The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-04-24

Urbana, ILL.,, April 24.-The Univer-
stty of Illinois in 1906 opened School
of Ceramics in response to Well de-
fined demand Since then the dim
Guilty has been to hold the students
until graduation; as soon as they had
any degree of technical knowledge
they were in Immediate demand by
manufacturers 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 . fortune re-
sides, dumb and comfortable perfect
ly willing to wait another aeon or two
until some man arrives to claim it. 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 va
rious shapes and colors. The study
of the processes and of the scientific
basis involved in these industries is
the modern technology of Ceramics.
Consider the single example OF en-
ameled bricks and tiles which are so
prominent in modern structures ann
ing at asceptic perfection. Most OF
the enamel brick manufacturers in
this country are of foreign birth. They
have brought their experience and
their recipes with them ard they have
adapted them painfully and sometimes
stupidity. for they have not dared to
tamper with them any more than was
necessary. AS a result the belief pre-
vailed among manufacturers that we
must go to Europe to get clay for our
glazes and our slips" as the porce-
lain-like impervious coatings are
called. Now this belief is not fact.
Let me tell you fact-an encourage
ing fact, too, especially If you are
young man DESTROYS of doing some
and worth Whil6-if Eli
rope were to prohibit the expectation
of their clays entirely tomorrow,
American whiteware potters and ell
ameled brick makers could keep right
on in their business, nor would there
he any serious drop in the quality of
their product.
r. r. Stun of the Illinois School of
Ceramics found in his experiments
that many OF the American fire ciays
were well adapted to the manufacture
of enameled brick if properly pre-
pared. Old mother nature seldom
makes it easy for her children. She
requires a certain amount of coaXing
and pampering before she can bend
her pride to their purpose. Now clays
to be transformed succeSSfu lly into en-
ameled bricks must possess low
shrinkage; it was found that various
American clays if calcined clay We're
added to diminish the natural shrink
age would work up into an excellent
product. Again he worked out a prdc-
teal method of applying a porcelain
facing to bricks and other clay pro-
ducts, the body of which consists of a
cheap clay. Great interest has already
been manifested in this work by man
ufacturers. 1t does not require much
imagination to understand the bearing
of this invention upon the attainment
of modern sanitary and asceptic condi-
lions in every day life.
This win 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 citi-
zens of Illinois buy each wear $4,000
600 worth of bricks and other clay
products from other states and other
countries. This could be spent almost
entirely within our borders if her un-
used clay banks We're forced to give
up their treasure. Nor is Illinois the
only state that is needless of the
great wealth in clay. Sometimes it
seems that locality must prove itself
a failure in every other way before the
clay banks are given a 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