34 National Life 



teaching them the tricks of their trade. In 

 one polytechnic I found lads learning how 

 to fold cretonnes and polish mahogany ; that 

 is to say, the manufacturers had thrust the 

 cost of apprenticeship on the public purse, 

 perhaps to some extent lowering the price 

 of sofas and easy-chairs to those who cafe 

 about them. The object of any technical 

 education paid for by the State or tfie muni- 

 cipality should be the exercise of brain-power, 

 mental gymnastics in the best sense ; it 

 should treat of the science, and not the art, 

 of a trade. Such education education, re- 

 member, means literally a drawing out, not 

 a cramming in ought to act as a brain- 

 stretcher, and not attempt to communicate 

 mere trade knowledge. Where it does the 

 latter and in how many cases does it not, 

 under our brand-new system of technical 

 instruction ? then it is merely relieving the 

 manufacturers, and possibly the purchasers, 

 of certain goods of such part of their cost as 

 has hitherto been paid for apprenticeship. 

 On the other hand, when technical education 

 acts as a brain-stretcher, then this increased 

 efficiency tells not only on the trade occupa- 



