The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-04-05
INDUSTRIAL EDUCATION.
Its Benefits Ably Set Forth by Presl
 dent Charles c. Thach of the


 Its Benefits Ably set Ferth by Presl-
 dent Charles c. Thach of the s.
 A. P. I.
 The Advertiser expects from time to tim. to publish articles upon special educational features, which will De fur nished by the Connmittee on Education of the Alabama Federation of womenis Clubs. Our State exchanges are re- auestedy by the members of the club 10 reprint them. They will all be from the pens of experienced sduca- tors. The first of the series Ia pre- scented today and was written by Prof lessor Charles c. Thach. President Of the Alabama Polytechnic Institute.
 The education of which we speak the education called scientific, or technical, or industrial-has far other aims. methods. and results than those of the old classical schools. Its aims is npt to give culture alone, which, charming as it is, has been described by one as a selfish luxury, producing men who retire into their elegant pur- suits and give themselves to self-cui- ture with no further object The aim of the new education, openly avowed, is rather to dignify labor and fit men for the practical business of life. Without disparaginK the educational value of the classics or humanities as they. are called, which treat of man and his ways, 1t accentuates the value or the natural sciences that treat of things and their forces, and their im- n1enee value for the comfort and grace of human life. History, language, philosophy, art, and literature, it would not .guppIsnt. but supplement with chemistry, physics. agriculture, ana mechanics. While training the intel lect and fashioning the sensiRiiities and the Imagination of the youth, 1t would also train his constructive and execu- tive ability by having him do some thines translating the intangible ab- straet ideas of the mind into, the rconT crete, tangible things of the labora- tory Education, according top this view, is for use as we'll as for orna- ment. a means and an end, great in strunent for doing something that is worth doing. To increase the produc- ton of wealth in all of its forms, to stimulate invention. to harness the forces of nature, to contribute to the material. physical welfare and happi- ness of man--these are a few of the practical aims of the technoiogfcaI schools, aims that have not hitherto, received the emphasis that their impor- tanceT strenuously demands. ..
 This. to De sure. is a fragmentary and lnadeauate definition, but will. I hope, suffice to suggest the essential quali- ttesSand aims of the subject under dis cussion.
 speaking more specifically, technolo- gical schools may be chased under 1ege of technology. (2) the trade schools. (s) the manual training school, or as 1t is sometimes styled. the school for industrial or mechanical training Of each of these shall briefly speak
 Q) To. this first class. i. e., the higher schools of applied science, be- long such institutions as Cornell Uni versity. the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. the Sheffield Scientific School, the Rose Polytechnic, the Rens- selaer School of Civil EngineerinR. etc. and that splendid system of land grant Agricultural and Mechanical Colleges existing today in every State of the Union. established through the far reaching statesmanship of the great Senator from Vermont. Justin S. Nor Till. Of this upper class of technical schools, the institute at Auburn. the Alabama Polytechnic Institute stands as the States honored representative an institution which, hesitate not to say. has been developed into the equal of any college of technology in
 Now. the purpose of aim of these col leges is not to teach a trade. not to develop merely the individual artisan who is to do mere manual work This were mere waste of public money The aim, the wiser aim, is rather 10 develop captains of industry, civil. electrical and mechanical engineers, chemists. agriculturists, metallurRists mem who as superintenderts, or as executive officers in the field of indus try, are able to explore and exploit the Te.terial resources of the land. bringing labor and capital together in mutual gain. and who are able to plan. organize. and direct industries of the sreaLest magnitude and of the most far-Eeaching influence upon the com munIty.
 Trade Schools.
 C2) or the second, or trade school type or technologtcal education if will be necessary to speak but briefly. As a rule. there is no immediate need for the specific trade schools in Alabama. or for that matter. in many parts of the South. The conditions that can far them do not exist. Tn fact. the strictly trade school idea, the caste school fine l school for the common people is oY l European origin and is strongly renur- | nant to the American idea that every | man is a citizen, and that every Ameri- i can boy has the glorious birthrigbt to | an open career whether 1t be as a fac | mer. teacher preacher. banker or presi- | dent. Such schools presuppose a dense | population, a highly organized and sharply articulated system of indus | tries that are also highly localized. a rigid stratification of society into | social classes. and the strong prob ability that he boy will succeed to his fathers calling. Switzerland. for in- stance, has a system of schools in which pupils are taught the special trade of watch making,
 And the day may soon come. when In city of large population. say Biru1- ingham, with some highly differenttat- ed forms of Industry. like iron or steel making. the young people may with 1