The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-05-08


products astonish and delight the
world? Or the schools of Germany,
Belgium, or Posen? We have almost
nothing here to take their places.
We have in New York City such
schools, where for some years the
system has been followed of teaching
young men the manual and scientific
branches of their trade, and letting
them acquire experience and speed of
execution at real work after leaving
the school. In Chicago plumbing
school has existed for some wears, the
intention being to make trade school
instruction supplement workshop
practice, as is done in Europe. There
are a few Institutes of Technology
in the large cities, which, like the
Armour Institute in Chicago, cannot
take 1.-THE of those anxious to be-
come students. Manual training is
engrafted upon the public school
system of New York, Boston and
Philadelphia, and perhaps other
cities, and in many colleges. There
may be few scattered trade schools
here and there. But we think none
which are supported by public money.
Manual training is good beginning,
but it does not prepare boy for the
work by which he is to earn his liv
ing. This is what we need, and must
have, if we would not have our boys
join the great army of tramps, while
the places in the trades which they
should fill are taken by skilled work
men from the trade schools of Eu
rope.
Already many large firms must
send abroad for men to fill their best
paying positions. The Iron Age says:
"Some of our largest manufacturers,
who from their position would ap-
pear to be we'll equipped with tech
nical and practical stsff of the most
ample proportions, are constantly on
the lookout for men of ability and
practical and scientific knowledge to
fill positions of the character above
indicated" Commenting on this, the
New York Evening Post says: "The
dearth of qualified experts, and the
scarcity of skilled workmen in the
iron and steel trades are indications
at once of the new demand for more
efficient laborers, and of the opportu-
mites thus offered to the deserving"
Hon. VIM. T. Harris, Commissioner of
Education, says in his last report:
"Not Only are skilled workmen scarce,
but it seems that there is an absolute
dearth of qualified men to direct de-
partments in manufacturing estab-
lishments." This, when we have so
vast number of men seeking in vain
for work.
Of unskilled labor we have already
more than enough, and our American
boys should be given the training
which will enable them to ELL the best
positions in the world of labor. There
is no room at the bottom, we must
fit them for the top, which is never
crowded. They can rival the French
in art industry if they can be trained;
they can Guido the Germans in work
requiring scientific skill if they have
the training
We must see to it that such a
training is put within their reach.
Perhaps these trade schools must
first be- established by private enter
prise, and demonstrate their useful
ness. They would probably pay
from the start, for many parents
would sacrifice much to give their
boys a trade. Business colleges are
self-supporting, and trade schools
would soon become so. A training
school for domestic service is already
loudly called for in Chicago. Who
will inaugurate it?