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