The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-05-15
EDUCATION HELPS
The COAL MINER
Companies Start Schools to
AsSimilate Aliens.
GIVE TECHNICAL TRAINING
Methods of Instruction Described
and Some of the Results stated.
ntOr in Anthracite RegiOn-WOrI-
ers Take Interest in Study.

one OF the great social FORCES In the
anthracite region OF Northeastern Penn
syNania is the mine school," II IS a
force important not so much for what It
has already done as for what 1t is sure TO
do in the future II is helping to solve
the problem OF the conservation Of re-
sources. 1t aims not at symptoms, but
at the very root OF all trouble-the lack
Of knowledge and training
The economic and sociological condi-
lions In the hard-coal fields are peculiar.
Within an area OF about 500 square miles
is contained the entire anthracite supply
OF the United States. Anthracite is re-
spOnsible for the large population and
the prosperity OF this limited territory.
Directly or Indirectly, practically the
whole population may be said 10 depend
upon the mining industry
Population Mostly Alien.
The need for labor has brought to this
region vast numbers OF immigrants They
come from every part Of Europe and in
some mines fifteen or twenty languages
are spoken by the workers. Naturally
such a condition creates a most difficult
situation. To "assimlate" these foreign
ers is a serious problem. It IS generally
recognized that the real solution-and It
must be gradual-is education The pub
lie schools libraries. numberless benevo-
! lent and patriotic organizations are all
assisting in the work.
! The mining company Is leading. The
| operator IS more directly interested in
the quality Of mine labor than any one
1 else. He feels the depreciation I'm the
/ quality keenly and is crippled by IL. He
sees good coal going 20 waste because the
1 men who are mining it are not well
trained. Sometimes he sees "a life lost
hecars" worker, out Of ignorance or
careless bred Of ignorance, has disregard
ed the rules designed to protect him.
Conditions Have ChnnEed.
The person who lived in the anthracite
region many years ago can hardly appre-
ciate the difficulty OF the problem now
faced by the operator. Formerly the
English-speaking and Teutonic races. pre-
dominated. Not only were they an intel
lieent class. but many OF these men had
been brought up In the mining communi-
ties Of England. Scotland, and Wales and
were attracted 10 this country BY the
higher pay and better conditions OF work.
y number Of them are still 10 be found
In the hard coal fields, but relatively
speaking, their part in the production OF
anthracite has become less and less i'm
portant
Now the mining industry has to rely
upon class OF Europeans whose tradl-
tons and experience have nothing to do
with mining. Hordes Of immigrants from
Southern and Eastern Europe have filled
the region, while competent miners have
been discouraged from coming by the
law, which demands two years OF service
in the Pennsylvania anthracite mines be-
fore miners certificate can be granted.
Thus has arisen the urgent necessity
for better training Several Of the min
ing companies have established schools
which they conduct for the benefit OF
their employees. These employees. no mat
ter in what branch of mining work they
may be, are encouraged to attend. The
powerful inducement is the ultimate rro-
motion which is sure 20 follow faithful
study The workers who attend one Of
these schools are constantly under the
eye OF the management II their actual
daily work in or about the mines Is well
done, progress I'm the school leads 10 their
selection for more responsible positions.
The school record serves to point out TO
the management which workers have in
them the stuff" for big things.
One of tho pfrs1 School
One OF the first schools TO be estab-
lished by the operators is that Of the
Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron
Company at Pottsville. Pa The attend
ants are the apprentices and iourneymen
employed in the shops and the mine
workers in the company's collieries in
the vicinity Of Pottsville. The head Of
the school. one Of the mechanical engi-
neers Of the Philadelphia and Reading.
is graduate of Lehigh University.
Because Of the admission Of new men
every year it has been found necessary
to divide the school into two sections. /
the junior and senior class. The Junior
class meets on certain evenings in the
auditorium of the main Office building.
the senior class. which does advanced |
work, meets in the drawing Office Of the
shops.
In the junior class mathematics is |
taught by the method Of problems deal |
ing with phases Of the work with which /
the men come in daily contact Gradu- |
ally the problems grow more difficult and
involve the principle Of elementary me |
chanics and mining sections. AT every /
session some members are sent to the |
blackboards and the problems are worked /
and explained to the class This black |
board work has been found successful
One-haf of the session is devoted 10
free-hand sketching of machine parts or
practical mining problems.
Training Advances.
In its drawing course the senior class
starts at once upon the drawing Of sim
pie machine parts with which the MEM
bers are more or less acquainted. Gradu-
ally the drawing is made more compIev
until at the end Of the term each student
Is capable of making an intelligent draw
ing OF a difficult piece Of machinery. The
senior class course also contains nroh-
lens useful to molders, machinists ana
miners. Another branch of instruction &c
foundry practice. From this the mem
oers learn enough Of the composition Of
iron 10 mix the various grades Of iron in
The cupola
The problem course for the machinists
includes the study Of the operation Of the
steam engine slide valve. A model &c
used to show the operation of the valve
The calculation of the Indicated horse
bower from indicator diagrams is studied
n detail. The steam boiler problems IA
nilarize the student with the operation
IF important parts OF the boiler While
he class Is ON the suhinnt ~ 49, -