New-York tribune., 1903-03-17
MORE INDUSTRIAL EDUCATION.

y-biIn sore educators are discussing the
question of Greek or no Greek, others that Of
electives or no electives, and others that OF a
two or four years college course. 1t Is grat11y-
ING TO observe that the advocates OF industrial
education are making steady and auSplclous
progress. Only few years ago we had nothlhg
bevond a few institutes of technology. Genu-
inc trade schools were unknown, and such a
thing AS putttng them into the regular public
school system was undreamed Of. Now we
have industrial schools on every hand. and the
recent laying of the cornerstone of a manual
training high school in Brooklyn is reminder
Of the extent to which the principle Of In
dustriaI education is already esta biished In
the public school system.
It is well that this is SO. Men used fre-
ouently to quote the saying that we should
cherish and promote the beautiful, for the use
full would care for itself. In many re-
spects that is true. But by strange con-
tradictjon 1t has been untrue too largely In
educational affairs. We have not paid too
much attention to high scholarship in the HUI
manities. But we have paid too little to the
promotion Of the apparently humber but GER
tainly no less necessary branches OF learning.
IT is we'll to teach the artist to paint, the mu-
sician to play, the poet to write, the meta
phvsician to reason. But there is much good.
weaver to weave and the joiner TO make his
woodwork strong and true. We cannot all be
brainvorkers The great majority must be
toilers with the hand as WELL though they too,
work with the brain.
There were some apt and stirring sugges-
tons upon this subject in the letter-prfnted IN
our columns-which Mr.. Frederick F. Aver re-
Gently sent to be read at the dedication OF the
fine new buildings Of the Lowell Textile School,
Of which he is a trustee and a benefactor.
"Afuch is to be looked for" he said from this
| new scholarship Of prints and dye pots and
| "machineg" Why not? Seeing how large part
Industries play in the life and interests or the
world, 1t is only sound reason to lend to them
all possible advantages Of study and training.
There is scholarship in manual labor as well
| as In the intellectual professions. 1t is rusm
| that the intelligent workman is a better pro
ducer than the uninteligent. Why not then.
promote his intelligence through scientific train
ing: Education which shapes brain only, ~
said Mr. Aver, "is one sided. Heart and hand
need more attention. Certainly, an educa-
tfonal system which develops minds alone, and
| them for nothing but mental activities, serves
| the needs Of only a small part OF the community.
The handworkers are the great majority, and
will always be.
| This fine textile school at Lowell Is intended
to instruct five thousand students in the manu-
featuring trades for which Lowell is noted
Every manufacturing city in the Union would
do well to have such an institution devoted to
| its own industries. We must never lower the
standard of pure scholarship, Of "liberaI cult,
ure," nor that Of the various learned profes
sions" But there are few greater needs in the
industrial world than that we should set up and
maintain a high standard OF scholarship for the
hands and eyes Of workers as well as for the
brains OF thinkers