Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-04

79.S degrees in the shade and the lowest,
the goth of December was ~ above zero.
Belfast is a very healthy city, however,
the death rate averaging about ~ to the
1000. 1t has been very much reduced
during the last fifteen or twenty years by
the improvement of the water supply and
sewerage. The birth rate Is very high
and has sometimes run up to 81 to each
1000 of the population. Last year it was
81 to the 1000.
Societies SURPRISING Intemperance.
Saturday and Sunday nights you see Il
good many drunken men upon the streets.
But ! am told that there is Il great i'm
provement in this respect in recent years
The Orange Association Of Professionals
and the Hibernian and other friendly so
cietieS Of Roman Catholics are both TAX
ing an active part III temperance work.
from economical Well moral mo-
tives. because they realize how mulch
misfortune. poverty. sickness and death
all Of which increase their assessments
are due to drink.
| have not been able to find ont how
much money is spent for whisky in the
Protestant counties. There is no way to
ascertain or estimate it accurately. but
the sum must be very large. But every
body agrees that il is diminishing. There
is a less number of saloons by - or :"
per cent than there was ten years age
and a corresponding decrease in the
amount OF drunkenness. The number OF
arrests for drunkenness and disorder has
fallen off noticeably during the last few
years. This has given Il great deal of en-
enlargement to the temperance advocates.
Working People Intelligent.
There is a much higher degree of intel
ligence and mechanical skill among the
working people in Belfast than in any
other part of Ireland. and the ratio of
illiteracy is much lower in County Down
and County Antrim than in any other
part of the island. The. highest degree
Of skilled labor Is required in the machine
shops and shipyards, and commands the
best wages that are paid to any artisans
in Ireland The women work in linen
mills and shirt and collar factories
A technical school for the specialized
training of boys for mechanics was estab-
lished here in 1902. evening instruction
in the applied sciences, drawing, sketch
ing and the other arts. and i'm mathemat-
les mechanical, electrical and civil en-
gincering having been given for several
wears i'm classes maintained by voluntary
subscriptions from citizens. Five such in
stitutions were i'm existence at that time.
having between 100 and $40 students on
their rolls
School of Arts and Trades.
An act of parliament passed in 1880
authorized the consolidation of these
schools and a beautiful buildin~ in the
! very center of the city, admirably adapted
to the purpose, was erected and equipped
at an expense of $75O,OO0. The school now
has a stated income of $4,000 from regu-
lar taxation. In 1902 classes were opened
with the total of 1881 students. At pres
ent this number has been increased to
5,O64 men, women and children between
fifteen and sixty-five years of age,
representing all classes and castles.
who are studying everything in the way
of useful arts and trades. Thirty teach
ers are exclusively employed, with 100
experts from different factories and ma
chine shops who give evening instruct on
or have special classes on certain davs.
Nothing is free. Everybody who enjoys
the benefits of the institution is required
to pay a fee ranging from 81 upward to
$50 a term, according to the amount of
attention required. The largest classes are
in engineering. drawing, electricity and
the commercial occupa atoms, but nearly
every trade is taught. in connection with
the ordinary rudiments of English math-
ematics and geography in the evening
classes to those whose early education
was neglected.
The municipality owns the buildings and
supports the school, Sir James Hender-
son, editor of the Daily Newsletter. who
was lord mayor of Belfast at the time
the school was established, is the chair
man of the committee in charge. He is
to be congratulated upon a great sue
cess.
Labor Unions Friendly.
The attitude of the labor unions, who al
first regarded the enterprise with distrust,
is becoming more friendly and they per-
nit their members to avail themselves of
the facilities provided by the school. The
education Of apprentices to trades without
limitations is still a question of contro-
versy.
The attitude of the employers is more
favorable, because nearly all of them
recognized increased efficiency among
thir journeymen who have attended the
school. and many of them are paying a
part or the whole of the fees of ali of
their workmen who will attend regularly
the classes in their respective trades. The
investment is therefore good one for
the city of Belfast The technical school
will certainly result in the Improvement of