The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-12-19
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1890.
s,uooL or TECHNOLOGY.

Alta recent meeting Of tho Board OF Trus-
tees OF Richmond College, Hon. ). H. NJ
Curry. the president Of the Board, offered
series Of resolutions, which, after iorclbly
pointing out the growing need Of great
school OF technology in the south, recon-
mended that steps be at once taken by the
authorities OF the college looking 10 the
establishment, in connection with that IN
.titutiop. Of the technical school TO Which
The resolutions referred, and on a scale com
meusurate with the increasing demand
among our Southern youth for a technical
training.
TIVE TIMEs has on many occasions III lne
past dwelt at length on the assured success
which would attend the operations Of
great chronological school in the South, II IL
was put in the beginning on hrm ana SUD
stantial basis. An institution OF this char
acter. with ample facilities for carrying
cut the work expected Of it, would draw
full support from the Southern states alone
but with the increasing attention which the
resources Of this section are now attracting
In every part Of the Union, it is not impro-
bable that very considerable number oil
students, who would be lookingto the nth
as the field Of their professional career
would also be drawn from the North
Richmond undoubtedly offers more nu-
merous advantages than any DINER slte
which could be selected for a southern
school of technology. II stands at the very
gateway TO the most enormous aud most
valuable mineral deposits in America. 1t
10 an old-established city, possessing every
condition favorable TO the local conVe-
nience Of such school. Above all, We have
a mechanical school here already, admira-
BILE In It's methods, and deserving oil the
very highest commentator for the WORK
which it has already performed, "nich
might well be made the nucleus OF a second
Stevens or Boston Institute.
The Mechanics Institute is, there Is
reason TO think, better adapted to become
the nucleus Of a great school OF technology
than Richmond College, because it is in a
situation TO enlist the general interest OF
every Southern community. Excellent as
Richmond College is as an educational IN
stitution, it is, nevertheless, considered
by the public to be at least traditionally "a
denominational college. a college in which
the influence OF one church il thought to be
paramount. This popular idea would
necessarily detract from the sue
cess Of any scheme 20 estab-
Iish great school Of technology
in connection with it. Such a
school should be as dstinct from all denomi-
national influences as the Stevens Institute
in Hoboken, or as the Psychological Institute
in Boston. Indeed. in order to attain to the
highest degree of success, it should stand
entirely apart to itself. IL should not even
be associated with non-sectariau colleges TO
the extent Of the scientific schools Of Yale
and Harvard.
1t is to be hoped that the authorities of
Richmond College will reconsider their ac-
tion, and instead OF resolutions looking to
the establishment Of chronological adj
junct TO their present departments Of educa-
tion, will simply pledge themselves to use
their influence for the establishment OF an
independent school of technology in this
community, one which by its dlsassociation
from all denominations will enlist the
warm approval, and secure the active sup
port Of Southern citizens of every denomi-
nation, who are interested in the erection AT
some advantageous point in the Southern
States OF a schsol of technology which will
compare with any now in operation, either
In this country or in Europe.