The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-09-02
WORK OF RICHMOND BOYS.
What the Virginia Mechanics Institute Has
Done for Them.
MANY IRE HATRICULATING THIS YEAR.
Busy Scenes Now Around the Institution
The Prospects for tho Coming Session
Brighter than Ever.

One OF the busiest men In HlcnuOuu tnis
week is Captain Thomas Elicit. secretary OF
the Virginia Mechanics Institute. located at
COZ east Main street. He has matricuiated
over one hundred and fifty new scholars and
some Of the classes have their full quota.
and applications are being filed for the next
vacancies Up 10 yesterday the preference
was given TO the old scholars. but COM
mencing then all were put on the same foot
ing. One hundred and twenty OF tho old
scholars have fe-entered for another term.
The annual appropriation of $4,000 made
by the city Of Richmond 10 this institution IS
well spent and supplemented by the nominal
fee of SO paid by each matriculate does an
amount of good difficult to estimate.
The school will organize for work az the
close of this month. On the night OF the 29th
the school committee and the teachers Will
meet in conference and on the following night
all the scholars will report for organization
of classes and tho school will move oil tor the
work OF the coming session.
At the beginning Of the Institute the phi
mary classes were Oyercrowded and few enter
ed for the higher branches, but as time went
on the students mounted higher the ladder or
ambition and now the higher classes are
rapidly filing mp.
THE INSTRUCTORS.
The Institute has a magnificent set OF
instructors and its object, the promotion and
encouragement of manufactures, the me
chanic and useful arts. and the mental and
social Improvement of the industrial classes.
have all been richly realized in the fruits OF
the institution in the last seven years.
Many boy from the scaffold or the work
bench reared in poverty and illlteracy. but
with spark OF ambition brighter than his
fellow apprentices has slouched into this
building feeling the burden OF his awkward
ness and ignorance and lett il year or two
afterwards feeling himself man able to
grapple with the world. A few weeks and
his eye brishtens with intelligence,
his manners improve. be pays more
attention to his dress. his mechanical trade
opens up new life. where he could before
clumsily execute he can now originate ana
becomes foreman where he was once appren-
tice. He carries high his head aud feels that
life has something IN II.
This is the history of scores OF pupils from
this school
THE MATRICULATEs.
The matriculates come lartely from the
shops and the scafold. ana hitter working
hard all day attend the classes at night and
with instruments for the most part OF inferior
quality attain. in many instances. TO remarka-
bic proficiency in the mechanic arts. Many
boy has raised his prospects and his salary IN
the shop by single years study here.
While Captain Elicit was busy taking APP
plcati0ns Yesterday with boys Oh each side OF
him asking questions TINES reporter drop
ped in. and III the few minutes allotted nm
from the business IN hand. tried TO learn
something of the results of the work OF the
school.
Captain Elicit quickly told Of numerous
cases where boys without other advantages
rose by reason OF the knowledge gained at the
Institute to positions of trust and good pay.
A list of fourteen working boys who, when
they came TO school, won salaries amounting
TO 1902. 30 per month. after n course OF study
were able 10 take positions aggregating
II. 0).50 per month.
The work done by the class Of last October
in mechanical and other drawing. moulding,
carving, etc, as exhibited in the class rooms,
shows wonderful progress.
The career of many OF the pupils OF this
school cannot be followed. but they are met
with wherever the officers OF the school may
90 and refer with pride to the aid they re-
ceived at the Virginia Mechanics Institute.
NOTABLE CASE.
4 boy Of well TO do parents in this State
determined upon a mechanical calling IN OPP
pos itiOn 10 his fathers wishes ran away from
home and sought a position as brakeman on
a freight train. He soon became fireman and
3
sickness Of the engineer he took his place and
filled It so well that he was given an engine
OF his own. He IN short while reached
the highest point 20 be attained IN that line,
an engineer on a passenger locomotive.
His ambition unsatlshed he resigned and
sought position In the Richmond and Dan
Vile railroad shops in this city and while at
work as a machinist studied mechanical
drawing and other branches. lie is now head
draughtsman in the Danyille shops. inspector
of locomotives made for the Danyille system
at the Richmond Locomotive Works and in
structor of engineers in the air-brake system.
A boy who was working for .l0 per month
in an architects Office in this city, after two
years course. took a responsible position as
civil engineer in North Carolina which he
still holds
The head Of tho pattern shop NJ the Rich
mond Locomotive Works, was enabled by the
knowledge obtained al this school to take the
place when the former head returned 10
his home IN the North. leaving the shop with
out foreman in this department.
Another boy who took course in drawing
was appointed 70 a position with the Rich
mond and Danyille railroad IN North Caro-
lima. later was taken by the company TO
Washington and finally moved with the Office
10 Atlanta a few days ago when II was trans
ferred TO that city. His position as draughts
man il an important and lucrative one
So could cases be multiplied. These were
caught in a hurried conversation Of few
minutes The Virginia Mechanics Institute
Is q magnificent school. and ono IN which
Richmond should take great pride. The new
session will open with brighter prospects than
Iafn