13G wiscoKsm academy sciences, arts, and letters. 



INDUSTRIAL EDUCATION. 



BT I. M. HOLLAND, BARABOO. 



This is a topic peculiarly appropriate here, in an association 

 wh'c'-i is the pinnacle of the State temple of public instruction, 

 Our public school S3^stem is enlarging its field of force so rapidly, 

 that it is well to enquire if the improvement in quality keeps pace 

 with that in quantity. 



We shall probably soon imitate the example of the States that 

 have established compulsory, or as it might better be called, guar- 

 anteed education, a measure for which there need be given no other 

 argument than Professor Huxley.s, '' If my neighbor brings up his 

 children untaught and untrained, to earn their living, he is doing 

 his best to destroy my freedom by increasing the burden of taxa- 

 tion for the support of jails and work-houses for which I have to 



pay." 



The force of this argument, however, depends on the extent to 

 which the children are really trained to earn their living in the 

 public schools. And so does much of the force of all arguments 

 for public schools at which attendance is voluntary. The fact 

 that we are taxed to keep up these schools gives us a right to re- 

 quire that the instruction be made as practically useful and gen- 

 erally valuable as possible. 



Of course, the whole Eiim of the public school should not be to 

 teach children to earn their living, but this is certainly a part of 

 the legitimate aim and might be largely developed in harmony with 

 other parts, as is actually the practice in Europe. 



No knowledge of any kind can be acquired without increasing 

 all the powers of usefulness, but some kinds of knowledge do im- 

 mensely more than others to develop particular powers. A law 

 student would learn more in a theological seminary than in a fac- 

 tory, but not so much in a year as he Avould in a law school in a 

 single month. Neither law school nor theological seminary would 

 particularly increase the skill of the mechanic. These seem tru- 

 isms, but just consider how much better fitted our public schools 



