TECHNICAL EDUCATION 165 



of descriptive geometry be taught, hardly a student will be 

 found. 



Another objection may be, that mecLanical draughting ought 

 to be taught in connection with scientific establishments rather 

 than through schools of art, inasmuch as it is more closely re- 

 lated to mechanics and mathematics than to anything aesthetic. 

 My answer is, that the arrangements in schools for fine arts are 

 adapted for drawing both as to space and light ; that Government 

 establishments for the fine arts exist already all over the country, 

 to which the new classes can be affiliated, whereas the schools 

 of science do not exist ; and lastly, that the scientific part of 

 mechanical drawing is wonderfully small. There are excellent 

 draughtsmen who are wholly ignorant of Euclid and guiltless of 

 algebra. The very fact that our workmen do come to under- 

 stand the drawings of the work they have to execute is a proof 

 that no scientific training is required to render these intelligible. 

 I have known a smith who, taught in a mechanics' institute by 

 a locomotive draughtsman, learned in a very little while to make 

 an admirable set of drawings of the smith's shop in which he 

 worked, with the building, roof, forges, blowing-machinery, etc., 

 in full detail. I have seen a whole class of lads of thirteen and 

 fourteen executing excellent mechanical drawings so good that 

 I could have afforded to pay them to work in my office ; and I 

 am therefore certain that no considerable scientific trainino 1 is 



o 



required to enable lads and men thoroughly to understand 

 mechanical drawing, and to represent accurately any ordinary 

 structure. So far am I from thinking that it requires previous 

 scientific training, that I believe mechanical drawing to be the 

 one form of elementary science which practically can be taught 

 in all schools. If we had in our Government schools of art such 

 classes as I have suggested, we should soon find that native 

 draughtsmen would replace the French, Germans, and Swiss, 

 who, to our shame, now fill our drawing offices. 



I will now for a time take leave of the Science and Art 

 Department, and consider what should be done in primary schools 

 to carry out the second resolution of the Conference, that ele- 

 mentary science should be taught in all schools. I often see 

 proposals that drawing should be taught in all the primary 

 schools of the country, and the proposition is supported by the 



