The sun., 1910-05-15
SCHOOLS FOR COAL MINERS
A BENEFIT ALL AROJ Nd ~
THE INTHRiCITE REGION.
solution % the Labor Problem IN Mines
WheFe fifteen or Twenty Languages
Are spokcn BlgEer PrOntS 60 Oper-
atoF From We'll Trained Employees.

Are spoken HiEEer PrOnts 60 Opor'
atOF Prom We'll Trained Employees.
One Of the social forces at work to-day
in the anthracite region OF northeastern
Pennsylvania Is the mine school. The
economic and sociological conditions Ia
the hard cOal fields are peculiar. Within
IA hles Of about five hundred square miles
h contained the entire anthracite supply
Of the United States Anthracite il re-
sponsibls for the large population in this
rsgion. Directly or indirectly, practically
the whole population depends upon the
mining industry.
The need for labor has brought 10 this
region large numbers Of immigrants.
They conc from every part OF Europe.
and there ars sore mines in which from
fifteen 10 twenty languages are spoken
by the workers. Naturally such a Oondi-
ton creates a difficult situation. 10
assimilate these foreigners IL a problem
II j. generally recognized OF course. that
the real solution. and lt must he gradual.
ia education. The public schools. H.
hraries. numbarlsss benevolent and ua-
triotic organizations. ara an assisting
IN the work
The mining COMPANY. the operator.
10 leading IN a. The operator ~ mOrs
directly interested IN the quality OF mine
labor than any one else. he sees good
cnai going 90 waste hecause The men who
are mining II are not we'll trained some
times he sees a life lost beCau4e worker.
out ~ ignorance or Carelessness bred Of
ignorance. has d.sregarded the rules de
signed 10 protect him tie sees What the
real remedy must be-. aud he has set about
n provide IL bv the establishment OF
schools
Formerly the English sneakine and
IeJtonic races rredomnated in the
anthracite region MANY Of these men
had been brought ur % mining cnmnuni-
ties. Men sho had had wears of aA-
Derience IN the mines OF England. SCOT
land and Wales were attracted 10 this
country hy the higher nav and better
conditions OF work Anumber OF them are
siill to be found in the hard coal fields.
bit. relatively speaking. their part in the
production OF anthracite has b.,cone less
and less important
Now the mining industry has to rely
upon a class Of Europeans " hos. tr,diti,n.
and experience have nothing 10 do with
mining. Immigrants from southern and
eastern Europe have filed the rrsoon
while competent miners have been dis
outraged from coming by the law which
demands two years service in the Penn /
-yivania anthracite mines before a miners
certificate can he granted.
Thus has arisen the necessity for better
training. Several Of the mining com
panies have established schools which [.
hey conduct for the benefit II their en- /
ployees. These employees. no matter in 7
what branch Of mining work they NAV
be. are encouraged 10 attend The DOW.
erfnl induoement ts the ultimate promotion
sure 10 follow faithful study
One Of the first schools established bv
the operators h that of the PhiladaIpbi,
and Reading Coal and Iron Companv an
POttsville. Pa. The attendants arr the
apprentices and Journeymen employed
IN the shops and the mine workers In ia.
companys collieries In the vicinity ~
POttsville The head ~ the school one
q the mechanical engineers Of the Phtla-
delphia and Reading, il graduate Of
Lehigh University
hccause Ot the admission u nsW men
Gvery year it has Jceu found p.r.-sar,.
W divide the school into two sections I'M.
junior and the senior class The inpi,r
class meets on certain evenings ip IA.
Apditonum oi the main ofiica uuiIdiug. the
senior class, which G.s-- advanced work
10 The druwing office ~ the 4hups
IN he junior Cla-~ mathpfngttc- Ia
taught BY the method 0f problems dealing
with phases Of the work with which fbs
men come IN daily contact GrlduaIly
she problems grJW more difiruf ana
ulFoiNe the punGpie ~ elementary me-
cnanios and mining sections one half
u the session is devoted t1 fra.. bsHJ
sketching u machine parts OF prucfical
mining problems
IN its drawing uDu--p the -.ftfur rI,as
starts 40 one" upon the drawing Of .irpui.
machine parts win which III. p..ful ~.
are more or less acquainted Gt,aIl,Ilv
tne drawing n made more complex. until
az the end Of the term each student IL
liaoie 0l maNiug an Intelligent drlving
"l an eiaDJmte plsCr Of machinery IN. .
senior class course also contains problems
useful 70 mOulders. mlChinists and miner.
another branch " instruction in foundry
practice
Frequent visits 20 the school are mad. ,
by the superintendent VI shop- 1Dd
machinery and bv the various heads ~
the minink department They srriIti,,ly.. ,
the work " the students and .hu- n \. .
made obvious 10 every attendant flat tU.. y
nanagem"nt = dlrv ip tu. progress, that T,
he h making
change IN the routine work C1,r.- IN ,
the form u illustrated talks Every p,v y
ana then some expert come % th. .chooI
snd lectures on the subject with which ~
9e 10 most familiar These talks ar.
informal and members Of the class are al !,
liberty 10 question the expert
The practical value Of the school has !.
been demonstrated by its results MANY 4
men VINO took advantage of the opnoT- >
unity Tor Instruction have shown marked =
Improvement and have been rewarded :
~ promotion. They had the ability. and :
ne school brought Il out by setting their ;,
minds 10 work i
Rccently the company established J.
ichooi Tor the employees Of the collieries
q the Shenandoah division The sessions II
ire held IN public school building IN /.
Ine town. This school has for IT, purpose !,
ne preparation Of mine workers for the ~
,Aamlnataon which u required for a mine a
OfeinanA certificate The head Of this n
.cnool - the mining engineer of the ii
district y
Very few Of the attendants have had :,
he advantage Of much education They \.
re men and boys who would never ba !,
lbls % 60 20 regular school OF college, y,
md get technical training. Here they !,
lbtain the best substitute Tor II. and their "
InilV work In and 4 ah1fff the rutnaa 49,.