The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1897-11-04
AN FXPERTS OPINION.
The Importance Of u Textile School
to Clemson Collegc-Ncccssary and
Beneficial to tho South.

school, will be read with interest. The
subject being one OF great Importance
and now engaging the attention OF all
interested in the States industrial pro-
gress:
The question of tho advisability of
establishing some system OF technical
| education in connection with the tex.
tile industries of the South, to my
mind, requires no discussion. If tech
ntcal education is worth having at all, ,
1t is certainly required in a section of
the country where textile manufacture
| ing Is In its infancy, and where the
lack or skilled Overseers and superin.
tendents is felt more than in any other
manufacturing district.
! The manufacturers Nf New Erglaud
have realized the necessity for the es.
tablishment OF textile schools in their
midst, and | speak from personal
| knowledge OF both sections, when say
| that textile education is just rs neces-
sary, and will prove just as benc lical,
If not more so in the South than in the
North. The point to consider, there.
fore, is not the necessity, but the
expediency of establishing textile
schools, or classes. Probably the best
step that could be taken for the South
would be to establish a large and we'll
equipped cotton spinning and weaving
school in the centre of the district,
which has the most mills, but this
would require an expenditure of atol-
siderable sum OF money, not only for
equipment, but for maintenance after.
wards, as the school would not be self.
supporting in 1act to attain the
highest degree Of usefulness, textile
schools should give instruction at a
nominal fee.
At the present moment it is not ad-
visable to establish school OF this
kind, because in the first place it is
very doubtful whether the State legis-
latures are sufficiently alive to the
necessities Of technical education to
appropriate the necessary funds, and
in the second place, it is doubtful
whether the manufacturers themselves
would defray the cost OF equipping q
school.
In this present communication that
| is point for the trustees Of the col
lege and not for' me TO consider.
Another plan would be to organize
courses of instruction in each manu-
featuring centre utilizing one OF the
local mills as textile school and
using the reading room, which is often
found in u manufacturing community,
as a lecture room. | have no doub: as
|
struction, for tho classes would be un-
doubtcdly yell attended, but am very
doubtful as TO the utility of this plan.
There are very few qualified teachers
available, and these are mostly local
| superintendent Or Overseers who are
not desirOus OF cducnting young men
to step into higher positions (which
might bc their own). and thus g feet
ing OF jealousy might prcvent the inn
parting OF useful instruction. This
system might thus bring discredt on
textile technical education and iDJure
the movement in its favor whore =
as, ono pfopcrlyc quipped textile
school, would show the manufacturers
decided advantages through its estab-
| lishment in their midst. These local
schools ought to follow tho central
school and not pcecede it's establish
ment, II they conld be supplied with
travelling teachers from central
school situated in the same State and
act as feeders to this central school,
then they would be of use, otherwise
not.
Coming down to the details as to es
tablishing and equipping a school es-
tlmated to cost about $l5, 900, In tn.
trst place. l should not recommend
any instruction to be attempted, out.
eide of the manipulation of the cotton
EhbEc 1t would prove far. more salts
factory to establish and perfect depart.
| ments for the teachingrof cotton pick
ing, cardfng, spinning. and weaving;
| dyelng and finishing rather than. to
attempt. in the first instance TO teach
the Manufacture OF silk, wool or other
| llhres. o.; -. :s.':
=" Assume then .thatre cotton school
has been decided upon. should re-
commend. that both the manufacture
of the yarn and the manufacture OF
cloth should be taught. For certain
countries and certain sections OF the
country, I'should not recommend the
establishment Of the carding and spin.
ming department primarily, as the
weaving is the; most suitable to com
mence with, but in the cotton states,
| certainly feel that q school ought to
be started to give instruction in all
the processes from picking to cloth
| dying.
Estimating that the building would
cost So, 900, the most important cues
tion that arises afterwards is the
| equipment. c machinery. | have no
doubt but what this will be readily
procurable as q gift from tho various
| machin's's. In order to enlist the
| sympathies and assistance of tho ma.
chino makers, | should recommend
| that tho equipment be obtained from
as many different firms as possible,
one or two machines from each. OF
course wien the machinery has been
contributed, there still remains con-
siderable expense, such as the erection
OF the shafting, betting, the installa-
tlon of the motive power.
A further sum would be required for
| the equipment of lecture and class
rooms, for tho provision OF educational
apparatus, charts, diagrams and the
D. Eturnishing OF Offices, installation OF
fire protection and 80 on, so that $40,
600 would probably not go farther
than provide for the equipment OF q
school for tho teaching Of cotton pick.
ing, carding, spinning and spooling
warping weaving and fabric design.
ing. If any balance remains, it might
be used in putting in an experimental
dyeing plant. The college will un
doubtcdly already have the necessary
chemical laboratories. which could be
fused in connection with this dvcinp
plant. AS to the curriculum should
}recommcnd sectional plan of studies
as for example, q certain period to be
| 0pVntpD IN pntfnn pjnl/ inr,