The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-12-07

"a TIE blSlTlcI Oh o4umDla anu IL
should see that these schools promote
n encourage the fullest development
Of h scholars in both commercial
and industrial training. The CONNER
cial training should In one Of its
branches deal with foreign trade. The
industrial training Is even mere i'm
porVant II should be one Of our prime
OBJECTS as a nation. 50 far as feasible.
constantly to work toward putting
the mechanic. the wageworkers who
his hands. on a higher plane
or efficiency n reward. 50 as TO In
crease his effectiveness In the econ
oInic world. and the dignity. the remu-
neration. and the power OF his position
IN the social world. Unfortunately. At
present the effect of some OF the WORK
In the public schools Is in the exactly
opposite direction. If hoys and girls
are trained merely In literary accom-
piishmenrs. To the total exclusion of
industrial. manual. and technical
training, the tendency Is To- unfit them
Tor industrial work and To make them
reluctant 10 30 Into IL or unified to
90 we'll If they do 20 into It This
Is 4 tendency which should be siren
uouSly combatcd. Our industrial de-
VeiopmeHt depends largely unon teen
hfcal education. including I'm this
term all industrial education from
mat which fits Il mar To- be n good
mechanic. 4 good carpenter. or black
smith. 10 that which fits . man To do
the greatest engineering feat The
skilled mechanic. the skilled workman.
can best become such by technical In
dustrial education. The far-rearhinr
usefulness of institutes OF technology
and schools OF mines or of engineer
ing. IS now universally acknowledged
and no less ~far-reaching Is the effect
OF a good building or mechanical
trades school. a textile. or watchmak-
Ing or engraving scnool. All such
training must develop not only man
nal dqXterity but industrial intelli-
gence. In international rivalry this
country does not have to fear the COM
petition of pauper labor as much rs
1t has TO fear The educated labor OF
specially trained competitors: and we
should have he education of the hand.
eye and brain which will fit us to-
meet such competition.
In every possible way We should
help the wageworker who tolls with
his hands n who must 1--WE hope In
q constantly increasing measure) also
toll with his brain. Under the ION
stitutiOn the national legislature can
do but little of direct importance for
his welfare ave where he is engaged
IN work which permits il to act under
the interstate m clause of the
constitution; and this is one reason
why | S earnestly hope that both the
legislative and judicial branches OF the
government will construe this clause
Of the constitution in the broadcast pos
sible AM We can. however, in
such q matter us industrial training
in such a matter as child labor and
; factory laws, set an example to the
states by enacting the most advanced
legislation that can wisely be enacted
for the District of Columbia.
AGRICULTURE
The only other persons whose well
fare IS as vital 10 the welfare OF the
whole country rs Is the welfare of the
wageworkers are the tilIers OF the soil,
the farmers. 1t is a mere truism IN
say that no growth of cities. no growth
of wealth, no industrial development
can atone for any falling of in the
character and standing of the farming
population. During the last few de-
cadeS this fact has been recognized
with ever-increasing clearness. There
is no longer any failure 10 realize that
farming, at least in certain branches,
must become a technical and scientific
profession. This means that there
must be open to farmers the chance
for technical and scientific training,
not theoretical merely but OF the most
severely practical type. Tho farmer
represents a peculiarly high type of
American citizenship, and he must
have the same chance to rise n Dc
velOp rs other American citizens have
Moreover, ii is exactly as true of the
farmer as is is of the business man
, n the ~wageworker, that the ulti-
mate success Of the nation of which
he forms a part must be founded not
alone on material prosperity but upon
high moral, mental, and physical de-
~velopment. This education of the far
met-self-educaIiOn by preference,
but also education from the outside.
as with all other Ine;I-is peculiarly
necessary here in the United States.
:. where the frontier cOnuItions even in
, the newest states have now nearly
vanished, where there mus. be a sub
stitution OF a more intensive system Of
cultivation for the oln wastefu1 farm
management, and where there must
be a better business organization
: among the farmers themselves.
Several factors must cooperate in
the improvement Of the farmers con
dition. He must have the chance to be
educated in The widest possible us
in the sense which keeps ever in
view the intimate relationship be
2 tween the theory of education and the
> facts of life. In all education We
l. should widen our aims. II is a good
thing to produce a cer1ain number OF
}, trained scholars and students; but
= the education superintended by the
2 state must seek ratl er to produce a
l hundred good citizens than merely one
!, scholar, and it must be turned now
1 n then from the c.ass book To The