The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-07-27
The South in Technical Education

The South in Technical Education
 That was a most readable and lrl- structive sketch by Dr. Charles C. Thach, president of the Alabama Poly technic institute at Auburn, on the Development of Technical Education in the South," which appeared in yes terday's Age-Herald.
 In view of the fact that Dr. Thach has been exceptionally successful as the head of one of the best polytechnic institutions in this country, what he says in his article naturally carries with it the stamp of authority. Ala bama was fortunate in securing the services of a man of Dr. Thach's en- thusiasm to take charge of the insti- tr..en at Auburn. As an educator he has always been able to combine in a marked degree '' theoretical with the practical, - his enthusiasm has had telling effect on faculty and student body.
 Dr. Tliach's sketch of the develop ment of technical or industrial educa- tion within the past fifty years reads almost like romance. As that educa- tor says, Ut is not exactly a revolu- tion, but rather an evolution. Per sently pervasive, it has completely metamorphosed the face of our school system" He tells of the time when Greek, Latin and mathematics-fift years ago-"well nigh constituted the scheduled curriculum of the college or university, when the utilitarian was derided"
 Dr. Thach then goes on to say, "The aim of the new education is to dignify labor and to fit men for the practical business of life" Those who think that Dr. Thach and other leaders in technical education work some times undervalue classical learning will always find such educators insist ant on the cultural side of the tech nical man. Great attention is paid at Auburn and other technical schools to English literature and English com position. Dr. Thach in his admirable article says:
 Now, the aim of the new education is to dignify labor and to fit men for the practical business of life. Nec- essarily, in any scheme of education there must be full recognition of mans human spiritual elements; but technical education is not to sup plant but merely to supplement the sound training of the older school. Man has spirit. but he also has body, and man and his ways is only half of the story of education there are things and their forces, and the knowledge and mastery of things and their forces sums up the history of the wonderful industrial development of the last five decades.
 Technical education therefore, while tralnlng the Intellect ana sensiDfl- ties of youth, would also train his constructive and executive faculties It would fit the boy not only to think and speak, but to act and to accom- plish. To produce economic goods, to increase wealth, to get mastery over the forces of nature, steam, electric ity, waterpower in mine in field and in forest; to contribute to the mate rial welfare of man-these are some of the aims of techaical education.
 The purposs ahd aim of these col leges is not to develop the mere arti- san, but rather to develop captains of industry, men who, as engineers, chemists, agricuturists, metallur- gists, superntendents, or executive officers, are able to exploit the re- sources of the land, to bring labor and capital together in mutual gain, and to plan, organize and direct in- dustries of the greatest ma gnitude and of the most far-reachng influ- ence upon the community.
 Dr. Thach remarks in passing that there seems to be an immediate need for specific trade schools in certain cities of the south. He thinks the day is now at hand when 0'-- -'---' and Atlanta with highly differentiated forms of industries might be with great advantage instructed in the