New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-08-17
INDUSTRIAL GERMANY.
THE CENTRE OF THE HOSIERY TRADE
TECHNICAL AND COMMERCIAL
FDIvCATION

II
EDUCATION.
Chemnitz. July %.
1oyd Rosebery has been making n significant
csech on the decline Of British trade and the
LEARNING increase Of foreign competition. This
,s his own summary: Ever since the conquest
nv Germany of Austria she has silently and
quietly fitted herself for two great wars. one
81 them she has accomplished. This was the
Great war for the consolidation Of Germany.
Tns var which she is accomplishing. and which,
IN NV opinion is the only meritoricus war in
which any nation can engage. except under
nressure of necessity. is an industrial war. And
:, that l think and fear. though with the
,.sr,iest wishes for her welfare. that unless we
take precautions in time she is not unlikely to
cceed also" One Of the causes OF Germany's
,,.cess in Industrial warfare Lord Rosebery
,,h,sltatingly points out 1t is the superiority
:, her system OF technical education. AS IL was
~. educated soldier behind the needle-gun who
,on the campaigns with Austria and with
rance so Il is the trained workman who Is
,.,,ing for the conquest of the markets OF the
world
One Il forcibly reminded when he enters
Cbemnitz OF the means by which Germany has
been eouipping itself during the present genera
,ion FOR victory In the modern battle for mar
-. As he energies from the railway station
10 ,s confronted almost Immediately by the
Technical Schools Of the Saxon Government
7, ,s the only institution OF the town which is
worthy OF serious attention. Chemnitz is city
NTH a population Of over 10000, and one Of
,ba chief industrial centres of Germany; but
:. % DUH and disagree able place. with an at
,,osnhere fouled with smoke from hundreds OF
,oo,orv chiuneys and without attractions for
coil oh In
,ha schiller Platz and there is an old one Of
,ha fourteenth century near the Rathhaus in
the Bauptmarkt; and there is a restaurant
u,,b shaded grounds where there was once
Rsnedictne abbey; but this meagre summary
exhausts the list Of interesting buildings.
CAernnitz is a grmy town. where there are no
neasant streets no impressive monuments and
buildings no picturesque corners and no sources
NJ recreation and amusement One may make
the rounds Of it's busy streets and complete the
circuit In its suburbs but until he returns to the
technical schools he will find nothing except
factories and warehouses that is significant OF
the real industrial progress of the town. There
Is a higher trade institute where 500 pupils are
educated every year for factory work or for
commercial careers, and there are weaving
schools where the characteristic occupations
OF the town are scientifically taught
INDUSTRIES IN CHEMNITz
The chief industry Of Chennitz is hosiery
cotton. silk and woollen. Underwear gloves OF
all kinds linens. dressgoods. trimmings ana
woollen goods are also manufactured on large
scale Weaving is the principal OCCUR alton or
the working people, and it is carried on not
only in the town factories but also IN the
farnbouses and cottages in the adjacent dis
here a farmers
Chenonitz. when the produce of the home looms
&c delivered at the manufacturers warehouses
aud maid for and when fresh orders for Work
are given out; but ordinarily the extent 10
which this industry is conducted out OF town Is
not apparent II provides remunerative occupa-
ton for town and country alike. and the better
the workman the greater will be his earnings
The weaving schools supply the teoAhlca' III
struction required for converting lnoiileren'
workuen into expert weavers. The course COW
o-s single wear and includes drawing, design
,np and practice with different patterns ana
looms These weaving schools are fouhd
throughout saxony. and are operating 70 IN
crease the efficiency Of labor in that great hlVe
OF textile workers. Technical schools. ike the
1s,ober Trade Institute pro-i1e si-'ilar instruc-
tion in the technique Of nearly ever estabhshed
trade At low cost Of tuition. for such schools
means Of earning living as an expert work
man is supplied to every pupil who has the
ratience 10 persevere in learning trade
There are evening as well as day classes, and
,hera are ample facilities afforded for com
rnercal education.
Elementary instruction throughout Germany is
co,,,rlsorv. and carries boys and girls to the age
y, fourteen II opens the way for secondary ecu-
cation in the gymnasium and for higher educa-
,o, IN universities and science schools, and hnal-
y. in the polytechnic schools, which are acmlra-
brv APPOINTED for advanced technical instruction
:, all the arts There is no country in the
World however where education is conduct
a IN a more practical and democratic
sniri, than IN Germany. AS these second
arv and higher institutions are beyond the
reach OF farmers and artisans children lower
grade ~ technical and commercial instruction Is
suppljed for their benefit. and 1t is operating 10
train the working classes in Industrial pursuits
and 70 ground them in the principles OF prac'ical
science When Lord Rosebery asserts that Ger
many has been fitting itself by the best system OF
technical education in the world. except perhaps
the Swiss system. 70 be great Industrial nation
he only repeats a truth which mas peen eiIphd-
sized by members Of the British and American
consular services during the last twenty years
Mr.. j. &. Monogram, lIe eIHOIclA' @1'''~"-
sui 81 Chernnitz. has borne frequent testimony to
the thorouehness Of this technical training, ana
70 the necessity for the adoption Of similar sys-
TEN in the United States If American labor is to
retain its old time superiority II technical edu-
cation is not yet compulsory in Germany as ele-
mentary education is. it is rapidly becoming IN
dispensabe as means Of improving the conoi-
ton Of the people and Of enabling young men ana
women 10 get on in the world.
GERMAN COMMERCIAL TRAINING.
While technical education is PROFESSIONALLY
OF the causes Of the industrial progress OF
Germany, It is not the only one. The commercial
schools doing almost as great work as the