The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-09-03

Languages Iaught Through tn
Medium of the Phonograph-Hov
Students Are Helped to Positions
Some Astonishing Figures of En-
rollment-Five Scholarships in In
ternational Correspondence School.
Are offered Through The Tribune:
Educational Contest-Any Course
May Be selected-Interesting De.
tails of Yesterdays Results.
FEW PEOPLE know that the larg.
r. est educational institution in the
i world is situated in the heart OF
the anthracite coal region in Scran.
ton. Pa. Yet it is Il fact that
nearly half million men and
women have enrolled as students
of this unique training school. The
large enrolment. exceeding by far the
number of students in all the colleges
of this country. is still more remark
able in view of the fact that it's pupils
are scattered all over the globe. are al
ready at work, and never see the pro-
fessors that train them for promotion
and better pay.
, Over ten years ago, Thomas j. Fos-
ter, now president of the International
Correspondence Schools of Scranton,
Pa, was editing and publishing a
monthly journal devoted to the educa-
ton Of coal miners and mine officials in
the technical principles of mine en-
gineering. The demand for more sys-
tematic instruction, however, soon be-
came apparent, and in 1891 Mr.. Foster
developed his plan of training coal
miners by mail to pass examinations
and to fill positions as mine foremen
and superintendents.
The growth of the institution during
the last ten years has been an illustra-
ion Of American enterprise. From the
experimental "School of Mines" it has
developed into q colossal training
school for the masses. 1t now prepares
people for paying positions in nearly
every trade or profession, and is help
ing to maintain the commercial SUI
premacy of America. Although. as it's
title suggests, it has pupils in every
civilized country on earth. it is an
American institution, backed by Ameri-
can brains and capital, and devoted
first and foremost to the advancement
OF the American workingman.
How It Trains by Mail.
Suppose a poor, but ambitious, young
man is working as a dynamo tender in
a traction power-house He would like
to be the electrical engineer or superin-
tendent of that power-house, but is
with the hard fact that the
men who fill such positions must know
a great deal about the science of cleo
trical engineering that he can never
hope to learn through his work in car
ing for electrical machinery. He can't
stop work to go to school-probably he
had to stop school" to go to work He
doesn't know which scientific books
would be the best to read, and even if
someone selected them for him, he
probably could not understand half
that the highly educated authors write
about. But the most discouraging fea-
ture of all is that no scheme of read
Ing textbooks or attending night school
will provide practical training for the
particular position he wants, neither
accord with his previous education his
experience or lack of it, or the time at
his disposal.
Here is the key to the success of the
International Correspondence Schools.
The plan originated by Mr. Foster in
1891, and Systematically carried out in
he schools work, Is the training of
hose already work for advancement
% some particular position or class
If work. No attempt is made to give
he l. c. S. student general educational
culture.
AS soon as the International Corre-
spondence Schools find out Just what
position the student wishes to attain, |
Ihey send him by mail, as fast as they
ire required. pamphlet textbooks spe-
'ialiy prepared by practical experts TO
each the technical principles required |
n that position.
After the student has, through spare |
ime study, mastered The contents of /!
he first pamphlet. he mails to the
chools his written answers to text |
questions, and then goes to work on the
econd pamphlet At the schools the
nswers are carefully examined and re-
urned with personal letter of in !
or special exercise, If either
n both are required. to point out errors
II correct defects, This interchange of
astructiop and answers and the COR
ection and special exercises continues
throughout the entire course until the
tudent is graduated and receives a
iploma.
Provision Is made to give him special
Instructions and assistance If he meets
nth any difficulty in mastering his
ubjects. In addition to the pamphlet
extbooks sent to the student through
ut his course complete duplicate set
ound In half leather, Is furnished to
i'm for reference purposes, These
Reference Libraries" as they are
allied, are of great importance to the
eneral scheme. With one of these sets
books In his possession, a student
ho has mastered the fundamental por-
on of his training can solve technical
roblems and successfully handle ad-
anced work by referring to the por-
on of his reference library treating on
nat subject.
Trades and Professions Treated.
The International Correspondence
,hools train by mail for almost every
)sition or class of work In Mechanical,
lectrieal, Civil and Mining Engineer
g, Architecture, Navigation, Chemis-
" Textile Manufacture and business. /
hey ~Aso teach subjects of more cul-
lfai character, such as Drawing. Or
mental Design, French, German and {