The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1901-09-26
OUR 1ECHNiCAL SCHOOLS.
They Furnish the Best Bridge Buiiders,
Tool Makers and Railway Constructors
in the World European Methods Have
been Adapted Rather than Adopted.


(From the Brooklyn Eagle)
Merchants and statesmen to-day con-
gratulate themselves upon the wonderful
spread Of this country's commerce Inc
greatest any nation has ever seen. But
| they do not, perhaps, realize that the ma
| ton has advanced in another way that IS
| POSSIBLY the true core of our national sue
| cess. This is the extraordinary advance
| in scientific learning, as SHOWN IN tne
universities, professional and technical
! schools and in everyday life. II this rapid
| moulding Of America into scientific ma
| ton does not fully account for the COM
! mercial victories, it has at all events con-
| tributed largely to them.
| So pronounced has been the development
| of these universities and schools that now
at the beginning of the century they sur
pass those Of Europe. And yet surpassed
| is by no means the right word. There Is
| no institution in Europe resembling them
or organized on quite the same plan. The
| scientific school of America in its grasp
Of what really constitutes practical, exten-
sve training has no counterpart II the
| world. 1t turns out scientists that are at
| the same time workmen OF the hlghest
type. The universities and technical
/ schools of England and the Continent, ex-
| cellent as many of them are, have not full
" caught the spirit and trend Of the time.
The tree of the new American scientific
education is being known by its fruit. II
has brought a new sort OF workman INTO
the field of labor, and European indus
try stands by, wondering why her repre-
| sentatives cannot do as Well.
| The explanation Of it Is all very simple,
| however American technical education
had its first beginning fifty years ago
| Within the past twenty-five years the sci
entific professional schools have been see
ing their true development. Now the COM
| bined results have become so great that
they are apparent all over the world.
| "The earliest technical schools" wrote
| Prof Mendenhall, president Of the Tech
nologlcal Institute Of Worcester, Mass, In
his monograph on Scientific. Technical
and Engineering Education In the Unlteu
States" prepared for the recent Paris Ex-
position, "those of hundred years ago
or more. almost without exception, grew
out of the industrial demands Of the local
ity in which they were founded. One OF
the best examples is the famous School OF
Mines, at Freiberg, which has enjoyed a
| long and illustrious career, and many OF
the earlier European schools belong TO the
same class. To these and the more mod
ern schools of science and TECHNOLOGY the
| United States are greatly Indebted, espe-
| cially on account Of the generous well
|
American students and for the inspiration
with which many Of them have returned
to take their part in the wonderful educa-
tional evolution which the last half cen
tury has witnessed.
"But in all cases European methods have
been adapted rather than adopted,
and while the nearly 100 schools Of science
and engineering scattered over the United
States have many points Of resemblance,
| there is much individuality, particularly
among the strongest and best, and 1t IS De-
| lieved that their several types represent
| important advances In the direction OF
scientific and technical education.
This matter Of scientific training FOR
youth, makes but a conservative, quiet
claim, though yet substantial one. He
| might have pointed to some OF the results
OF these ''believed to be important ad-
vances." American technical school grad
yates have come to be the bridge builders
OF the world. There are no steel makers,
no tool makers in Europe equal TO the
cool, keen young scientists IN american
shops and mills. Nor has the continent
and England such a race Of railway con-
struction engineers. Only this summer the
Massachusetts Institute Of Technology
held examinations in London for the young
Englishmeh of scientific tastes, who, to
learn what they wanted to At them Tor
the scientific world, found their only re-
course an American school And, IN tne
field Of medicine, four distinguished pnyA-
clans and surgeons. OF this country are
now touring the, world at the request OF
foreign doctors who are anxious to learn
| accurately Of the advances OF this orancn
OF the science in the New World.
Out of many significant instances these
have been picked The number might be
greatly added to-, with only the advantage
OF emphasizing the point. That which has
the most pronounced Is, however, the turn
ing Of the tide. Thirty years ago, anu even
well onto very recent years, the American
student of any kind Of science found 1t a
| part of his education to go to the schools
abroad for as long period as his pocket.
book could stand His education was not
thought complete till then. And 1t was
| not, for scientific training IN this country
was not formed. Now the student mas no
need to go. AS he takes his degree ne Is
far beyond what the schools OF Europe
teach. And year following year, IN IN
creasing numbers, young europeans are
coming over, here to. grasp the framing
that. our universities are giving and TO
| absorb the technique and the thorough
nracticalness that are making American
| scientists masters Of men.
Adapted" was the word Prof Menden-
hall used in speaking Of European meth
| DDS and the American universities, rather
than adopted" But 1t has been very much
more than that. Brushing traditions aside
these institutions Of learning went long
| ago to the root Of the matter. Year by
wear they have been building up their
! equipment, Strengthening their courses.
! Questions of finance and whether 1t would
all pay they have politely laughed at.
| Money was needed for this and for that.
| Well. the chiefs would see that !. was OBJ
| tanned. Machinery was necessary. At
| once the great manufacturers were laid
under contribution, and they sent as gifts
| machines worth thousands. -
The technical school presidents knew
how to arouse the sympathetic under
standing of men of means and fore
thought. Benefactors for this and for that
| crowded in,. their gifts were chronicled IN
the news of the day. commented upon as
| vast, the figures added up and admired.
| But no one saw the significance.
Year after year students came out OF
| courses Of engineering. Of medicine and
surgery, of chemistry, OF electricity, of
marine engineering, Of agriculture and
forestry and went into workaday lie.
L Il