The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1916-06-15
OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENGINEER
ING In THE SOUTHERN
MOUNTAINS
CONTINUED from Page Two)

(COntlnueu IfOm rage lWOl
lucky in particular never were sur
veyed by the government. Ken
lucky was a county of Old Virginia
and was dOled out piecemeal under
the iniquitous land grant system to
the perpetual annoyance Of all con-
cerned "even unto this day." The
writer has il upon first hand author
ty that a certain real estate COM
pany purchased large tract of land
in a particular county. The deeds
were verified by the county survey
or, but Notwithstanding, it was found
upon legal examination that these
titles covered not only 'flfty-thous-
and acres more than the total area
of the county but in addition includ-
ed the whole township in which the
county surveyor lived and had his
home. Surely the clearing up of such
conditions is the work of a man of
good judgment and precise training.
Large interests are continually So
Letting the aid of well-trained sur
veyors to adjust similar disputes.
The mining and agricultural stu
atoms are also nuts that demand
technical cracking. The mineral de-
posits are numerous and in most
cases workable but are largely I'M
known. Gold, silver, iron, petroleum,
fluospar and copper have been found
in paying quantities while lead, zinc,
barytes, gypsum and even diamonds
have been discovered but not ex-
plotted.
The agricultural conditions are
daily becoming worse and will soon
be beyond the aid of even the exper-
fenced forester. The greedy lumber
man and the destitute mountaineer
have met with disastrous results.
Coal and its byproducts immediate
ly attract the chemical engineer
while all these activities together
with a vast amount OF quarrying
look to the electro-mechanical engi-
neer for a solution of innumerable
difficulties.
The whole situation is summed up
in a word. Here is a rich section
which is being exploited by the cor
poration devil-fish on one hand and
by mediocre people with antiquated
means on the other. The former
doesn't care and the latter doesn't
know about conservation.
Under such conditions isn't it pos
sible that Appalachia would sup
port a technical school and isn't ii
possible that such an institution II
properly operated would serve the
double purpose of extending scienti-
fic education and of saving the
mountaineer from himself?
The success of the venture would
depend very largely upon two things,
the first of which would be an alb
solute recognition of the fact that II
is only the mountain boys them
selves who, on account of their love
for home, can return and benefit the
native community. The first hypo-
thesis then is that any operations
along technical lines in this section
must be made by and not on the ma
tives.
The second point is the realization
that success depends upon adapta-
bility. Many educators are such
sincere worshipers at the shrine oil
the god of Things as They Think
They Ought to Be" that they totally
forget the little fetish Of Things as
They are" The analogy will be clear
when the reader is reminded that
the mountain problem cannot DE
hung on a classified peg with other
types of educational endeavor. Ster-
eotyped methods of teaching fail ut
terly because they have been devised
for and practiced upon generations
of college students who never nave
thought for themselves. They don't
go-they are sent. The mountain
student, however, comes with the
will to learn and the bodily vlgor 70
work hard. Naturally the situation
is quite different from the common
experience of professors and 1t nc
doubt would please some OF them 70
feel that their customary applica-
ton of the educational pulmotor was
unnecessary.
Moreover the Appalachia educator
must hold before him continually
the idea that technical schooi IL
this region is for the benefit OF the
mountain people and not means o.
producing more sweat shop material