The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-07-26
OF TECHNICAL
 EDUCATION IN THE SOUTH

act and to accomplish. To produce eco- homie goods, to increase wealth, to get mastery over the forces of nature, steam, electricity, waterpower in mine, in field and in forest; to contribute to the mate rial welfare of man-these are some Of the aims of technical education.
 Land-Grant Colleges
 The gre4t movement under discussion in the United States takes It's origin with almost mathematical precision from the year 1S62 the most important factor Is effecting this gigantic change in the edu- eational world being the land-grant or agricultural and mechanical college. an institution established. one in each state. under the provisions of the federal act known as the Morrill, act of 1S62-one of the most far-reaching acts of constructive statesmanship in the history of our gov ernment; and resultant therefrom, one of the greatest systems of technological institutions in the world. The State Tech nical College for Alabama, founded upon this grant, was established at Auburn in 1872 Up to 1862, scientific training in American colleges was only fragmentary Harvard, Yale and Princeton offered only a few parallel courses of science, the University of Virginia, among American universities. having given the greatest i'm petus to the study of the natural sciences. There were but few laboratories through out the land, and these most inadequately equipped.
 Today no institution can hold its own without complete laboratory outfit and full staff of instructors In all the ap- piled sciences. Says the late Gen. Francis Walker, president of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology: "The schools of applied science in the country are today doing a work in the intellectual develop 70 I by that of any other type of college. In them Is to be found almost the perfec- ton of education for young men," Ac- cording to the recent report of the United States department of agriculture, the az ricultural and mechanical, or land grant colleges, are 6s in number with 7592 pro- fessors, 92,952 students S365 graduates in 1912, with property valued at s129O O73, ,s61- certainly mighty engine for promoting the cause of education throughout the land"
 Aim of Technical College
 The purpose and aim of these colleges is not to develop the mere artisan, but rather to develop captains of industry men who, as engineers, chemists agricul- turists, metallurgists. superintendents, or executive officers. are able to exploit the resources of the land, to bring labor and capital together in mutual gain, and to plan, organize and direct industries of the greatest magnitude and of the most far reaching influence upon the community.
 Trade Schools
 I should remark, in passing, that It seems there is immediate need for spe- cific trade schools in certain cities in the south, the conditions demanding them having developed rapidly within the inn mediate past. The day Is now at hand when in cities of large population like Atlanta and Birmingham, with highly | differentiated forms of industries, the younger people may, with great advant- age be instructed in the sciences relat- l ing to these specific industries. On every hand the demand for skilled labor is ur- gent, the supply being entirely inadequate and this training our native children must 1 have, or all forms of industrial occupa. ton will pass from their control.
 Benefit of Technical Education 1 To mention only one or two of the out standing benefits to society accruing iron l the technical education. there may b' noted in the first place that the introduc | tion of technical education into the schoo or college curriculum has found plac, for large number of youth who have nt aptitude for language, for historic facts philosophy and those masses of informa tion that are carried by memory Al minds, as has been found. are not fash | toned on the identical pattern som, being literary. some distinctively non literary but highly scientific or highl, constructive. Darwin was not linguist I am sure that too much attention hal been given by our school training in th past to mental gymnastics. that oftel mean only nimbleness and power of acquj sition. rather than strength of mind an' power to think. Often clever boy, witt mind stuffed with all the fights historica from Marathon to Waterloo, In order cat egorical, stands like a baby in the pres ence of something that has to be done Like boa-constrictor, he has swallowe
 the huge bulk of the undIgested colleg curriculum and is utterly incompetent |
 any art or trade. Is it not much nor
 important to be able to do something thal 1t is to answer string of questions? O.
 the other hand, many boy that woul