Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-03-25
The following is the report:
Report of the Committee.

To the President and Board of Directors Of the
Pittsburg Exposition Society:
GENTLEMES-The committee appointed by
you to report on the matter of trades schools,
in submitting their report wish to say that
after a very careful inspection OF some of the
best schools in the land, and much information
gathered from other sources in Boston, New
York, Worcester and Brooklyn we are salts
fed that such education is desirable and poss-
bic; but as to how it should be carried out IN
the present financial condition of your assocla-
ton, your committee does not assume to point
out or suggest
Waiting your instructions we submit the fol-
lowing report:
True philanthropy helps the needy to help
themselves. Enforced idleness is one of the
great evils of the day. The youth of both
sexes who possess natural ability, both physical
and mental, should be so trained as to fully de-
velop that ability, that the idividual first and
the community next, should receive the full
benefit of such strength. The public school, as
now conducted, does not afford the remedy.
The knowledge of letters, good in its place."
does not qualify for the practical duties of the
masses.
The increasing millions in our cities without
opportunity TO cultivate the soil, must depend
on either common labor often oyercrowded
and always poorly paid, or on the know
ledge and application of some mechanical
occupation. For the latter there is no open
door. As a rule no possibility of training. A
very few are admitted to the trades. Another
few may by dint of application and pcrsever-
ance, by hook and crook, pick up imperfectly
such knowledge as Will enable them to 50 ueeze
through. But there is still a multitude left
helpless. lost for want of an opportunity. Such
has been the case and such it must continue to
be, until some well digested plan shall take
shape and come to the rescue.
Reforms the Result of Great Wrongs.
Great reforms are always the result of the
knowledge of great wrongs, and often come of
necessity more or less pressing. The foremost
thinkers of the day are earnestly at work to
devise some plan for the supply of this want
Among them is the system of schools of science
and arts, too high, too slow and too expensive
for the masses, but valuable as far as they 60
Next, and what seems pest to your committee
is the school Of trades" not necessarily con-
nected with any high school OF university
perhaps for the most common classes. better
separately. This simply calls for a suitable
low, cheap building, with rough workbenches,
forges tables. lathes, etc, with suitable tools
and implements for large classes. and each
trade to have one or more suitable instructors,
with blackboard. drawing Instruments blue |
prints. ETC., of the cheapest kind, raw materi- |
ais. wood, iro1, lead, paint bricks and mortar |
and other suitable material for boys. While |
for the girls the arrangement must be for such |
facilities and material will suit their trades
Needles, thread cloth, sewing machines type
writer's cooking apparatus and the like Add
to this the comforts of a lecture room, library
models and such other helps the founders
may feel able to prooure. The number of
trades can only be limited by the inability of
the directory to 60 farther. The common
trades should receive the first attention.
In the opinion of your committee such an en-
terDrise well conducted in our city would meet |
wiki public favor and gain strength with age
The fact that your board can supply valuable |
buildings, with, possibly, light, heat and power,
fram your own supply of gas, would be a valu- |
able start, which we believe can be supple |
mented with the necessary funds to begin on a |
plain scale.
This is not experiment, but is in full |
operation in several places both in this country |
and in Europe with highly satisfactory results |
In conclusion, we further believe that our |
great manufacturing city would be immensely |
benefited by such schools, by converting a |
now almost useless element into most valuable |
artisans ard workmen in our great factories. |
and At the same time confer lasting blessing
on large and helpless class of worthy citizens |
Of both sexes. Respectfully submitted.
WILLIAM MCCLEERY,
ID. c. RIPLEY,
Committee.
Heartily in Favor of the Scheme.
The Exchange discussed the proposition
fully, and quite number expressed them
selves as being heartily in favor of helping
TO establish the schools and accordingly
the Secretary was instructed to notify the
Exposition Society that whenever the latter
was ready to go ahead with the scheme the
latter would be ready to cooperate and do
anything in its power to make the enter
prise a success.
The Walton bill, No, go, known as the
mechanics lien bill, now before the Legis-
lature, was also discussed, and a motion to
] indorse it was passed unanimously This
is the bill being pushed by the Builders
Exchange of Philadelphia, and which
makes the contractor practical owner of the
ground upon which new buildings are to be
erected.
J. G. Snyder, representing the Building
Trades Council, who has been in Harris
burg for the last week working against the
bill, said last night he did not see how the
bill could pass, although he had heard the
of the Philadelphia Ex-
change say they would spend SO, 900 before
hey would see it defeated. Members of the
House think it is an unconstitutional meas
IRE, according to Mr.. Snyder.
There was no action taken by the Ex-
change on the eight-hour question.
INoCULATION is SUCCESSFUL