Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1901-09-25
QUE 1ECHNICAL SCHOOLS.
They Furnish the Best Bridge Huilders'
Tool Makers and Railway Constructors
in the World European Methods Have
been Adapted Rather than Adopted.
(From the Brooklyn EagleJ


gratulate themselves upon the wonderlui
spread of this country's commerce, inc
greatest any nation has ever SEEN hut
they do not. perhaps. realize that the ma
ton has advanced in another way that Is
possibly the true core of our nat!onal sue
cess This is the extraordinary advance
in scientific learning, as shown IN 'Nc
universities, professional and tcchillcti
schools and in everyday life. III TINS raplu
moulding of America into scientilc ma
ton does not fully account for the COM
mercial victories. it has at all events con-
tributcd largely t. them.
So pronounced has been the development
of these universities and schools that now
ut 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. Inc
scientific school Of America in It's grasp
Of what really constitutes practical. eNteh-
sive training has no counterpart IN the
world. 1t turns out scientists that are at
the same time workmen rf the highest
type The universities and technical
schools OF England and the Continent. eN-
cellent as many Of them are, have not fUl-
" caught the spirit and trend of the time.
The tree of the new American sciehtinc
education is being known by It's trult. IL
has brought n new sort of workman INTO
the field of labor. and European indus
try stands by. wondering why her repre-
scntatives cannot do as We'll.
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
cntific professional schools have been see
ing their true development. Now the COM
hined results nave become so great tnat
they are apparent all over the world.
"'rhe earliest technical schools. wrote
Prof Mendenhall. president OF the Tech
nological Institute of Worcester. Mass. IN
his monograph on Scientific. Technical
and Engineering Education In the United
States" prepared for the recent Paris EN-
position, those OF q hundred years ago
or more. almost without exception. grew
ou: of the Industrial demands of the local
ity in which they were founded. one OF
the best examples is the famous School Oh
Mines at Freiberg, which has enjoyed
long and llustrIous career. ana many or
the earlier European schools belong 10 the
same class. To these and the more mod
ern schools of science and technology the
United States are greatly indebted. espe-
ciallv on account OF the generous well
come that has always been extended In
American students and for the inspirat ton
with which many of them have returned
To take their pari i'm tho wonderful educa-
tional evolution which the last nall CEN
tury has witnessed.
But in all cases European methods have
been adap;ed 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 ii Is he
lievcd tha; their several types represent
important advances in the direction oi
scientific and technical education
This matter Of scientific training for
Youth makes but conservative. quiet
claim. though yet a substantial one He
nigh; have pointed 10 some of the results
o. these "belicvcd to be important adj
vances." American technical school grad
uales have come 20 he the bridge builders
o. The world There are no steel makers,
no tool makers in Europe equal 10 the
cool, keen young scientists in American
sl;nps and mills. Nor has the Continent
and England such Il race of railway con-
struct:on engineers. Only this summer the
Massachusetts, Institute OF Technology
n, ld examinations in London for the young
Englishmcn Of scientific tastes, who, 10
learn what they wanted 10 fit them for
the scientific world, found their only re-
course an American school. And. IN the
field of medicine, four distinguished phEsi-
clans and surgeons Of ;his country are
row touring the world at the request OF
foreign doctors who are anxious TO learn
accurately Of the advances OF this prahch
n. rha science in the New World.
Out of many significant instances these
have been picked. The number might Dc
greatly added 10. with only The advantage
o. emphasizing the point. That whicn mas
,hc most pronounced is, however, the tu:A-
;u:, of the tide Thirty years ago, ana even
well onto very recent years, the American
student of any kind Of science found !! Il
par, of his education TO so 10 inc schoo!S
abroad for az long a period as MS pocket
hook could stand. His education was not
;rou.h; complete till then. And IL WAS
noi. for scientific training in th!5 couhtr!
was not formed. Now the student mas Il"
need t. go .\s he takes his degree ne Is
far beyond wnat the schools ol EUROPE
teach Nnd year following year Ill III
crcasing numbers. young Europeans are
coming oyer here 10 grasp the iralil'n%
that our universities are giving and To
absorb Tho technique and ine thorough
urnc;icalnc.S that are making American
scientists masters OI men.
.\dauind" waS tn, word Prof Mcndon-
hall used in spcakin: Of European m"i"-
ods and III" American universities rather
than adopted" Bu; 1t has been very mGch
more ,hau that; Brushing traditions ASIDE
th,S, Institutions ol learning went long
asn tn the roo; Of he matter. Year ny
wear they have been building up thelr
equipment. strengthening their courses;
Questions o: finance and whether it would
all pay they have politely laughed al
Money was needed for This ana for 'ha''
We'll. the chiefs would see that l. WAS on-
tanned Machinery was necessary. y,
once the -rca, manufacturers were III"
under contribution. and they sent "a Gii'S
machines worth thousands.
The technical school presidents knc"
how to arouse the sympathetic under
standing of men Of means and Fore
thought Bcncfaciors for ih!s ana Tor INA
crowded in. their gifts were chr"nicied III
the news of the day, commented upon us
vast, tn" figures added MP and adnii:Sa'
But no one saw the significance.
Year after year students came out "i
courses OF engineering. nf medicine anI
surgery OF chemistry. of electricity "i
marine engineering. oI agriculture ana