Washington sentinel., 1900-06-02
E>.TT> TT SENTINEL
TRADE HINTS FROM OUR
cONSULS ABROAD.

CABINET MAKING SCHOOL AT
MAGDEBURG. - The consular re-
ports OF late years, says Henry w.
Diedrichs, United States Consul at
Bremen, contain a vast amount Of
information on the subject OF tech
nical and industrial schools IN
Europe, and they clearly show that
Germany easily takes the lead in
this line. by annually appropriat-
ing large sums OF money for in
struction in almost every art and
industry. It is generally recog.
nized that commercial progress
throughout this country depends
largely upon the condition OF
technical education, Outside of
the ma ny schools for agriculture
and commerce, the system OF spe-
cial schools for other purposes is
wonderfully complete, The taIlors,
the painters, the shoemakers, the
bakers, the smiths, the brewers,
the butchers-each trade has its
schools ior theoretical and practi-
cal training.
recently discovered at Magde-
burg a school that reused my in
terest to a unusual degree. Though
somewhat familiar with educa-
tional work done in this country,
and also with its technical schools,
I had never yet seen such an insti-
tuition. 1t seemed admrable-So
much so that l deem it my duty
to call attention to it, as it may in
terest others. There is no impos-
ing architecture OF any kind; no
lecture halls, no chapel, no mu-
scum, no gymnasium, no campus;
there are only half dozen rooms
on the top floor Of a four story
building in narrow side street.
IL has no faculty OF brilliant schol-
ars, but only few devoted men.
There is no liberal endowment by
millionaire philanthropists. but a
scant support from the Govern
ment, hardly suffi=ient, / was told,
to keep body and soul oil the insti-
tuition together.
The school was founded by a
Mr.. Kisihaber, a citizen of Magde
burg-a plain mechanic, a cabinet
maker, but a genius at his trade.
Alter having been prosperous in
business, he wished to aid young
men apprenticed to the trade Of
furniture making and carving in
his native town,
Under Prussian laws youth who,
after having passed through the
public schools, intend to learn a
trade are required to continue at
tending some school for some
nights during the week and for two
hours on Sunday. Such schools
are called "Fortbildungs-S s-Shulen,"
a significant but uutranslatable
term signifying a school where the
education is to be continued. Mr..
Kieihaber had, through his own
long experience, become convinced
that such schools could not accom-
plish this purpose satisfactorily, be-
cause boys at the age Of from II
to II, alter having been hard at
work all day long, can not be IN a
condition either physically or men.
tally, to attend school for hours
with any benefit TO themselves.
He therefore conceived the idea Of
establishing the school above re-
ierred to. To accomplish his OBJ
ject, however, he needed the as
sistance OF the Madgeburg union
in the line of cabinetmaking, carv-
ing. and sculpturing. Their COOP
Grafton was granted him to the
fullest extent. All the boss mech
anics ot the cabinetmakers, though
most OF them are men without
means, and therefore can i'll afford
to lose even time, agreed to send
each Of their apprentices to this
school for a whole forenoon in
every week, and also TO take turns
in assisting in the work OF teach
ing. AS these lessons are gwen
every day from 8 to II o'clock,
each apprentice in Madpeburg
gets four lessons a week, all bear
ing directly upon his future work.
l believe it is impossible to con-
ceiVe Of anything more practical
than the teaching in these classes,
of which there are three, as IL is a
three years course. No question
is put, no fact unexplained, no