The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-04-18

Urbana, Ill, April 1s.-The Univer-
sity of Illinois in 1905 opened a school
of ceramics in response to we'll de-
fined demand. Since then the diff
Guilty has been to hold the students un-
til graduation; as soon as they had any
degree OF technical knowledge they
were in immediate demand by manu-
facturers willing to pay salaries far
in advance Of those offered men in
other fields of endeavor.
There is good reason for this. In
many an American clay bank, lime
stone quarry. or sand pit a fortune
resides, dumb and comfortable; per-
fectly willing to wait another aeon or
two until some man arrives to claim
1T. To realize this we must know
that these products of the earth are
made to yield through the agency Of
human labor and skill the many kinds
of clay products, cement and glass in
its various shapes and colors. The
study OF the processes and the scien-
ti1c basis involved in these industries
is the modern technology Of ceramics.
Consider the single example of en-
ameled bricks and tiles which are so
ing at aceptic perfection. Most of the
enamel brick manufacturers in this
country are of foreign birth. They
have brought their experience and their
receipts with them and they have
adopted them painfully and some
times stupidity, for they have not
dared to tamper with them any more
than was necessary. AS a result the
belief prevails among manufacturers
that we must go to Europe to get clay
for our glazes and our slips" as the
porcelain-like imperyious coatings are
called. Now this belief is not fact.
Let me tell you a fact-an encouraging
fact, too, especially IL you are a young
man DESTROYS of doing something new
and worth while-if. Europe were to
prohibit the expectation of her clays
entirely tomorrow, American white
ware potters and brick makers could
keep right on in their business, nor
would there be any serious drop in the
quality of their product.
r. r.. Stull Of the Illinois School OF
Ceramics found In his experiments
that many OF the American fire clays
were well adopted to the manufacture
OF enameled brick If properly, prepared.
Old mother nature seldom makes 1t
easy for her children. She requires a
certain amount OF coaxing and pam
pering before she can bend her pride
to their purpose. Now clays to be
transformed successfully into enameled
bricks must process low shrinkage; 1t
was found that various American clays
If calcined clay were added to diminish
the natural shrinkage would work up
into an excellent product. Again he
worked out practical method OF APP
plying porcelain facing to bricks and
other clay products, the body Of which
consists Of cheap clay. Great in
terest has already been manifested in
this work by manufacturers. 1t does
not require much imagination to un-
derstand the bearing of this invention
upon the attainment of modern sani-
tary and asceptic conditions in every
day life
This will show the practical nature
Of the work being done In the
school of ceramics-work that will
end in keeping within the states many
dollars that now float elsewhere. For
the citizens Of Illinois buy each year
$50, 00O,O 900 worth OF bricks and other
clay products from other states and
other countries. This could be spent
almost entirely within our borders If
her unused clay banks We're forced to
give up their treasure. Nor is Illi-
nois the only state that is needless OF
the great wealth In clay. Sometimes
it seems that locality must prove it.
self failure in every other way be-
fore the clay banks are given chance.
The school Of ceramics offers in
struction and laboratory work in nine
teen courses dealing with the manu-
facture OF all kinds Of clay products
from the common building brick, drain
tiles, terra Gotta, fire brick, etc. to the
highest grade Of porcelain and art ware.
Portland cement, stucco, plaster glass
and enameled iron. A student to sue
coed in these courses requires all
the intelligence good head can bring
to Ii. But for students OF such cali
bre it undoubtedly offers an attractive