Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-01-08
THE MECHANIC ARTS.
WHAT rs BEING DONE TO EDUCATE
THE YOUNG IN THEM.
e-s,o and Brawn Cc-cpersting--A BIC OF
Hisfory--Corps Of Tesehers--tnsh-
tute N Have q Homc.


II is an inspiring sight to witness over
three hundred lads and young men--many
ofvbom earn their bread by the sweat OF
.hsi, brows-toiling at night to improve
themselves intellectually.
I,isa scene of Drawn and brain united IN
helping TO fulfil the prophecy OF Virginias
;ndustrial development
Such scene may be witnessed any night
drrinc tho week except Saturday night at
,he Virginia Mechanics Institute.
The men who started the old Mechanics
Institute builded better than they knew.
THE OLD AND THE NEW.
ro, many wears the child OF their ambi-
lions creation slept. but 1t has awakened 10
enter upon new era oil usetuIness. A..
Tbe old Mechanics Institute was the
,,-i1e of ante -bellum Richmond. There are
panv living now in whose ears echo the
notes Of the steam-calliope OF one OF its
enTtd Thc sonnd was hideous then TO those
,,bo wished 70 enjoy good nights rest,
Lnt n has become musical with the lapse
20 time and calls up memories IN which Joy
and sadness comminele. -,
,rho new Mechanics Institute should be
mo nride OF post-bellum Richmond. IL
.n, why not? The old building went
Jorn by Are and became hoap OF ashes
mt Of these ashes showered like Phnnix
snrnnc another and a grander structure.
hrain. If not, why not?
An EvESTfUL HISTORY.
Tho original institute was established
INT tsG' All know its eventful history.
How the building in which its classes and
exhibitions were wont to hold subse-
oncntly becamethe War Department of tho
confederate States. How at the eyacua-
ton Of the city it was burned, and how IN
,be night OF desolation and impoverish-
mont that followed q similar institution
d,d moi come within the range OF Rich
rnond's possibilities.
Rnt the machinery of progress. as repre-
sented bv the institute. WAS not destroyed.
In was only buried in the debris. After "a
,,me hands that knew how TO run it un-
earthed il. Furnished il up, oiled 1t. put
improvements on 1t. and started 1t again.
IN MODEST WAY.
II i trne the start was made in n modest
,rav The room in which the lever was
touched in 1884 was small one over
etore on Main steeet between Eleventh
and Twelfth. During the year 1SS4-'s5. III
s,rnrted them gratuitously. and the run
ming expenses were $50.
One by one, however. new wheels and
new pulleys were added and new cogs and
annlanres introduced until the institute
ygas removed first 10 hall on Ninth street
and finally 10 its present locatlon-the Ar
Inrton building. corner OF Main and Sixth
streets.
yaTEIcULATIoNs AND EXPENSE.
For the sessions following the matricula-
tions. expenses. and number OF teachers
were as follows
lss5,so: Matricuiates, 10: expenses, i.ss3.74; (;
iss5-'s5. Nairicula,es, POP; expenses, ta,7Saoi;
ISIS Matrculales s5i expenses, s4oi4so;
issSsG: Ma,riculates. 9s6; expenses, =, ,s2q.o7 !;
ISsg-g0: Mstriculaies, ae5; expenses, so.i33.4o !;
por ,hc session isaO-gl the matricuiatos have
hreu 40 far $50. Seventeen teachers are en-
Moved, aud the estimated expenses will be
!6,0j2
THE CORPS OF INSTRUCTORS.
The CORPS OF instructors is bright one.
Every man has practical as well as scien-
ttc knowledge of what be teaches. Every
man Is in earnest.
Here IL the list of the names, schools,
md Alma Matters of the corps:
& T. Rurgwyn lprincipaD, Trigonometry,
Applisd Mechanics, and Engineering: Harvard.
cbaries n. Read, Architectural Drawing; Uni
vereity Of virginia. wv,
W r. RrOaduhx, Mechanism DraWings VIZ
ciuiA Military Institute.
p G Newman, instrumental Drawing: Tech
nical College, Berlin.
oeorgs Paul Instrumental Drawing; virginia
Mechanics Institute.
william L. sheppard. Froe-Hand Drawing;
National Academy Of Design.
d. W. De sylvia. Free Esnd-Drawing; virginia
Mechanics Institute.
georgs s, Crenshaw, Arithmetic; Virginia No
Chanics' Institute.
<. +. Beach, Arithmetic. ~
A. II. Fitzgerald, Arithmetic; virginia Military
George T. Merrill, Algebra and Geometry;
Dartmouth College.
u. b. BOudar. bookkeeping.
C. = Urner, Bookkeeping; New-Market Poly
iechuic school end karlInan's Business College.
Dr. Charles II. Chalkley, Chemistry; Rich
mond College and Medical College OF Virginia.
Dr. NJ. d. iioee Jr. Physics; hampden-sidncy
College and HeideibJrg.
". W. Barrow, Electricity; Yale College.
Fred Monahan Modelling; Royal Academy
q England.
Is the Virginia Mechanics Institute pre-
pared 10 give q course in technology. For
the third time-if not, why not!
POSSIBILITIES FOR GOOD.
The possibilities of the institute in the
way Of meeting the demand Of Virginia for
men who will give increased impulse 20 her
industrial development are only restricted
by lack of funds and lack Of room.
Of enthusiasm, zeal. intelligence. and
energy there is no lack on the part OF ofi-
GERS, teachers, or scholars.
At present the City Council gives the
institute $1,000 per annum. and any difcit
IN the matter Of meeting expenses has to
be made up from membership fees and
donations of friends. All matriculates are
members and pay 80 per annum as dues,
which entities them TO tuition.
IN 1885 the Council appropriated $4,000
10 the institute contingent upon the States
appropriatine 100000 to it. The Legisla-
ture, however, never made the appropria-
tlon.
The Arlington building contains fourteen
rooms. all of which are occupied by the
institute, but the cry is stlll Room
koOmin
Room" for more classes and room for
more apparatus
OCCUPATIONS or SCHOLARS.
i, has been stated that many of the
scholars have TO earn their bread by the
sweat Of their biows. The following Is %
classification of these toilers:
Plumbers, -; wood-workers, sash and blinds
a. 81; fresco~ paintersl; railroad carpenters, Z.
stone-cutters, Z (; machinisls and ron-workers.
GO; book-keepers, Q: printers. 8; ricxlayers, (;
workors- I; draughtsmen. z; photographers, I;
bag-severs,2 decorators, 2: furriers, painters,
]; civil sud elelecirical engineers, 2; Clerks.
In addition 70 these there are number OF
young clorks in the school
Men of this character are the foundation
stones Of the industrial structure.
Mchmond's material progress during the
last decade shows that che will need all
such men that Mechanics Institute can
instruct for years to come.
1HK CLASSES VISITED.
The citizen who has never visited the
Mechanics Institute when IL is in full blast
can by doing so learn good deal.
There is no trifing there. The work OF
the Mechanics Institute student is Sc
nous matter.
The young man who after day of hard
manual labor Is willing 10 devote to In
tense mental application two hours that
might be spent in pleasure or repose ID not
built on the tri1ing plan.
lie IL a pretty solid specimen
Look ut that young man 30 intent upon
his dFawing-board in the mechanical draw
tng-room. few hours ago he was in
greasy and begrimed overslls When he
entered the institute few months ago his