Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-24
PRAISE OF AMERICANS
What They Are Doing for
Development Of India.
SERVICE RECOGNIZED
LIBERAL GRANTS MADE BY THE
GOVERNMENT.
Institution Copied After Chicago
School-Dispensary Work Of
the Missions.
BY WILLIAM e. CURTIS.


Chicago Record Herald.
BOMBAY, February 6. 1904.
Sir Muncherjee Bharnajgree. a Parsee
member of parliament, recently asserted
that the American missionaries were doing
more for the industrial development of the
Indian empire than the government itself.
The government recognizes the Importance
of the work and has given liberal grants
to the industrial schools of the American
board of foreign missions. which are con-
sidered the most successful and perhaps
the most useful in India. 1t is significant to
find that the most important of these
schools was founded by Sir ID. M. Petit,
a wealthy Parsee merchant and manufac-
turer, at the city of Ahmadnager, where 400
bright boys are being trained for mechanics
and artisans under the direction of James
Smith. formerly of Toronto and Chicago.
d. Churchill, formerly of Oberlin Ohio.
and a graduate of the Boston School of
Technology, a mechanical engineer of re-
markable genius has another school in
which hand weaving of fine fabrics is
taught to forty or fifty boys. who show re-
markabe skill. Mr.. Churchill who came
out in 1901, soon detected the weakness of
the native method of weaving and has re-
Gently invented hand loom which can
turn out thirty yards of cloth day, and
will double, and in many cases treble the
productive capacity of the average worker
And he expects soon to erect a large build
ing IN which he can set up the new looms
and accommodate a much larger number
of pupils.
j. B. knight, a scientific agriculturist
who also came out in 1901 has class of
forty boys. mostly orphans whose fathers
and mothers died during the late famine.
Ihey are being trained in agricultural
chemistry and kindred subjects in order
to instruct the native farmers throughout
that part of the
heY. tx. Windsor of Oberln. is running
another school founded by Sir d. NJ Petit
at Slrur. 10 miles east of Bombay where
forty boys are being educated as machinists
and mocha MICS
At Ahmadnager. Mrs. Wagentreiver has a
school of Id women and girls. mostly
widows and orphans of the last famine,
VINO are being taught the art of lace maxi
ing, and most of her graduates are ouaIified
to serve as instructors in other lace schools
which are constantly being established in
other parts of India
ihere IS also a school for potters and
the Americans are sending to the school OF
art at Bombay sixty boys to be designers.
craftsmen, illustrators and qualified
IN other Of the industrial arts
Chicago School Copied.
1t rs interesting to discover that the
school of industrial arts founded by Sir
d. NJ. Petit owes its origin to the Chicago
Manual Training School, whose aims and
methods were carefully studied and applied
to Indian conditions with equally satisfac-
tory results The principal and founder
Vi tne school. James Smith. was sent out
ana Is supported by the new English Con-
gregaional Church on the north side OF
Cmcago and generous financial assistance
mas been received from Mr.. Victor F. Law
son ana other members OF that church. 1t
was started in 1891. with classes in wood
work and mechanical drawing. and has
prospefed until it has now outgrown in
numbers and Importance the high school
with which it was originally commercial
II occupies three two-story buildings OF
permanent character, in which the fol-
rowing departments are accommodated;
L. Manual training in wood, with 60 boys
under l master.
:. Wood carving, 30 boys and master.
3. Making of metal vessels. bows and
. masters.
4. Maehinists' department, with master
o: Repousse department, with 1870 boys
and masters.
q. Rug making, with 100 boys and girls,
with . masters.
I. Drawing masters for all pupils.
.. Literary instructors for all pupils,
three hours daily
There are thus in all nineteen industrial
masters. who are all experts The literary
instruction is given in connection with
the classes of the high school. which is
situated on the opposite side Of the school
yard.
ample of combined English education and
industry IN western India, and has received
the highest praise from government officers
us grant from the government too is
higher than that of any other school in
the province, the government paid half OF
the cost of all the buildings and equip
ment, while very large part of the other
half was paid by people Of this country,
foremost among the donors being the late
Sir D. ID. Petit. bart. who built and equip
ped the first building entirely at his own
expense.
The official educational inspector who
last visited the school reported in his off,
eiai capacity, In part. as follows:
AS stated above, a good part of tae
gefk of the school lies strictly speaking
outside OF my province. 1t is however of
practical bent. Of which / strongly APP
prove and which would gladly see adopted
IN many of our literary schools / noticed
therefore. with great satisfaction the sue
cess of the school at the drawing and man.
ual training examinations. AS usual |
walked through the workshops with tho
prirclpal and must once more congratulate
MI. Smith on the results Of his tinwearied
zeal In pushing forward that form of COM
bired English and technical education with
which L believe most of the future pros
perity OF the middle classes of this part of
India is bound up.
r. d. PRIOR. Ed. Inspector"
Mr.. Churchill's Workshops.
Mr.. Churchill's workshops have also hean