The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-07-05

road officers as young men Of superior
ability, and. it seems to me, would be
promoted to higher positions as their
work and application to business fit
them, and very young men above al
luded to who have now to depend on
their fathers and cousins and uncles
70 obtain position would be in the
line OF promotion, and although favor.
itism might be shown them, still it
would not be so glazing. as is now only
TOO often the case, for stockholders in
railroad companies who perhaps would
nave their own sons graduate in such n
school, would demand that the merits of
their sons should be recognized.
NOW, In regard to the details OF this
schooi In the first place young men
snould be examined physically. The
near-slghted, the consumptives and all
Others not physically able, should not
DC allowed to enter the school, as nv
loea would DO to educate railroad men,
not stockings of railroad officials. The
school might be NAL e to consist of n
preparatory school for boys and Young
men in which all tho elementary
sciences are taught in connection with
ngllsh, particular attention being
pail to writing and spelling
l mention particularly writing and
good spelleng. Many OF this asse mbly
may ask the reason why? II, as no
doubt some OF you gentlemen present
here who have had the Same experience
as l have had in the twenty years in
which have been connected with rail-
roads, some OF the letters of applica-
lions received from graduates of high
sounding colleges could be reprodu ced
TO you right now, giving n fac smile of
the hand writing, you would be amazed.
Inc same thing would be if you would
nave reproduced TO you some OF their
spelling, such things as engineer
corpse" seeking employment in the
chain gang for start in enginecrir
eXperlnce," etc etc, are Of frcouent
occurrence.
10 draw comparison between
SCHOOLS and schools, IL l may DO al
lowed to do SO, and in do
ing so | trust that 1 may not be
thought as transgresSing too much, il a
young man who desires to graduate in
one OF the German gymnasiums (you
are all perhaps familiar with this nancy
and In case this young man misspells
one word in his German essay, he can
not graduate and is put off for another
year. Now this may appear as. too strict
requirements, particularly ii you will
remember that to spell German words
is harder than English, but ONLY by
these means the Germans have obtained
their reputation for thoroIghness and
their reputation as scholars, which |
say with due respect OF the attainments
of American graduates OF colleges
have gone perhaps more into the de-
tails than at present might be necessary
ana Will not weary you any longer with
this part of my ideas. will add only
this, that in establishing preliminary
school for young men, say up to twenty
years OF age, you can in this school teach
shorthand writing, typcwriting, teleg-
raphy, train despatching, general rail
ROAD bookkeeping, etc. ETC.. besides any
other branches of science which might
be selected
This preparatory school woold fit
every young man who would graduate
to Ill himself for such positions as clerk,
oookkeeper, telegraphcr, shorthand
writer, etc, etc.
The second part OF the school would
consist OF engineering. particularly
adapted to railroad engineering, such as
maintenance Of track, location OF line.
typographical studies, etc etc. Me.
chanical engineering, theoretical and
practical, chemistry, physics, railroad
laws, auditing department, trans porta-
non department, motive power depart
ment and experimental and testing de-
partment, such as iron tests, cement
tests, etc. ETC., and also in connection
with this any other branches of sciences
which 1T may be thought best to
teach always. however, having in
view this particular object of
railroad Instructions; Of course, con.
nected with all this instructions in phy-
steal exercise.
"A II may be questioned WHY paper
like this should be read by n society of
civil engineers, and in answer | would
say that the engineering department of
Il railroad is the one which starts n rail.
road, and If the railroads of this country
take up this question Of Il national rail.
roaa school IL is sure to succeed. do
not know the number Of civil engineers
who belong to the different societles of
this country, but their numbers are
thousands. many OF them having sons
whom they desire to follow in their
fathers footsteps, just the same as a
father who is ply stefan or LAWYER
desires his son 10 follow his profession.
The railroads of this country being
ali powerful. the men who are at the
head OF these institutions should be
educated for their work, and the only
way to educate them for it is by estab.
lishing school, especially adapted for
this purpose, the same rs the foreign
governments have established schools
to train young men for the government
service.
Such school once established would
without doubt gain continuously in favor
and would soon obtain not only a
national but worldwide reputa tion.
l have thus given you an outline of
what think would be the requirements
OF such a school. answering the cues.
tions which would naturally arise n the
minds OF many, as TO how the funds for
an lnSti .utiQn of This hind Il