The leader., 1900-04-25
TEXTILE EDUCATION
THE PRESENT NEED
To Reap the Full Advantage Of Widen
ing Manufacture,
And the South Has Recognized the
Subjects Import
And Is Building Proper Schools
Throughout the Section,
So That Its Icons May be Properly
Guided Along by the
Wisest Lines.

lea now organized and IN operation or in
process Of organization. ! give below
the names of the schools, their locations,
and the names of those In charge at
each place:
First-The Philadelphia Textile School,
E. W. France. director, Philadelphia, Pa.
Second-The Lowell Textile School, w.
W. Crosby, director. Lowell, Mass
Third-The Clemson Textile School, ].
II. NJ. Beatty, director. Clemson College,
South Carolina.
Fourth-The New Bedford Textile
School; c. Z. Brooks, director, New Bed
Fifth-The A. French Textile School,
h{ s4RT n pSSe arS ca Atana G Ga
school,, G; T. Winston, president, Ra-
:, seventh-The Mississippi Textile
School; j. c. Hardy. president, Stark
Eighth-The Louisiana Industrial In
stitute, w. c. Robinson, president, Rus
ton, La.
OF these, 1t will be observed that two
re in New England, one in Pennsylya-
MA. and five in the south.
OF those in the south, the schools in
South Carolina and Georgia are In good
working order. Each of these schools
has special buildings, with equipments
In North Carolina a textile course has
been established at the Agricultural and
Mechanical College, but as yet there Is
are now in progress for the construction
and equipment Of a proper textile school
building during the summer, and its
equipment with machinery.
In Mississippi an appropriation OF
$4,000 is now available, and the con-
struction and equipment with machinery
OF textile school building is now In
progress; also necessary dormitories TO
90 4 nd
In Louisiana plans have been made for
a textile school building to be erected
at the Louisiana Industrial Institute. at
RustOn, and II is the purpose to try 20
erect the building this summer, to be
ready for the fall course.
Thus it will BE seen from the above
that fair start Is now just made In
the United States in the inauguration
arts. 1t is surprising that special edu-
cation in this department of Industrial
Development has been so long delayed
When II is considered that cotton Is the
interests Of the world, and that the great
bulk of the raw material Is raised and
furnished by the United States, this de-
fieeIcy in textile education becomes
still more surprising
In a number of other departments Of
industrial development the United States
has made as good progress in providing
systems of education as any other part
VI tue NblII III iue niulltL VI luii
roading. the various civil engineering
schools have been for a long time turn
ing out men who, after few years OF
practical experience or apprenticeship,
have made most excellent masters for
the construction and operation of rail
roads. The Polytechnic Institute, of
Troy. y. y. which was founded in 1870
has been most important factor in
educating a class of men who have de-
veoped the American railway system
on entirely original lines, and without
regard to the direction Of the develop
ment in Europe. The Pennsylvania Kali
road system has always had In Its ser
vice Il large number Of graduates from
this Institution, and President A. ]. Cas-
satt was educated there. as was also the
late president, Geo. b. Roberts AT
institutions which give full and excel
lent courses In civil engineering and
bridge building, and out of which many
of the very best>railway men of the coun-
try come 1t is notable, however. that
no school has yet developed a course of
study to train youth in the business
department OF railroadlng. freight and
passenger. The education given in the
maintenance of permanent way, building
bridges, motive power, and car equip
menf The whole traffic business must
be handled by men who are broken In,
those who have previously learned 1t
in the same way.
In metallurgy the development Of spe-
cial schools and special courses OF study
Columbia School of Mines is one Of the
schools that led in this development. The
result of this development has been.
total revolution OF the metallurgical In
formerly required enormous duties to
protect has been so totally revolution
lied as to be brought now to an export
basis, and American iron and steel has
been put in competition in all foreign
markets
The transition of this work from the
control Of the practical" or "self-made'
element to that of the technical element
the technical men had little or NO train.
ing or practical experience. At first 1t
was thought that education only was
wanted, but 1t transpired that the edu-
much as the practical man was defcient
In education 1t was the combination Of
the two that made men who were mas
ters of the manufacture Of steel and iron
In competition with those Of the masters
In the production Of cotton, also. very
few people have ever appreciated the
over the rest of the world is due to the
education and training Of those engaged
in directing the work. The ante bellum
cotton planter was. perhaps, one OF the
special occupation he was to pursue in
after life. He usually went to common
schools at home until he was 16 or IS
years of age. During his entire boyhood
served an apprenticeship at cotton plant
ing and all plantation work that really
gave an unsurpassed training. This was
an apprenticeship by force Of surround
much with with the negroes, and therefore
learned their characteristics. He rode
the mules and horses in wagons and
other ways. BY contact he learned
All this Constituted an apprenticeship in
boyhood days of the most superior sort.
Then at &c or 10 years of age he would
generally go to college. Graduating, he
tical fellow. who could take. charge Of
plantation at once. and direct II to
easy success Even II he did not go
to college. the common school education
a master Of the business Of planting cot
ton. Therefore, as In the case Of Ameri-
can success In railroading and metallur-
gy. so also American success IN cotton
practical training the planters got at
home. on the farms, in the home schools
and at college. This education has quail
fed the cotton farmer 70 know the I'm;
boards Of fertilizer control; experiment
been provided when necessary.
Our cotton manufacturing Industry Is
In Just about the same state now that
the steel Industry was before the es--
Enlistment of physical. chemical and
metallurgical laboratories at the Iron
and steel works. and the management
OF the operations Of the plants by men
Thoroughly qualified by both education
and training
Cotton manufacture Is In the same
state that cotton plS nting would be In
If we had no agricultural colleges. no