The sun., 1909-02-28
EDISON on COLLEGE STUDY
HE THINKS VERY LITTLE or.
the ARTS PART or 1T.
Academic Learning. lie says, Is old and
Does Not Keep Pace With the Times
A scientific Career spurs Because
II Interests-M Man the World Wants.

NEW HAVEN. Conn, Feb. 27.--Thomas
A. Edison in an interview in the Yale Neus
to-day scored academic education as a
waste Of time for practical business or in
dustrial men, He said.
My answer TO the question 'ls college
education an essential or even valuable
advantage as q preparation for young
man about 10 enter upon scientific
careerY is that 1t is decidedly not an es-
sential. As to its being a valuable ad-
vantage should say that of course the
mental development which college
course brings quickens the perceptions
and enables man to more easily grasp
the minute points of science but II seems
TO me that purely academic training is a
great waste of time, since in four years no
one can learn all the essential points OF
science and four years of active and ex-
perimental work will be Of much greater
value than an equal amount Of time spent
in obtaining a college education.
Il do not mean. however, to depreciate
the value Of a college education too much,
for il is undoubtedly desirable founda-
ton for any OF the professions. such Us
law, the ministry, medicine or literature,
For a scientist, four years Of academic
work seems ~ me to be waste of time in
spite Of the fact that college mems minds
are better trained and therefore attain
further learning more easily.
-In scientific work, as in all other work,
the chief factor Of success Is the power
Of sticking to a thing. attribute all that
have accomplished to the fact that hold
on where most persons get discouraged.
Another fundamental characteristic for a
successful scientist is the power OF being
close observer. Fol instance, while am
to find some special thing
by my close observation often see dozens
of other things not connected with what
am after, and thus the scientific field is one
that il constantly expanding and broaden
ing out into neS helds.
Unlimited opportunities are offered in
the scientific Heid for good practical
and the higher positions are
awaiting the skilled men For ali the
5000 or $1,000 positions there are many
capable candidates, but when IL comes TO
the $4,000, $4,000 or S20,0 600 positions II is
very hard TO find the right man Accord.
il gIy at the present time many important
high salaried positions are vacant Tor want
OF enough tdpdDle sClcuNlSlS III ld'l
the modern times are always Gemanuing
higher intellectual standard Tor ali I'M
portant positions
What the country needs now is the
practical. skilled engineer who is capable
of doing anything. In three or four nun
dred years, when the country IL settled
and commercialism Is diminished, there /.
will be time for the literary men At
present we want engneers industrial
men, good husinesslike managers and /
raj Dad men In fact there is "a held for
ne men everywhere.
"Ope of the chief attractions of scien-
tifc work is that 1t is extremely and con-
stantly Interesting, A literary career
often becomes monotonous. while scien-
tific ork is a!ways increasing in interest.
| his spirit is shown. for example, by a .
machnist who tolls at one thing all the
time. b just set him Mt some expert,
mental for n while and his keen interest .
N the work is at once manifest
My greatest objection to college |