The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-06-16
SOCIOLOGICAL.
TRADE SCHOOLS


viding instructions in the rudiments of
various mechanical trades have been
in, successful operation In New York
city. When first established these
schools encountered a great deal of
opposition, but their enterprising
founder, approaching the urgent and
growing necessity for such institutions
to meet an ever-increasing demand
which could not be provided for in
any other way, persevered In the
undertaking. The schools grew stead
lily in public favor from year to year,
the attendance rapidly increased, and
the record of the work done in starting
young men on the way to become
skilled artisans long ago most amply
justified the enterprise. Hundreds of
youth who without this opportunity
would never have acquired the prac-
tical knowledge essential to an honor
able and Independent self-support, have
become skilled workmen in the trades
to which they were best adapted, COM
handing the best wages, with their
services constantly in demand. The
rolls of those who have gone through
these schools contain the names of
many who afterwards attained to posi-
tions of control and responsibility, and
not a few have become employers.
The success of the New York schools
has led to the establishment of similar
institutions elsewhere, with most salts
factory results. It is doubtless a ques-
ton of time only when the trade school
will be found in every considerable city
of the country.
1t should be understood that it is not
the aim of the trade school to turn out
full-fedged workmen. The student is
merely instructed in first principles,
but such instruction as he receives is
thorough and induces practical think
ing as. well as work. What he is re-
quired to do must be well done, and
he gets an idea at once of the most
expeditions and the most economical
way to do a certain work. Thus
equipped he is prepared to go into
the shop and become from the start a
useful and profitable employee, giving
comparatively little trouble in the
matter of instruction to his superior,
and the experience is that those who
go from the school to the shop gener-
ally make more rapid progress than
those who start in the shop. AS arule,
tho 1n1 "hN CrOOC f0 +roIn on0nnn
journeymen without any previous in
s%tructiOn labOrs under great disadvan-
tages. The men are not disposed to
show him even the simplest things,
and the employer or foreman rarely
has any time to spare for his instruc-
ton. In most cases the matter of
starting in a trade is a discouraging
undertaking. The youth who has had
the advantage of a trade school avoids
this experience. The old apprentice
ship system has passed away and in
all probability will never be revived.
But there is still a demand for skilled
workmen in all branches of industry,
and the question that becomes every
ySdl " O1SC4U 10, liz" OI0 UlICy W
be secured? Shall we continue to de-
pend on Europe for them, or shall a
way be provided to enable American
boys to become competent mechanics
and learn to respect such employment.
The professions are overlooking, and
while there is always at the top
there are extremely few who have the
ability to reach it. Women are con
tending for a place in all the lighter
classes of employment, and with
marked success. What are the tens
of thousands of young men who every
year step into the arena to battle for
existence to do if they are not per-
mitted to learn useful trades? The
question, as men everywhere who find
the fight for subsistence hard and I'm
certain will attest, is a most serious
and important one, and it is growing
more so year by year.-The Omaha
Bee.
MILLIONAIRES N THE PEOPLE"
The writer of the financial column in
the New York Sun sees no danger to
the Republic in the growth of great
fortunes. There is nothing in the situa-
ton, says this writer, to cause anv
anxiety on the part of the people, but
there is much that is calculated to
worry u rich men. We have over
estimated the evils of corruption and
bribery in public affairs, so far as our
wealthy men are concerned. The truth