The Goldfield news. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1904-1911, 1905-12-15
EDUCATION FOR MINING MEN
Mining Schools Should Offer Short
Courses for Practical Men

One of the most important functions
of our western colleges and universe
ties has been the dissemination Of
knowledge among a class of people not
tions as full-hedged stduents, but wh,,
nevertheless, would be materially aided
in theiri daily work by a little well
their daily work in a few practical
courses. This work has usually taken
the form of short courses, given either
in the winter or summer, according as
the season was most favorable to the
prospective student. While it is true
that agriculture and kindred pursuits
have received the major part of this
sort of instruction, there is some EVIL
dence that the dominant idea in the
whole matter is spreading and that
mining will soon come in for its share
of attention.
That mining schools should offer
short courses for practical mining men,
seems to us quite within the scope If
their work. We can see a great many
advantages that would accrue to tho
industry as a result of such work, and
but few, if any, drawbacks. Every in
dustry has it's quota of uneducated
men who are making IN uncertain sue
cess in that field. To a certain ex-
tent their very success is a menace, in
that it may increase their self-con-
idence to a degree which will cause
them to undertake propositions far be-
yond their ability to complete, and
disaster must inevitably result. In
such cases a very small addition 10
their knowledge of the work in which
they are engaged would at least give
them some conception Of the magnitude
of the undertaking, and might enable
them to see that it was beyond them.
Thus, while "a little knowledge is a
dangerous thing a little more my
help a man to know how little he
knows, and thus accomplish results
which, even though negative, are none
the less important.
Certain positive results would un-
doubtedly be achieved in the ease If
those more intelligent men who lack
only a little instruction to multiply
their ability and value manifold in
proportion to the time and money spent
on the curse. The privilege of work
ing in a well equipped model plant; Of
observing and experiencing the con-
duct of laboratory experiment.; of as
~sociating for a short time with capable
men equally as interested in giving
the instruction as is the student in OBJ
tanning it; all these must ultimately
benefit not only the individual, but in
consequence, the industry.
There are certain difficulties attend
ant upon giving such courses, not met
with in the ordinary college ~instruc-
ton. The matter must be presented IN
a concise form; the danger of "talk-
ing over the heads of the students
must be avoided, and yet certain as
sumptions must be made as to the gen.
eral or even special knowledge of the
student. This difficulty is nevertheless
compensated for in the fact that the
attendants upon such courses of in
struction are usually more ap~preciative
and intent upon learning than are the
regular students who spend several
wars Of THAR ~collaoo woyk All in all
we believe that the idea of offering
these special courses is commendable
and that the practice will extend until
the winter short course for mining men
will become as much of an established
custom as is the summer field course
for students Mining Reporter.