Newark post., 1910-10-12
FOR STATE AID IN
TECHNICAL AND
TRADE EDUCATION

POItuultltS TOT IOun8 Nlen--Ne-
printed From "The Dodge Idea'
By Request
a movement is on loot, with the
backing of some OF the biggest and
brainiest business men IN Indiana,
whereby it is proposed that the state
shall aid young men i'll securing tech
nical or mechanical education.
The movement is one that is going
to loom up large at the coming ses-
sion OF the Legislature i'll January. 1t
is not intended that the Legislature
shall be asked to appropriate a dollar
out OF the States treasury. Ultimate
ly it may come to that, when the ad-
vantages OF an industrial training for
the States young men become more
thoroughly appreciated; but, as a
starter, the following definite plan is
proposed:
The Legislature is to be asked to
pass an act permitting the city OF Ind
annapolis to place on its tax duplicate
a special levy for trade school pur-
poses of 3 cents on each SIoo OF tax
able valuation, the money so raised to
be paid to the city treasurer the same
as other taxes and expended upon
proper warrants drawn by the city con-
troller.
This levy will raise annually, it is
estimated, the amount OF Soc, 600, which
is to be used, in the first instance. to
resurrect and save Winona Technical
Institute, at Indianapolis, now in the
| hands OF a <,eiver But the scheme,
| as conceived by the nNn who are get
| ting behind it. is broader than any
one institution and contemplates thar
ultimately there shall be a linking OF
, the new movement with the common
! school system in Indiana. st as in
! dustrial education is successfully made
! a feature OF the common school work
! in other States.
| J. L. ketcham, secretary and treas
urer OF the Brown X ketcham Iron
! Works, indianapolis, is one OF the
, leaders in the movement to secure
State aid for the promotion OF indus
trial education in Indiana. He is con-
vinccd that ii the Legislature will lend
its support to the training OF young
men for the mechanical pursuits, it
can aid very materially in placing Ind
! lana in the vanguard OF manufacturing
/ States.
Germany" says Mr.. ketcham, has
demonstrated the value OF trade
schools and vocational training. The
little kingdom OF Wurtemberg, only
one-seventh OF Indiana in size, fur
nishes a vivid example of how an in
| dustrial State may be created in the
face of adverse circumstances such as
we do not have to contend with in
Indiana.
Two or three decades ago Wurtem-
berg was without manufacturing and
industrial institutions. Her people
were learned in theology and the
classics. but had no bent OF mind to-
ward more material things. The king
dom suffered from freight dlscrlmina-
tons. there were n" tourists coming
to swell the revenues. AMI the general
prospect was SO dismal ior young men
that a strong tide Of emigration set IN.
THE wise statesmen Of the king
dom got their heads together and
decided that something must be done.
They hit upon the trade school idea.
The State gave a portion and the cit
les contributed toward the establish
inent OF trade schools III connection
wit hthe common schools all over the
kingdom.
The result was that emigration
stopped. The men turned their atten-
ton from the pursuit OF scholastic
learning. and began to make things to
sell. There was a great industrial
awakening. The peop.e now own
their homes and are the happiest and
most Industrious iok on earth-all
growing out ,oi the trade school pro-
pauands. At Stuttgart there is a
magnificent building devoted to the
display oi the wares OF a nations. The
ingenious Germans collect the wares
from every land. pattern after them,
improve them and send their product
everywhere.
"Wurtemberg, repeat. furnishes an
illustration OF what Indiana can do
with the right kind oi spirit. There Is
no comparison as to natural adVan-
tages. We have coal, water, every
thing necessary to build up great in
dustrial commonwealth They had prac-
tically nothing But Wurtcmberg did
not adopt any hali-hearted, halfway
industrial policy. In that little king
dom 1856 apprentice workshops are
subsidized by the Sta.e. Imagine the
State OF Indiana paying II. c. Atkins
subsidy for teaching apprentices III
his establishments the mechanical pur-
suits!
by the side OF Wurtemberg is the
little Kingdom OF Bavaria With a
population of 100000 /: now has 29e
trade schools, giving instructions day
; md nioht in 10 trades and crafts to