The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-07-03
Technical Education.

To the EDITOR OF lne russ
Ebony. Texas. June 2s.-In the sweat
of thy brow shalt thou eat bread, was the
judgment pronounced at the fall OF man
and the education that ignores or seeks 70
avoid this law is wrong
Normally. mentally and physically
what right have we to reap where we diu
not SOW? To eat in ldleness the oread
provided by another's toll? Is not that
young man who comes from school pre-
pared to at once take Zip the active duties
of life stronger morally than the one VINO
knows nothing. or at the most. but very
little of any kind of work by which he
can maintain himself? Is not the self
reliance that comes of knowing tnat ne
Is capable OF holding his own IN tho oatIls
of life one OF the strongest buiwarks oil
| his moral character!
We know that there has been hue and
cry raised about the unitarian slae Oh
! Industrial training" and about the Bread
and Butter Brigade" but the Unitarian
and bread and butter brigades are after
all. those who make it possible for the
rest OF humanity to exist.
| The combination of physical and intel
| lectual training Is absolutely necessary.
Without the one the other is more than a
| possible failure
The thought and application necessary
to produce satisfactory results. the sue
cess consequent upon honest, careful en-
deayor, the ease with which industrla!
and class attention is secured and re-
tslned, the ''class emulation" its apparent
good effects in the purely mental work all
combine to make this one of the greatest
OF educational forces.
The old saying of "a sound mind In the
sound body is of as much force today as
when 1t was first uttered. If the wealthy,
complaining dyspeptic is capable OF doing
any moral or mental good in the world
what would be the measure of his capa-
bility If he was in the fullest possession
OF physical and mental strength?
We hear a great many arguments
against manual training They think be-
cause instruction is given in the use OF
tools it means the teaching OF trades.
True, but with it we have physical de-
velopment and a great combination Of
ideas. This class of education will do
more TO prevent the existence of that dread
disease, consumption. in our land than
all other means combined.
The study of books is excellent, but the
study Of things most excellent. The
thought required to comprehend a book is
not equal 10 the thought required to pro-
duce 1t. There are better ways than the
printed page of expressing thought. The
thought necessary to bring the printing
press, the steam engine. the electric tele- 1
graph and u host OF kindred appliances to
their present state of perfection has been
greater and has done more 10 civilIze the /
world than all the thought ever expended /
in the comprehension Of books, describ-
Ing them. You may know by note all the
books written descriptive of the locomo-
tive engine and have never seen or handled
one You do not know what a locomotive
engine is. Why spend time studying books
when the things themselves may be had (?
Educational work has a tendency OF be-
ing heavy-to stand the pyramid on it's
apex instead of its base---to educate the
mind to the point of exhaustion-to the
detriment OF both mental and physical
powers.
How often do We see an ambitious
youth who has been pushed to his utmost
capacity during his school life. having
an overstimulated, abnormally developed
brain, coupled with a puny. undeveIoped
body, in whose school experience every
effort is directed TO the further develop
ment of precocious and unusually active
mind, while nothing is done 10 propor-
tionately strengthen the physical powers
already oVertaxed to supply the vital
forces?
Not having been trained to physical ex-
erclse, 1t is distasteful to him, or he has
not time consequently 1t is neglected. and
ne racks the vitality TO rest, and life of
such rare promise Is cut short. or the
overworked brain refusing longer to re-
spond, settles into state of apathy. and
the brilliant student becomes Law figure.
me rocket has reached its highest flight
and we see the falling stick.
IN every school in the State especially
~ cue towns ana cities. a certain amount
81 systematic gymnastic exercise should
pc part of the daily programme
would not, by any means roetr,ot ,ha
oehehts OF such training to boys alone !
,iris should have equal opportunities. We {
IAN not too forcibly emphasize the yalne !
u such physical exercise. especially IN j
lelicate girls. 10 a
Many people talk OF the honora bIsness 4
y labor and at the same time tbav ,,ens s
iIousiy avoid doing anything thai vii, h
oushfn their hands. Man does NOT Gle d
,ate labor; IL is the labor that elev,tes
ne man The fame of Hugh Miller ss S
'suloslst IS aii the greater fer his having d
' n,oh an humble quarryman. What might b
nd Mn .n as wait, Stephenson. Franklin d
' az, Morse have been had they had me
'uVahtages OF a scientific ednc.tio, nc q,
heir youth? euos'ion IN =,
a ne hasrieuiturai and Mechanical college Il
. ~ az HpnoT 10 this State and n bIessinn c;
ti,,, te ISins generation. May such i'm al
,tsns'ons multiply until there Is one In h
Nr,y congressional district. iu Y
me future OF Industrial odro..t. :. q,
enas not upon those who have .r, ee- S
y theoretically pushed its fortuna "a, Lar N
pon every fellow-cltizen whose goos , ou W
o' SsNea 70 Cooperate with those who b a te
M he ,he neat and burdens Of the a., 10
a mSs sucn hearty Cooperation as !, u S IN
laus,r, wI'i . come We all. who believe in q
ect. r. q '1WgeaIlan, may confidently ex- in
W. hutchisop. BIS. Me. pc
---7s's--------.- nc
~. os'mnsters' Convention. ST
,,, ,ohowing invitation has been re-.