-
ison of the school system of our country
with those of France and Germany, and
draws conclusions very much in favor of
those of the latter, because Of their in
dustrial training; educating the eye and
hand in connection with the powers of
mind.
In these schools boys and girls are
given an opportunity for becoming &C
quainted with the rudiments Of some OF
the practical things of life In which
their future may be cast: and thus bet
ter equip them to fight the great battle
for bread.
Children enter with delight into the
work; muscular activity Is rest
after hours of mental appli-
cation, and it is affirmed where the ex-
pertinent has been tried, learn more from
books in half a day, than they did in a
whole day under the old regime.
New York, Philadelphia, and Boston
have fallen INTO line, and established
such school as part of their common
school system; and other cities by pri-
vate liberality in establishing manual
training schools, where only those able
to pay the tuition have the benefit direct,
are doing good work for all, by show
ing the possible benefits to be derived
from such schools.
An Ohio paper of recent date, says that
in the schools of Cincinnati, the boys
r,,l, To 10 a
and clocks.
times is demanded in the system of edu-
cation. Edison as telegrapher was al
most failure, but while at the instru-
ment he improved the opportunity for
studies in electricity, and thereby made
discoveries to electrify the world.
Those of you who have attended the
industrial expositions at Cincinnati and
elsewhere have, doubtless. admired the
beautiful pottery of Miss Mclaughlin.
She caught the spirit of the art when, as
a girl in her fathers pottery of common
clay vessels, she watched the process,
and studied and modelled and persevered
until she achieved fame and fortune. "a
hint as to the clay deposits of Wichita s
surrounding country.
Not long since heard man who Is
the proprietor of planning mill and
market gardens, say: The boys of today
are no account for the wants of my bust
ness, because they serve no apprentice
ship. If get good gardener or skill
full machinist at the mill | must employ
a foreigner who has served his appren-
ticeship." He did not understand that
they went to apprentice school IN France
and Germany, and that this country did
not furnish such schools to her youth,
but left them to the tender O. mercies of
chance.
Now the thought l press is this: In
dustrial or trades schools go far to sup
ply the education that the apprenticeship
system gives, and skilled labor is the
worlds great and constantly increasing
demand at remunerative prices, and that
it behooves this great and glorious coun-
try, this great and growing common
wealth, this great and tiourishlng city,
to see to it that the money expended for
public instruction is in such manner as
will make the beginnings of practical
business life to her youth easier than
they now are, and not so much to the de-
yelopment of the ''uncommercial
tourist.
In Lyons and other European silk
centers. are silkweav schools, enab-
ling such as are students to become
practical workers, manufacturers, or
in mills, which is
thought on another industry,
is demanding at this very hour, atten-
ton from Wichita women as being
essential in the line OF wOmans work
for woman: l refer to silk culture.
A "woman's silk culture association
exists in Philadelphia with the purpose
OF promoting silk culture as profitable
work for women.
This was organized with purely phil
purpose by Philadelphia la
dies. 1t has permanent offices at lo2S
Chestnut street, where Keeling silk IS
taught; silk worm eggs, mulberry trees
and hand reels sold and books of instruc-
tons which it publishes supplied. They
hold silk eXh bi,ionS,a and boast quite alarge
of auxillaries in different states,
and thousands of correspondents. It's
prospectus in presenting the claims OF
" AmericaS new Industry says: 1t can
be prosecuted by the feebler members of
the family, women and children or aged
persons, to whom the severer country
life is a burden and the compensation Is
sure; for if our country Is sending
to foreign lands $4,000, 600
for raw silk there is no reason why this
amount of money cannot be divided
among our own American serl-culturists.
The crop or product Is not perlshaole
like much of the farm product, and the
trees once planted and grown, yield
perpetual supply for silk worms; care
being only in the annual picking of the
leaves.
Now when we consider that it is uni
versally proven and admitted that Kan
sas is the place. par excellence, for seri-
culture. is it not wise and worth while"
for the women of Wichita to encourage
and foster this industry: Can we not
talk about it, write, think and act about
it, so that ere many years pass over,
around and about the Peerless Prin-
cess" along the banks of the Arkansas,
shall rise great silk manufactures, sur
rounded by hundreds of vine-clad cot
tages, each happy home, not fearing
the wolf of want at the door, because
the means Of securing a livelihood are
furnished as well as amusement halls,
churches and Libraries
Do not be dismayed at the prospect
and though you may not wear a sllken
gown from the Wichita looms this year,
remember what Scott makes one OF his
characters say: Plant trees, Jock,
they'll aye be blooming while you are
sleeping" LORA r. PRIDDY.