The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1901-01-26
TECHNICAL SCHOOLS.


the advantages of technical education in the
State University at Baton Rouge and in the
Ruston Industrial Institute, it should not be
forgotten that all the world elsewhere is
enjoying the same advantages, and that it
becomes imperative for us in Louisiana to
keep pace with the rest of the world or else
lose our place therein. We are led to these
reflections by reading descriptive article
concerning technical instruction in Queens
land, that thriving English Australian col
ony, where they are doing things in the Eng
lish way, improved by American enterprise
and energy.
The Brisbane Technical College has about
1900 male and female students studying in
day and night classes, all of whom
deavoring to avail themselves of the excel
lent education that now becomes possible TO
them. All this should be very suggestive to
in Louisiana, and we trust that the youth
of this State and of the other Gulf States
will avail themselves of the technical edaca
ton now SO readily secured in our splendid
educational institutions Farmer.
Technical or industrial education
has been much neglected in the
United States, particularly in the
South In the older countries it has
long been the policy to give child
not only literary education, but a
trade or profession.
A boy may graduate from college,
though poorly equipped to earn a
livelihood. The education ordina-
rily acquired in the colleges or aced
emies in this country does not always
give one a means of making living.
Not infrequently men who are highly
educated fail to achieve even the
smallest measure of success, because
OF their inability to put into practi-
cal use what they have learned at
school; hence the great necessity Of
educating the hand as we'll as the
head. A famous English author has
we'll said that between wife who
could play on the piano and one who
could cook good soup he would
unhes,tatingiy choose the latter. That
he was wise in his choice no sensible
victuais are tar more necessary to the
happiness and well being Of the av
erage husband than the most classical
music. The reasons which guided
the Englishman in his choice Of a
better half would no doubt induce a
sensible woman to first ascertain a
mans earning capacity before giving
serious consideration to his matri-
monial proposition. We dare Say
that the applicants ability t. speak
Latin or Greek would cut little figur t
in the transaction. The world is be-
coming more and more practical
every day, and that man who can
and knows how to wo.k is in de-
mand
Parents who have the welfare of
their children at heart should not
fail to appreciate the importance of
that technical instruction which fits
the young man or woman to enter
upoa the serious duties of life. Many
young men leave college and are
thrown out into the world practically
helpless, unable to successfully cope
with the stern realities Of the active
struggle for supremacy which follows
the scholastic period. Not SO with
the young fellow who has attended
an industrial institute. While acquir-
ing an education he has been quietly
devoting portion Of his time toward
the training of his hands, and when
he goes out into the world to battle
| for an existence, his services are in
demand, and he is spared the humil
iating predicament in which his edu-
Gated, but tradeless, brother generally
finds himself.
Impressed with the necessity of
technical instruction, the people Of
the parish Of Lafay cite have given
over $4,000 for the establish men t
Of the Southwestern Louisiana In
dustrial Institute at this place. The
main building, which is about COM
pleted, is one Of the handsomest
structures of it's kind in the South.
In giving this large amount the peo-
pie of Lafayette have conferred an
inestimable boon upon the youth of