Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1908-09-24
School for Mine Workers.


Wilkes-Barre Pa. Sept. 19. As
the beginning of scheme designed
to give all its employees opportunities
for mining education, the Lehigh
Valley Coal Company has arranged
to establish a school for it's mine
workers at Lost Creek, in the Schuyl-
| kill region. A room has already
been fitted up, containing desks, a
reference library, and periodicals de-
voted to mining subjects. The open
ing is set for about October L.
This will be only the first of a
chain of such schools. After it has
been running for while, the COM
pany will have learned from it just
what plan should be followed, as to
detail, and then dozen other schools
will be started at various points ac-
cessable to the Lehigh Valley col
lieries.
1t is regarded as highly probable
that the other large anthracite min
ing concerns will adopt the idea of
providing educational facilities for
their employees, giving practically
every mine worker in the anthracite
region the opportunity to learn.
The door to promotion will thus
be thrown open to the humblest toll
er.
One of the effects of the scheme,
mining officials think, will be to les
sen the number of accidents in the
mines. This expectation is based
upon the facts recently reported by
the State Department of Mines.
James f. Roderick, Chief of the De-
partment, says that the great
majority of casualties are due to
ignorance or carelessness. The best
way to stop the accidents is to re-
move the cause, and that can be done
by education.
At the school at Lost Creek and,
later at the others-a teacher from
some day school in the vicinity will
be on hand three nights every week,
to take charge OF the work and help
those who attend acquire habits of
study. Engineers and superintend-
ents connected with the company, as
well as outsiders who have expert
knowledge, will be present from
time to time to give the benefit of
their experience. Occasionally, too,
meetings for the discussion of cur
rent mining topics will be held.
The company has made special
whereby the mine
workers may enroll in the Inter
national Correspondence Schools of
Scranton at reduced rate. All the
work done in the school room will
be sent to headquarters for correct
ion. so that the teacher will be en-
abled to devote his entire time to
personal instruction. BY reason of
his familiarity with the district, he
may add local flavor by represent
ing additional problems dealing
with nearby mines.
Strict account of the work done
will be kept, and every month the
record of each man will be sent to
the general manager of the company.
From those who have shown them
selves most Industrious will be chos-
en- candidates for promotion.
Through the help of the schools it
is hoped to produce a body of men
we'll trained in the theory and prac-
tice of mining, men from whose
number positions of responsibility
may be filled. Youths who are un-
able to attend a technical school or
college will have advantages which
will be impossible except by this
method. Engineering talent that
would lie undeveloped, without
educational opportunities, will here
be brought forth and developed.
Especial emphasis, always will be
laid npon the protection of life and
limb, and no text book will be re-
garded as of so much Importance as
.he rules and regulations of safety.