The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-05-22

each OF their apprentices to this school
for a whole forenoon in every week, and
also 10 take turns in assisting In the work
OF teaching AS these lessons are given
every day from TO u O'Clock. each APP
prentice In Magdeburg gets four lessons
week. all bearing directly upon his future
work
Il believe il is impossible to conceive OF
anything more practical than the teaching
in these classes. Of which there are three.
as il Is a three years course. No ques-
ton is put no fact explained. no definition
given. and no drawing made, but has some
bearing upon either the materials or the
tools or the purpose OF the combined trades
mentioned above No step forward is ia
ken until the why and wherefore OF the
preceding step has been fully understood
by everyone in the class. And. as in all
schools Of like character. great stress Is
laid upon free hand d--wing. This is 10
give the young men not only all the tech
meal knowledge needed. but also to train
the eye and the mind in designing every
part of the various styles Of furniture. as
well as artistic decorations in wood carv-
ing and inlaid woodwork Such work.
when added to talent and diligence. must
lead to thoroughness and originality.
The young men In the last years course
were scattered all over the room, each
standing before a blackboard. engaged in
or some ornamental carving while the
teacher moved about examining the work
Upon enquiry. / was told that this was a
lesson reviewing in an objective way. the
oral instruction given by the teacher at
the last recitation | will add that every
student was given a different part of the
work so that no two of them had the same
drawing TO make.
There are only a few salarieG teachers
! employed while there are always several
! boss mechanics present as already stated
/ assisting in various ways This must be
| an excellent way for these men to get and
maintain the confidence and respect of
7 their apprentices; for when young people
! see that their masters are not only able to
| show them how to handle tools IN the work
shop but are also fully capable of instruct
/ ing them theoretically, IL cannot fail 10
| have a beneficial influence upon the rela-
! lions between the master and the appren-
| tees. Surely such teaching unites theory
and practice in a wonderfully complete
| way.
Il have already said that the boss me-
1 chanics in the cabnetmakers' trade union
| contribute their own time to the school
without any compensation, and also give
| each apprentice one full afternoon in every
/ week 20 attend the school. This is q great
sacrifice for most of them. Mr.. Kiefhaber,
the founder Of the school, for several years
not only devoted his own time TO this work.
but has paid most of the expenses himself.
! Surely not the least interesting feature of
/ this institution is its benevolent object of
| reaching young people from the humblest
walks of life, elevating and educating them
so as to make Of them good mechanics,
artisans, and citizens.
The attention of the Government both
municipal ard national, is now being called
! TO the Importance OF this work, and Il Is
| hoped that the institution will soon be
placed on sounder financial basis / have
no doubt that this school, if properly sup
ported and wisely conducted. will. in course
of time, build up In yasdeburg an Indus
| try which VIII give employment to hun
| dreds of artisans and mechanics, and brinE
renown to the city for its manufacture Of
fine and artistic furniture. as Dresden i:
noted fr its china ware, Munich for iti
works of art,-Lelpzig for being the great
book mart, and so forth.
Ito an American this school for appren-
tices at Magdeburg is interesting chiefly
because it again shows to what an extern
intellectual and technical training is car
rled on in this country, in order to achiev,
and maintain the foremost position in tn,
industrial world.