The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-05-08
MUCH INTEREST
Manifested in Organization
Of Technical School.
Enthusiastic Meeting to Forward
Plans Held Last Night.
Committee Was Appointed to Take Some
Action Ia Regard to the Matter.

A meeting was held last evening in the
hall of the Young Mems Christian Asso-
! citation for the purpose OF discussing plans
and taking steps for the establishment OF
| technical training school In this city.
| The meeting was very interesting, and 1t
was apparent that the employees took
| fully as much interest in the plan as their
employers for the representation of promi-
nent manufacturers, and men with monied
interests was larger than the attendance
OF those for whom the plan is intended
| principally to benefit.
Among the prominent men present were
William r. Sayles, Henry F. jerks, ex-
Gov. Stearns, Henry B. Metcalf, Gilman G.
| Fisher, Superintendent of Schools; James
r. MacColl, William NJ. Coop, Erving Y.
| Woolley and James Fallon, Secretary of
| the Mule Spinners' Association.
The meeting was called to order by
| Elisha Winters Of Boston shortly after s
| o'clock. Mr.. Winters said in introduc-
tion that the meeting was called In re-
| sponse to general request made by the
| president of the Cotton Manufacturers
| Association at the convention Of that body
recently held in Boston. He said that
capital and labor represented two distinct
| conditions of trade, and 1t was necessary
that they come closer together in order to
uphold the textile supremacy of New
| England.
"Others considered that the question was
! as yet long way of, and one for the con-
sideration of the next generation" In
contradiction of this fact the speaker re-
fsrred to the present conditions existing
in England, and her neglected and lost,
| industries and commerce. SIN New Eng
land it had been considered that the Al
mighty had given New England the
supremacy in textile industries. This
idea had been prevalent for some years, but
the South was beginning to become an
| important factor, and last year the South
| had handled over one million bales of cot
| ton, or more than one-third of the cotton
produced in the country.
1.-THE meeting was one Of capital and
labor, by union strength was obtained.
| In technical education, labor and capital
could meet and combine. In the past
| there had been differences" and the
! speaker presumed there always would be
| to more or less extent. "There was need
| of a better feeling between capital and
| labor"
The speaker then declared the meeting
| open, Gilman e. Fisher was unanimously
| chosen chairman. Mr.. Winters was then
elected secretary. Mr.. Fisher after brief
| remarks regarding the object of the meet
| ing said it gave him great pleasure to in
| troduce ID. +. Graham, Superintendent OF
| the Young Mems Christian Association
international Training School of Spring
| field, Mass, and Mr.. Fisher believed the
| only school of its kind in the world.
| Mr.. Graham proved very entertaining
| speaker, and was listened to with close at
| tention throughout his remarks. The
speaker illustrated his remarks with a
number of charts, which gave his hearers
| very accurate idea of the comparisons
| which Mr.. Graham desired to draw. The
gentleman said in part:
''The idea of technical training origi-
mated In the Y. Nj. c. A., and the charts
| will show are intended for that work, and
therefore not entirely adapted to the sub
| ject under consideration, but think you
| can secure q number Of valuable ideas from
the comparison shown. The first chart
shows that 20 per cent. of the population,
male population, are young men. You
will TINS appreciate the fact that % per
| cent. of the above classes need industrial
training.
| "A word regarding the value Of an edu-
cation. OF our Presidents, Senators and
Congressman, 81 per cent. are college grad
yates. One-third of the successful busi-
ness men are college graduates. think
| this proves that an education pays. Re-
| garding the earnings of the employed of
the country: Five per cent. receive over
$4,000, IL per cent. between $500 and 5000,
% per cent. between $1,000 and $500, and
5S per cent. or more than half less than
$1,000.
| "The probabilities of success arc in favor
| of the educated man." Mr.. Graham then
gave several examples OF the benefits re-
| ceived from education by men he had
known and who attended the Y. M. G. A.
training schools. Many young men had
been benefited, and the speaker told OF a
man who had taken up the course OF In.
struction at the age OF 4S and had been
much benefited thereby. Better educated
mechanics must be obtained IL the people
| of section desired to get aheid.
| Mr.. Graham was heartily applauded as
he took his seat.
| The next speaker was Charles Wilkinson,
formerly OF Oldham, England, but now an
expert machinist of Fall River. Mr.. Will
kinson was cor iially received, and his re-
marks were very entertaining and related
| to the conditions that existed in England
| In his boyhood. He was In favor Of work
| ingmen being allowed to visit large plants
and factories for education.
| The starting Of q technical or training
school In any section would, In his opin-
ion, result in great benefit, both to the
owners of mills and their employees. He
hoped the plan would be adopted in Paw
tucket. In closing, the speaker related
many incidents that had come under his
' observation, where men had been advances