Los Angeles herald., 1909-12-23

Institute. Mrs. Willoughby Rodman
pleaded for more art in public build
ings and the city generally. Charles
Farwell Edison gave his ideas as to
musical development and progress. and
William Mullholland, chief engineer OF
the owens river aqueduct, gave an
illustrated talk on the great water
project.
Mrs. Rodman declared that one Of
the most appropriate ways to commem-
crate the opening of the aqueduct was
with the building of a large and ornate
drinking fountain, through which the
Owens river water would first flow in
Los Angeles. She said that she is
working now trying to raise a fund for
this purpose and from present indica-
tions she believes her labors will be
crowned with success. She also asked
that all teachers band together and de-
mand more artistic school buildings.
Now, she said, school buildings are
little better than barns. She also urged
a civic center as one of the real ways
to make Los Angeles the city beau
tiful
Teach school children good music
by the use of the phonograph and the
mechanical piano." said Charles Far
we'll Edison. "a tired teacher should
not be forced to teach music"
in every school of an orchestra and
singing chorus. He said that when the
orchestras were united it would lead
to the formation of a children's SYM
phony. Through the chorus work the
musical education of children would be
advanced rapidly. The use of phon-
ographs and mechanical pianos would
develop the music ears of children far
better and faster than any other
means. He also asked for big au-
ditorium and the formation and con-
tinuous conduct of a municipal band.
Mr.. Mullholland's remarks were most
interesting and instructive. He showed
hundred or more lantern slides of
the scenes along the aqueduct, graph
lcally depicting the work being done to
bring the Owens river to Los Angeles.
During the course of his remarks he
declared that the aqueduct will be
completed one year ahead of time and
for less than the $2S,OO0.000 appropri-
ated for the purpose. In the tunnel
work there are now completed thirty
of total of thirty-eight miles, he said.
The geological formation of the coun-
try from which the Owens river de-
rlves its supply of water guarantees
steady and sure supply, said Mr.. Null
holland. This is particularly true of
the so-called dry season, during July
and August. for it is then that the
river runs highest.
Gives Practical Demonstration
practical demonstration of welding
rails by the Thermit process was given
in the blacksmith shop under the d-
rection of Lionel Heyneman of San
Francisco. Two rails were welded to-
gether in a few seconds. The demon
stration was largely trough the cour-
o 4. TT.
is daily using the Thermit process In
track construction.
More practical and less theoretical
education was what Benjamin F. Pear
son of the Edison Electric company
argued for before the manual training
and history section of the institute
Mr.. Pearson spoke on 1.-THE High
School Boys Technical Preparation" I"
He argued for trade schools, saying
that boys are better prepared to fight
life's battle when taught trade than
when filled with poetry and theory.
Mr.. Pearson said in part as follows:
There are two sources of informa-
| ton which are more or less reliable;
namely, history and personal expert
ence.
"In the first place it is assumed that
the boy in question Is to be considered
in the light of finished product and
that the university or college training.
so far as his future is concerned, is
unnecessary.
Before going any farther it might
be we'll to consider some of the falla-
cies of higher education when consid-
cred in connection with the boy who
desires to make of himself an engi-
neer either civil, electrical, mining,
or what not,
1.-TWO classes of people form a large
part of those who, on every occasion
possible, give an expression of their
opinions; on the one hand the ex-
tremist who believes a grammar school
education is entirely ample, and on
the other hand the extremist who be-
lieves that no good can come of the
young man who cannot boast the very
highest university training. There is
middle course.
"It must be admitted that during the
past forty years the people who be-