■Added  as  a Monthly  Supplement  to  the  “ TROPICAL  AGR1G ULTU  RISTP 
TUB  MAGAZINE 
< T' 
OF 
T66  SCROOL  OF  AGRICULTURE, 
COLOMBO. 
Yol.  IV.]  NOVEMBER,  1892.  [No.  5. 
TECHNICAL  EDUCATION— ITS  AIMS 
AND  METHODS. 
( Continued  from  page  30.) 
N most  Continental  countries  there 
exist,  in  addition  to  the  Elemen- 
tary Schools,  Evening  Continuation 
Classes,  to  carry  forward  the 
education  of  the  children  of  the 
working  classes  leaving  school  at  or  under  14, 
as  well  as  to  supplement  workshop  training. 
Nothing  of  the  kind  exist  in  Great  Britain.  On 
the  other  hand  the  evening  classes  for  work- 
men in  Science,  Art  and  Technology,  as  organ- 
ized by  the  Science  and  Art  Department  and 
the  City  and  Guilds  of  London  Institutes,  are 
far  superior  to  anything  of  the  kind  abroad, 
according  to  the  Report  of  the  Commissioners  of 
Technical  Instruction.  These  classes,  first  formed 
in  connection  with  the  various  Mechanic’s  Insti- 
tutes in  every  large  manufacturing  town,  were 
placed  under  the  Science  and  Art  Department 
in  1856,  soon  after  the  First  Industrial  Exhibition, 
when  the  sum  voted  by  Parliament  for  all  expenses 
was  £64,675.  In  1890-91  the  allowance  was  no 
less  than  £474,896,  the  amount  expended  on 
Schools  of  Science  and  Art  alone  being  £186,864, 
chiefly  devoted  to  grants  to  teachers  on  the  results 
of  the  examinations  of  their  pupils,  to  prizes, 
scholarships,  building  of  laboratories,  and  main- 
tenance of  normal  schools.  Examinations  are  held 
in  25  subjects.  The  number  of  Science  students 
in  1889  was  131,813,  of  Art  students  88,969. 
The  subjects  are  those  bearing  directly  upon  the 
industries  of  the  country.  The  course  of  instruc- 
tion for  the  1st  year  comprises  Mathematics 
Freehand  Drawing,  Mechanics,  Physics,  and  Physi- 
ography ; 2nd  year : Inorganic  Chemistry,  Physics, 
Magnetism  and  Electricity  or  Physiography,  Prac- 
tical Geometry  and  Mathematics  ; 3rd  year : 
Specialization  of  studies  either  Physics,  Chemistry 
and  Metallurgy  ; or  Mechanics,  Machine  Construc- 
tion and  Drawing  ; or  Mechanics,  Building  Con- 
struction and  Drawing  ; or  Physiography,  Geology, 
Mineralogy  and  Mining.  The  examination  con- 
sists of  three  stages  : Elementary,  Advanced  and 
Honours,  payment  being  made  at  the  rate  of  £2 
per  pupil  for  a 1st  class  pass,  and  £1  for  a 2nd 
class,  in  Elementary  and  Advanced  subjects,  with 
£4  for  1st  class,  and  £2  for  2nd  class  in  honours. 
Another  and  perhaps  even  more  important  class 
of  Technical  Schools  in  connection  with  the  Science 
and  Art  Department  is  that  devoted  to  Art  Train- 
ing, and  generally  known  as  “ Schools  of  Design." 
These  schools  teach  Drawing,  Modelling,  Decorative 
Art  and  Design.  The  centre  of  Art  Instruction  is 
in  South  Kensington,  and  while  every  form  of  the 
Fine  Arts  is  encouraged,  the  teaching  is  directed 
chiefly  to  train  trade  designers  for  the  textile 
fabrics,  for  metal  work,  porcelain  painting,  wood 
engraving,  &c.  The  grants  made  by  the  Science 
and  Art  Department  are  similar  to  those  for 
Science  teaching  and  vary  from  10s.  to  £3  per 
pupil,  while  facilities  of  all  kinds  are  offered  to 
teachers  in  training,  including  free  instruction  in 
the  National  Art  Schools  and  weekly  stipends  of 
£1  to  £2  during  the  period  of  their  study. 
While  the  teaching  of  Science  and  Art  is  under 
the  control  of  the  Science  and  Art  Department,  that 
of  Technology,  or  the  branch  of  knowledge  which 
deals  with  the  various  Industrial  Arts,  and  ex- 
plains the  different  processes  and  operations  in  the 
various  trades,  manufactories  and  workshops,  has 
been  taken  in  hand  since  1879  by  the  City  and 
Guilds  of  London  Institute.  The  subjects  taught 
in  the  Evening  Classes  are  connected  with  the 
trades,  but  the  trades  themselves  are  not  taught. 
Here  for  example  are  some  of  the  subjects  of 
instruction  : the  manufacture  of  Cotton,  Paper, 
Silk,  Steel,  Pottery,  Porcelain,  Gas,  Glass,  Cloth, 
Alkali.  Carriage-Building,  Agriculture,  Silk  and 
Wool  Dyeing,  Calico-Bleaching,  Telegraphy,  Blow- 
pipe Analysis,  & c.  Each  student  is  free  to  select  the 
classes  which  will  help  him  to  make  progress  in 
his  particular  trade  or  business.  The  fees  for 
the  separate  evening  classes  at  the  Technical 
College,  Finsbury,  vary  from  15s.  to  16s.  for  the 
session  of  about  8 months,  apprentices  under 
20  being  admitted  at  half  fees.  These  evening 
classes  at  this  Institution,  whigh  I visited  in 
