University reporter; (Athens) 18??-current, January 19, 1884, Image 1

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UNIVERSITY REPORTER. nflMLl fflkMmmmm* VOL. IV, ATHENS, GEORGIA, SATURDAY EVENING, JANUARY 19,1884 NO. 13 PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY EVENING, TERMS: One Dollar per Annum, Invariably in Advanee. Published at the Athens Chronicle Othc ♦-1 Qm AD VERT1SEMENTS. Advertisements will be inserted at very reasonable rates. AST INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL. AU people have at some time or another false ideas. These permeate the whole of society. And in pro portion as they are false they are mischievous. One of those ground less ideas that have caused mankind much of suffering and of want, was, before "the war, particularly produc tive of evil at the South. This was the mistaken idea that labor was de grading. That it was beneath the nP _ o '' J ‘ piUiCtiLC SjlXKj profession of old Tubal Cain, or im itate the commendable example of Cincinnatus. Why these notions were prevalent, it is needless to con jecture. But such they were, and most potent for evil. The people of the South fell behind in the advancing army of civilization. They produced an abnormal amount of statesmen, an unnecessary abun dance of lawyers and, for the health of her citizens, far too many physi cians. The South produced few or no inventors. She produced few skilled laborers. She came near ruining her broad acres of rich and arable lands. It is said and correctly said by the trite old maxim, “necessity is the mother of invention.” . When the war came and swept away the sup port of those who talked learnedly of the degredation of labor, when the negroes were freed, the people of the South turned to the plow-handles and not from ■ hem as did Cincinnatus ot old. 0 ■That they should labor was evident. But how and at what? They had no experience, they had even sent North for architects to build their frame houses. This question is not yet settled. That it is not so pressing, that the old generation has in a great measure, found a solution to their problems by laying themselves down to'restin their time honored graves, it is true. That many of their children are provided with decent and tol erably remunerative trades is also true. But these can do better and many are not provided for. They are neither afraid nor ashamed to work. Much, if not all, of this fal lacious theory concerning labor has been dissipated by the irresistable force of circumstances. They have no dread of work now. But they need employment, and they must be skilled to use it to advantage. The State can make them such by the establishment of an industrial school. To make skilled labor is the first aim of the school, and, as stated, skilled labor is the great need of the South. What are some of the bene-, fits of this skill ? That skill can do better work than unskilled, that it ca„U do it in less time, and hence for less money are propositions that are self-eviden'. Labor, as an element of produoimn, must be estimated, not by the time occupied, nor by the rate of wages paid, but by the effi ciency of the labor itself. The truest material r ' ogress of a people is not accomplished by the multiplication of its laborers, and with no corres ponding increase of facilities of pro duction. But rather the true pros perity is attained by increasing the power of men over the elements of nature. Labor saving machinery has truly revolutionized the commerce, the agriculture of the world, The mind of the inventive genius has contributed more, perhaps, to the refinement, the civilization, the wealth and the happiness of man kind, than her greatest thinkers and actors. A Caxton, a Watt, a Ste phenson, a Fulton and a Morse may all have been incomparably inferior mentalty, to men who have lived and died, and long ere this are utterly forgetten ; yet these still live in memory, because they have given such God-like possibilities to their fellow men. They have done much for which the world may bless them. But much remains to be done. The world has not yet reached perfection even in a mechanical sense. The industrial schools will be the prime movers in all the efforts to further subdue the elements of nature. For these beneficial inventions, we must look to the Industrial schools. They will educate finished workmen; men to whom their trades are com pletely subject. And all know that to such the needs of their trade or their profession, and how these wants can be filled, are better known than to all others. Nearly all great invent ors have been practical, laboring men— m asters of their trades. Hence, it is rati onal—perfectly rational—to say tha t the introduction of Indus trial schools in Georgia would greatly improve both this Commonwealth and the whole country as well. We h ave seen that such would en hance ‘-.he State’s prosperity by the direct and beneficent introduction of skilled labor. We have further seen t he many advantages of skilled labor. We have also seen that this skill wou Id add greatly to the intro duction of labor-saving machinery; and that such machinery would tend, as it has always done, to the finan cial, political and social prosperity and weal h of the people. Consid ered then from the advantages af forded by the production of educated and efficient labor, it is entirely evi dent that it is the duty of the State to establi sh an Industrial School. But th ere is another phase of the subject. If the Industrial Schorl sh*, jld Ij. established because .... . producin'^ efficient labor, how much more sho ild it be established when we consid er the effect it would have in divers ikying industry. It is a sound pr -aciple in political economy that, otli ir things being equal, a nation ha s wealth and prosperity in the proportion that she has the the powe r of supplying her own wants an< l the demands of others.— Hence, it is evident that it would be of great advantage to Georgia, if, instead oi ’ being wholly agricultural, she shorn Id practice all kinds of in dustries. This would bring her self- relianc~ , indepence and wealth. What . then would be the effect of an Ind ustrial School? Many are crowding' into the professions that have no g dace there. The true field for them is that of manual labor.— They, hi jwever, choose the profess ions beca use they have nothing else to select., There are no Industrial schools. But once establish these institutic >ns, and the state of affairs would ch ange. Not so many lawyers, not so n lany doctors, not so many politiciat is; but in their places, we would ha ,ve men of brain and muscle; men that 5 labor for their own, and thus for t .heir country’s weal. The whole la nd would be made vocal with the merry music of the spindle and the loom. This -would exert a healthful influence, not only upon the people as a whole and individually, by produ cing the supply for all their necessities at their own doors, but it would improve the old callings. They have been greatly.overstocked. They have failed to yield the profits to the- deserving that they should have done.. Build up the.'Industrial School, place the.boys there that would otherwise be.forced into callings .for which they are' unsuited. Do this, and we will soon 1 see the dear old State, for whom her sons would give their dearest blood, advance at once to far greater activity, and far greater prosperity than ever before. This is a subject of momentous importance to our people. Boisterous rhetoric is not needed and would be out of place, in explaining to the people why they should establish a school of industry. Tuat it should be established, right in the midst of ourpeople, is evident. Such would prove of transcen den tally greater good than one at a distance. Georgia wishes her sons to be educated with her principles, her ideas and in har mony wiih her institutions. She washes her sons te be educated for usefulness in as great numbers as possible. To send abroad would be to many more expense than they could possibly bear, and to all more than would be necessary at a home institution. In conclusion, therefore, let us re iterate with all emphasis; that the interests of Georgia not only imper atively demand industrial education for her children, but they demand that it shall be given her, under her own bright skies, in her own salu brious climate, and under her own wise, tender care and control. They “ opened the door of the church” in an Athens church not long since. The Doctor stood in the altar ready for business, when a very small, smirking, and red-headed boy dashed out of the pew of one of the most influential members. The Doc tor met him on the threshold, and fervently said, as he handed him a cordial right hand of ,fellowship,. “God bless you, my boy.” But the boyonlj whispered the missionary meeting was for to-morrow afternoon, and went back to his seat, while the congregation tittered, and the prea cher gave out, “How firm a founda tion.” “Are you preparing to retire to your couch of nocturnal repose ?' asked a Fresh of his little brother. “No,” indignantly -replied the boy,... “ I’m.goiug $0 bed,”