Evening star., 1908-01-10
INDUSTRIAL TRAINING
THEME OF LEsLIE r. HILL OF
MANASSAS SCHOOL.


Manassas Normal and Industrial School.
Manassas. Va. delivered q lecture upon
Industrial Education and Culture" last
night before large 3udience1of teachers
and others interested in the question of
industrial education. The address was de-
livered in the auditorium Of the NJ street
school. and Mr.. Hill was introduced to his
audience by W. T. s. Jackson. principal
of the school, who spoke Of Mr.. Hill as
one of the younger leaders lin industrial
education in the country.
The lecturer opened by defining culture
as acquired by education or other means.
and used for the uplifting Of ones kind
no matter what the maximum or mini
mum may be, and used where it~may do
the greatest good" He spoke of Goethe,
Rousse au and Arnold as the greatest ex.
ponents of culture the world has ever
known. and showed how each in his par
ticular life calling did his utmost to
benefit mankind. He showed by exam
pie and SMILES how the works of each
of these men. were they properly and
faithfully studied. would spread their in
fluence among the men and women of to-
day. in whom the future mental force and
the uplifting Of a race lies He indicated
where teachers may obtain the greatest
benefit in their work from the study OF
the output Of thees mems brains.
In defining culture he intimately con-
nected it with the theory OF teaching. and
the practical work in an institutions Of
learning, more especially industrial
schools. Mr.. Hill said the theory Of in
dustrial education is as old as the ancient
Egyptians. and became an established In
stitution at the founding Of the Bene-
dictine order of monks established by st.
Benedict. The principal requirement of
the order was seven hours OF manual
labor and two hours Of devotional study
each day. He explained at length the So
cial and economic bearing which culture
has upon the different modes Of educa-
tion, its force and value upon the imrna-
ture mind.
Theory Of Rousseau.
From the practical working of the in
Mr.. Hill proceeded to give his readers
set forth by Rousseau. and explained
in detail the latter's idea of industrial
education not for the mere sake Of learn
ing trade but for the sake of the trade
itself: but the learning of trade In or
der that q sympathy may spring UP be-
tween men OF one calling and men OF
another: in order that there may be
a universal comprehension Of many's duty
to. himself and his fellow humans. Rous-
seaus theory of education by stages as
the mind acquired its maturity was also
discussed.
Following up his discourse upon the
theories >ef Rousseau. the lecturer gave
an account of the. first two industrial
schools of modern times. They were
located in Switzerland, he said. the first
being established in 1775 and lasting but
five years. The principle was sound. the
lecturer asserted, but sheer, lack of men,
tai capacity upon the part OF the founder
was responsible for the failure of the
venture The second school was established
by Fellenberg at Hofywl, in 1906. and
Continued until 1874. From these two
schools the idea of Tuskegee, Hampton
and Manassas was obtained, and the
schools were founded along the Same gen.
eral lines. but upon what the speaker
regarded as q wider and better basis
The lecturer spoke Of the social condi-
tions and the mental obstacles to be over
come in a number Of instances in con-
nection with industrial education ow-
ing to the conditions surrounding the
negro race in various parts of the coun-
try. The lecture ended with q plea from
Mr.. Hill for concerted and determined
action in the upouilding Of Industrial
education and a request to all teachers
interested in. the future welfare of the
negro race to extend sympathy and a
helping hand to industrial educators.
M. Hill Will lecture at the Franklin
School building, this city, Wednesday,
January Is. at 4 o'clock pm. The elec-
tiol OF officers OF the Washington-Ma-
nassas Industrial School Association will
follow the lecture.