V IN HUMAN SOCIETY. 225 



way in which the technical instruction, so gener- 

 ally desired, should be given. Two courses appear 

 to be practicable: the one is the establishment of 

 special technical schools with a systematic and 

 lengthened course of instruction demanding the 

 employment of the whole time of the pupils. The 

 other is the setting afoot of technical classes, es- 

 pecially evening classes, comprising a short series 

 of lessons on some special topic, which may be 

 attended by persons already earning wages in 

 some branch of trade or commerce. 



There is no doubt that technical schools, on 

 the plan indicated under the first head, are ex- 

 tremely costly; and, so far as the teaching of ar- 

 tisans is concerned, it is very commonly objected 

 to them that, as the learners do not work under 

 trade conditions, they are apt to fall into ama- 

 teurish habits, which prove of more hindrance 

 than service in the actual business of life. When 

 such schools are attached to factories under the 

 direction of an employer who desires to train up 

 a supply of intelligent workmen, of course this 

 objection does not apply; nor can the usefulness 

 of such schools for the training of future em- 

 ployers and for the higher grade of the employed 

 be doubtful; but they are clearly out of the reach 

 of the great mass of the people, who have to earn 

 their bread as soon as possible. We must there- 

 fore look to the classes, and especially to evening 

 classes, as the great instrument for the technical 

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