Evening star., 1902-02-15
Industrial Education.
To the Editor Of The Evening STAR,

To the Editor Of The Evening Starr:
The important bills now before Congress
providing for a general system Of Industrial
education are of especial interest to the
people OF the. District Provision is made
for school Of agriculture and horticulture
In which theory and practice shall be COM
bined. A million dollars is the sum named
to establish and equip such school, The
city already has excellent manual training
schools for teaching the mechanical arts
but no provision is made for agricultural
education. Manual training is not merely
to make skilled workmen, but it is found
to be the best means of securing mental
growth in children 1t ought to cover agri-
culture as we'll as mechanic arts In this
respect our system is defective. No pursuit
stimulates the mind to healthy action like
agriculture. The farm with it's animals
and plants its varied labors, cares, tasks,
and pleasures summons to action every fac
ulty. The thinking brain and working hand
must act together. and thus the symmetric
growth is secured which actual life re-
Quires.
If It is objected that there is no great
farming interest here it is equally true that
there are no great manufactures Both
facts are equally irrelevant There are
twenty thousand children to be trained;
they have the right to the best training
possible. A proportion of them will live by
working land The city abounds with parks
and gardens, public and private. Thou
sands of citizens here engaged in other
pursuits own farms in adjacent states and
need skilled helpers. There is no form of
labor so difficult to procure. Competent
men to care for farms. dairies, orchards
vineyards and all forms of work connected
with country life are everywhere in de-
mand. We are suffering incalculable loss
from want of great body of trained help
of this character.
Washington is residence city, not an in
dustrial city! 1t is more important to have
special training schools for youth in all
the useful arts here than in great business
cities, where there are chances for youth
in many lines; here they are limited to few
and so in danger OF growing up in idleness:
The children of the city would receive vast
benefit in every way if placed for time
amid the healthful and inspiring scenes Of
the country. Their energy. now largely
wasted would prove a source of pleasure as
well profit in useful labor. 1t would save
hundreds of lives now sure to be lost under
the pressure Of system which kills the
weaker children 1t would add to the
available wealth OF the nation ten-fold it's
cost. On financial grounds it is simply just
The nation gave magnificent donation
of land to all the states for industrial col
leges. 1t has followed that foundation with
annual gifts Of $4,000 to each state and
territory. The aggregate sum of s11. .6O2, 900
has been paid from the federal treasury
during the last ten years for that purpose.
The District of Columbia has had no share
in that generous provision The people Of
the District owned in common the land
thus donated. They paid taxes to help
create the fund which has been sent to ev-
cry state and territory to found Industrial
colleges. May they not now ask to share
the benefits, as they have borne the bur-
dens like all other citizens? Let them unit
edly and earnestly urge this measure before
Congress?
This proposition does not antagonize any
other 1t takes nothing from the general
plans to beautify and improve the city. 1t
rests upon it's own foundation of absolute
Justice and the crying need of practical
training for all children.
EDWARD DANIELS