The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-09-23
INDUSTRIAL EDUCATION IN EUROPE
A Southern Man Studying 1t With View to
Making Practical Application Here
of the Methods There Followed.
VALUE OF SKILLED AND UNSKILLED LABOR

countries in order that we may, when
the proper time arrives, get such as
sistance as we need in training people
to manage our new manufacturing enter
prises.
What we need to do is to emulate the
virtues and accomplishments of the Euro
peans and reject their vices, for there
can be no question about the fact that
they have some qualities that we can
best dispense with. For instance, drink
ing is almost universal and / cannot be-
lieve that people whose brains are con-
star.ly stupetied by beer or more fiery
liquids of various kinds can from year to
year do as good and as satisfactory work
as those who have clear brains and
steady hands.
INCREASE IN MANUFACTURING.
In every locality throughout the South
there is material of one kind or another
that can be manufactured into articles
of use and beauty, thus increasing our
wealth and advancing our interests in
various ways.
The South is rapidly coming to the
front in farming and manufacturing.
What we need is to train our boys and
girls. Then they can and will do with
less efforts from five to ten times as
! much work as they are now doing. Prop
eriy trained, properly educated, we may
| not only do our work easily and WELL but
| have leisure for culture which should go
hand in hand with our work all through
life. In the advancement of the world S
work we will soon be called on for lead
| ership, and shall we prove unequal to the
demand?
l believe that a brighter and better
day is dawning for the South There is
no such thing as standing STILL we must
move either forward or turn backward
/ in the scale of civilization and by provid-
| ing for industrial training, for nature
! study, music, physical culture, etc, in all
! Of our schools throughout the land we
will be bringing our young people to a
higher standard of usefulness that will
| enable them ITO meet successfully the re-
| sponsibilities resting upon us.
| With the opening of the Nicaraguan
| Canal we will reach the markets of the
world with greater facility than we have
| done before.
| Indeed / venture to predict that this
| enterprise will mark a new era in the
| development of the South and we should
prepare ourselves for handling the in
creased amount of trade which is sure to
come.
AN INDUSTRIAL UNIVERSITY.
In order that we may prepare for the
| rapid and successful development of our
| manufacturing enterprises and take adj
vantage of the business opportunities
that are coming to our very doors we
need to properly train our boys for lead
| ership. l feel very confident that a large
proportion of the goods now manufac-
| tured in various countries and consumed
in America can be made at home at
lower prices, thus giving employment
to our own workmen. BY giving indus
trial training in cur elementary schools
both in the city and country, by having
in every State one or more well-equipped
textile or industrial institutions, to which
those who show an aptitude for the work
might be sent we would soon have d
large number of trained worKmen fitted
for varied spheres of usefulness. We
should also have located somewhere in
the South a great Industrial or Textile
University, well endowed, we'll equipped
for the teaching of teachers and it would
be necessary for us in building up such
an institution to secure the best talent
in the world for the directors and in
structors. ! am happy ito say there is a
movement on foot for the establishment
Of such an institution and / believe that
it will ultimately meet with success. In
advancing the cause of industrial educa-
ton we need the hearty and united CO.
operation of our best people and when we
begin to fully realize the importance of
education along new and advanced lines
we will surely find ways and means for
carrying out these ideas and plans and
| the United States will continue to move
to the front as she has been doing for
the past twenty years, and we will be
soon recognized everywhere as the lead
ers in education, art, science and indus
tries of every character.
Very respectfully yours,
B. #. JOHNSON.
80 Rue de Caumartin, Paris, France,
August 18th.