The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1908-12-01


English Do So by Utilizing Their
Leisure Time.
One mans diligence has led to all
the anthracite mine workers having an
opportunity of being educated, of train
ing themselves to become officials at
the collieries and of advancing rapidly
in the profession If they have the am
bition and the energy to do it. There
are about $4,000 mine workers, and
as the great majority of them have lit
tie or no education the ability to OBJ
tain the instruction which is to TT
them for higher positions and better
conditions appeals to thousands OF
them.
The idea OF doing this was aroused
In the minds of two of the leading min
ing officials of the region by a hoist
ing engineer in a Lehigh Valley col
liery. Not long ago General Manager
S. ID. Warriner and his assistant, Fred
erick NJ Chase of the Lehigh Valley
Coal company, while on tour or In
spection stepped into an engine house
and to their surprise saw the engineer
in his idle moments working on a
sheet of powdered paper, using car
penter'S tool to draw mechanical
sketches. 1t was crudely done, but
there was merit In it, and the officials
questioned the man. He said that he
wanted to learn to be mechanical
craftsman, but had not the education
to permit him to take course at any
of the correspondence schools which
gave instruction; that he did not have
the educational basis upon which to
build the structure of his ambition.
When the officials left the engine
house they were impressed. They talk
ed about the incident with minor Off
cials of the company at the various
collieries and learned that many Of the
young and ambitious workmen had Of
ten expressed desire to study in their
hours of leisure and regretted that
they did not have the common school
education which would permit them to
take up other studies.
The outcome was that the Lehigh
Valley company has decided to estab-
lish schools wherever it has collierfes
in which the men free of charge may
be instructed In the ordinary English
branches and fitted for taking up va
rious courses in mining, mechanical en-
gineering, mining engineering or any
of the various occupations about the
mines requiring skilled men, says a
Wilkesbarre (Pa.) correspondent of the
Chicago Tribune. This idea has so i'm
pressed the other companies that one
by one they are also taking it up and
are now busy perfecting their plans, SO
that 1t Is predicted it will not be long
before these company schools are es-
tablished in every place throughout
the mining region where there is a
coal mine or coal mining hamlet.
The companies interest in this plan
Is double one. In the first place
they expect that the free instruction
will be appreciated by the men and
make the bonds between the workers
and the mining officials closer, and In
the second place they realize that the
education will result In making the
men more careful in their work, make
them cognizant Of conditions which
are dangerous and make them able tc
appreciate the danger as well as giving
them the knowledge Of how best to
overcome the dangerous condition.
This will result, ii is believed, In q
decided decrease in the loss of life In
the mines yearly, for the men who are
being educated in mining methods will
not only know how to avoid danger
themselves, but their influence and
their knowledge will aid the others
AS COT men and boys were killed and
ing In such a slaughter will be worth
having.
1t Is proposed to engage skilled pub
lie school teachers for these miners
schools, which are to be in session five
evenings a week, and they will In
struct all who care to attend In the
primary branches Of English and q,
them for the first step toward acquir
ing a greater knowledge Of mining
On some evenings mining officials will
be present to make addresses on va
rious mining topics and in this man
ner instruct the men In important fea
lures Of the scientific side Of the min
ing industry.
These lectures will be on timbering
ventilation, the use Of high explosives
the work Of electricity in the mines
treatment of mine gases and on othel
practical subjects. At the same time
the men as soon as they feel them
selves fitted to do it may begin receiv
ing instruction through correspond
ence school course and being helped
in this theoretical work by the prac
tical work that they can secure In thu
mines.
The education will not be compul
sorry. Any employee who desires cal
attend, but once entered each must at
tend strictly to the work and make
good showing.
Il will be IN e.peciallZ gQQ4 Raan