New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-30
INDUSTRIAL EDUCiTION.

| The question Of technical education is rapidly
| rising TO rank among the uppermost of econom-
| cal importance i'm industrial and commercial
nations. In at least three European countries.
the foremost three, 1t has already attained high
est rank The easy supremacy OF France in 50
| many OF those occupations which are half art
| and half industry has long been recognized ny
judicions observers TO he due chiefly 10 the ex-
ceptlonay thorough systems Of apprenticeship
and instruction which there prevail. These sys-
TENS are practsed partly at Government ex-
pense in public schools for almost every public
school in France has its workshop attachment
and partly by private enterprise. In both
cases the end Is the same The girls learn mil
lnery. the boys Woodworking, or whatever
their chosen callings may be- in the most thor
ough and effective manner possible. All the
experience OF the past and all the attainments
of the present are brought TO bear TO make the
futures continued supremacy assured When
men speak of the genius or the knack OF French
artisans and artists they mean nothing but the
facile talent thus acquired through systematic
disciplined talent which no empirical essays,
save in rare cases of actual genius can ever
hope to rival
In England n somewhat different system has
prevailed a system Of apprenticeship and trad-
ton rather than of expert instruction Trade
methods have been handed down from father TO
son through many generations, each generation
adding little perhaps, to the achievements OF
its predecessor Novitlates In the trades have
been indenured strictly to terms of apprentice
ship sufficiently long TO insure proficiency be-
fore admission TO master-cra craftsmanship. These
characters methods have hitherto worked
we'll and have given to English Industries an
envable prominence for thoroughness ana
honesty Of workmanship. OF late years, how
ever British trade has found itself being ser-
ously competed with by that Of Germany. The
trademark Made in Germany" has become n
veritable bugbear TO the British manufacturer
and merchant At first the reason Of Germanys
successful rivalry was little understood. II IS
now perfectly plain. The British themselves
have come TO recognize it clearly. The Trlbune's
London correspondent in recent series OF let
ters set II forth with convincing ucidity. Ii is
simply this that Germany, largely under Gov
eminent patronage. has established such sys-
TEN of technical, industrial and commercial edll-
cation as Is even Appropriated TO nowhere else
in the world Almost every German city has at
least one fine institute Of technology, in which.
partly or wholly at public expense, German
youths are trained for industrial and commercial
pursuits as thoroughly as others are for the prac-
tice Of the learned professions
This means much to Great Britain for as we
have said, German trade IS in many directions
seriously encroachng upon hers But II Is also
something which not even America. remote and
distinct as II is from the European community
OF nations can afford 10 regard with entire in
difference If this country Is 10 reach and hold
such industrial and commercial rank as Nature
seems to have destined for IT, the educational
system must in one way or another bear sway
here. The method will. Of course, be somewhat
different from any in the Old World countries.
Their extreme paternalism IS not 10 he adopted
here II may be that States and cities will deem
It, however, as much their province to maintain
or encourage schools Of technology as schools
Of agriculture. and 1t may he that some measure
Of manual training Will be reckOned more profit
able in the common schools than useless and
worse than useless attempt to impart smatter-
ing Of alien tongues. But beyond all this pr |
vate munificence and private enterprise-even |
cool, calculating. commercial comnon-sense-
should presently provide the Nation with an |
ample array of trade schools. in which boys and |
girls may learn. at the best advantage, to excel |
in domestic industries and in competition in the |
markets Of the world. Brains count In business |
well as In the learned professions and that ma
ton which most practically recognizes and ap- |
plies the fact will lea1 the world in the march |
of material progress.