The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-10-19

| Only Coldiy dece1Veo, put Even
Opposed and Condemned by Bril-
liant Men-success of the Schools
and the Students Proves They
Were Entirely Amiss-Interesting
Figures Are Given.
On October the 18th. the international
| Correspondence Schools celebrated its
tenth anniversary. Ten years ago Mr.
Thomas Coates. of Peckville. Pa, en-
rolled as the first student of the schools
| and his enrolment marks the begin
ming of one Of the most successful car
GERS that has ever attended the launch
ing of any enterprise in our city or In
fact in any city in the United States
The growth of this institution from
October 10. 1891, to the present day. is
the greatest educational achievement
OF the century. In 1891. eight or nine
persons performed the work that now
| necessitates the services of an army of
800. and up to the present time A1 800
students have enrolled in the schools
When Mr.. Coates became u student
of the schools, the institution was
known as the Correspondence School
of Mines. giving instruction in coal
mining, and 1t is credit to this sys-
| TEN of education. which has grown and
| been perfected in such an eNtraordi-
nary manner, that the first student,
who at the time of his enrolment was
an ordinary coal miner. was enabled
by his course of study to secure the
t,ns ,r nil t,,f Mt n
| must be gratifying for the schools to be
able to state that thousands of their
students are filling important positions
in every line of industry and in every
quarter of the civilized world. Many OF
these students persevered in their stud
les and simply upon their own show
ing of Improvement and advancement
in technical knowledge secured higher
positions. while many others We're
placed in lucrative positions through
the agency of the schools.
IT'S EARLY RECEPTION.
When the schools started, no one had
any conception of the great success
that the future had in store for them.
1t was realized that there was broad
field for a correspondence institution on
ter. but it was such an entirely new
plan, such change from all accepted
methods of imparting knowledge that.
like the steam engine. the telephone.
the phonosraph. the telegraph and all
other nineteenth century inventions.
this idea of teaching by mail was at
first coldly received and even opposed
and condemned by men of brilliant ed
al
teal experience. Scepticism concern
ing the correspondence system of teach
ing was met with on all sides. but as
people became acquainted with the
work of the schools and We're brought
face TO face with the practical results
as shown by the advancement of ]. G..
s. students, the doubt as to the ability
to study and learn in this way grad
uallN disappeared, and many of the
doubling ones became students and en-
thusiastic advocates of the schools.
1t was not long after the Correspon-
dence School of Mines had been organ
lied when it was realized that there
was demand for technical education
in other lines, especially in mechanics,
and courses along these lines We're pre-
pared by competent engineers and
placed before the public. New studies
have been added so rapidly that at the
present time the schools curricula con-
s!st of nearly one hundred courses with
a number still in preparation.
The remarkable growth OF the
schools is due to a number of causes,
among which able business manage
ment plays an important part. The
results attained under the new system
was also one of the chief factors in
the development of the schools.
Through the instruction furnished,
carpenters became architects, machin-
lists became mechanical engineers. sur
Ncyors became civil engineers, electri-
cal workers became electrical engi-
neers. iremen and laborers became
steam engineers, while thousands of
others improved their prospects
through their studies. What may he
considered the prime cause of the
schools growth is the specially pre-
pared textbooks of the different
courses.
BOOKS WERE INADEQUATE.
Ordinary textbooks as prepared for
schools and colleges We're inadequate,
because ii was seen that instruction
by mail with the aid of such text
books was impracticable. 1t was nee
essary, therefore, to employ competent
persons 10 prepare special textbooks
for each course of study. To this end
the schools have devoted many years
of labor and have spent hundreds of
thousands of dollars for the purpose
of making these textbooks thoroughly
comprehensive and practical, so that
anybody with the ability to read and
write the English language could mas
ter any Of the schools courses.
TO the credit of the schools, it must
be said that there Is no institution of
learning in the world where more care
is taken with the pupil, or where more
rigid examination of each lesson as
worked out by the pupil Is made, and
where the requirements for passing
that lesson and for final examination
are so high. No pains are spared TO
make every student a credit To his
own efforts and the schools teaching.
Ten years ago the correspondence
school of Mines occupied two rooms IN
the Coal Exchange building OH Wyom-
ing avenue. Later this was increased
to twenty-four rooms. From time to
time additional offices We're occupied
in other buildings, until it became ap-
parent that the schools must have
home of their own, Plans We're ac-
cordingly prepared, and resulted in the
erection of the beautiful buildings
that grace Wyoming avenue.
These buildings We're no sooner oc-
cupied than il became evident that
even they We're not adequate to hold
the schools forces at its then rate of
expansion and they We're again obliged
10 resort 10 rented offices. The schools