The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-12-19
FOR A1ECHNICAL SCHOOL.

A meeting Of score or more gentlemen
animated by an earnest purpose, at the
Narragansett Saturday evening, called
attention TO IA project of the greatest i'm
portance TO this city and State. The
gentlemen were representatives OF com
mittees that had been appointed by the
business mems organizations OF several
cities and towns to see what can probably
be done to establish permanent exhibi.
tion OF the manufactures of the State,
and ultimately technical school.
There was not very much business OF
interest or importance to the public tran
sacted, but it was made evident that the
work Of testing the public's disposition
toward the project will be carried on with
industry and enthusiasm until the pur-
pose of the corporation is accomplished
The chief business Of the meeting was to
hear reports of iadiridpals and -snb-com--
mittees that had been delegated TO ascer-
tain the sentiment OF some of the lead
ing citizens Of the State. These reports
were. on the whole, as encouraging as
could be expected, and served to practic al
have already worked about two years 10
bring about the exhibition and school
scheme, that their labors have borne the
good fruit of favorable public sentiment
aroused. and that what is needed now is
continued, systematic and skillful work
to assure ultimate success
The general tone of the reports and the
discussion was hopeful. IL is to be re-
membered that the corporation has
scarcely got beyond the point of deciding
that the project is desirable and feasible.
There has been scarcely any earnest at
tempt to secure the needed funds to
launch the enterprise, yet considerable
proportion Of what is required has been
substantially subscribed. There has as
yet been no definite decision relative To
methods, and perhaps not scheme of
what is desired to accomplish of enough
definiteness to attract financial support
To wide-awake manufacturers. or TO
ambitious young men who are desirous
of making their way in the world, it is
unnecessary to allude to the immense ad
vantages that will flow from such tech
nical school as is proposed. III it were to
direct its labors, and adopt methods, to-
ward the affording of technical education
in the line required by the great textile
industries that are the bone of our manu-
featuring system, 1t is apparent that this
State could be made to take aud keep
foremost position in the world of manu-
featuring.
1t is probable that the urgency OF the
need of skilled labor in the great textile
factories OF Rhode Island Is not fully re-
allied by many OF the manufacturers
themselves. 1t certainly is not by the
people at large Statements made by lib
eral-minded men, who are familiar with
the tremendous advantages the mills of
England enjoy because of the technical
schools every town, almost, sustains, are
absolutely startling. 1t appears that it
is practically impossible TO gain a knowl-
edge of the technique of the cotton or
worsted manufacturing in this state.
though almost every square mile of our
t.rritory has its large modern and success
ful mill The experts who operate these
mills come from abroad, where they were
educated in the technical schools, to an
extent altogether too large.
IL is said TO be impossible to thoroughly
educate young man in the business of
manufacturing in "A mill The system
employed is all against it. and the di-
vision OF responsibility among several
superintendents, bosses. second-hands,
etc. Is unfavorable TO it. Petty jeal-
ousies aud stupid resolve not to "giye
away" secrets that assure these small
autocrats in their positions impel them
TO refuse or neglect TO teach. The inevt-
able result is that, whatever may be the
disposition OF the owners, the agent or
the general superintendent of mill, il is
impossible to teach young men its bust
ness In it.
This condition not only debars our
. young men from learning aud following
useful and profitable pursuits aud com
'b>ls the manufactures 20 draw their
ezperts from the reservoirs created by the
kchnical schools Of the textile disiricIs
, England. but Is a very serious present
handicap TO our great staple manufactur-
ing enterprises and very serious menace
10 their future
II would be scarcely profitable to dis