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About The Hesperian / (Lincoln, Neb.) 1885-1899 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 12, 1897)
I ' s 'II r H E H 10 8 P K i J A N II ! ! i i vff km Technical Education and the State, A little consideration of the conditions of modern life will show that economy in the production of raw material, its conversion into useful form ami tho cheap and quick distribution of substance and intel ligence are tho prime requirements of out present civilization and without which nineteenth century culture would lapse into mediaeval barbarism Most of us also know tho part America has played in the solution of theso problems Yet industrial and technical education in America cannot for a moment he compared with such training in Germany for example. How then are wo to explain America's industrial promin-nco? Evidently the explanation is to be found in her recent splendid outburst of reserve power power drawn from an Anglo Saxon ancestry and developed by two centuries f contact with tho new conditions of a new continent, and which excited to incandescent heat by the Civil war has in the last thirty years spent itself in those mar vclous achievements for minimizing lab r that give a brilliancy to the close of this century not before known But this reserve power can not 1 ist indef ninatcly nor can any artificial stimulet be perma nent. We gloiy in the genius of an Edison but let us not be lulled into a sense of security by those who toll us that "Yankee ingenuity" will ever be a match for tho industrial armies of Europ.i, trained as they are in her polytechnicums and armed with all that experience and science teach. The sucee-B ful sally of a partisan leader may be br:ll;ant but it counts for uothing as against the measured tread ol well trained troops. If it is believed that America does not feel the effect of tho world's competition tho last four years confute it. and now as perhaps never before in this state and in the country at large tho problem of meeting such competition is felt. Layiug aside tho various infantile nostru us some times proposed, all thinking persons agree thai the final and effective method is in education Buibineo the competition is an industrial one it must bo met by an education shaped to tho desired end. En .land which so Ion? has hold to the old apprenticeship sys tem is awakening to the necessities of the new con ditions and thegraduates of her recently e-tablished techuical schools are instilling nev life into her industries. Even Cambridge has added a fully equipped engineering laboratory under the able direction of Professor Ewing. What is true of a section possessing a diversified industrial interest is doubly true of a trans Missouri state like Nebraska where a single hot wind may obliterate the efforts of twelve months of labor ami just because tho interests of tho state are to-day so largely agricultural does it become tluwe who have her welfare most at heart to make a strong patient effort to educate her sons along lines tending to diversify such interest. Nor must it be supposed because Nebraska is poor in deposits of carbon that manufactories can not be successfully established here. Recent im provements in power machinery hnvo reduced tho power item to a small percent of operating expenses in many lines an I the water power of tho si Ue Is by no means small. That the .ibovo considerations are not new t the people of tin- st i is evinced by the fact that a out one sixth of al th ivg liar un dergiadnatc male Mudcnts in the university are rouistoicd for one of tho two technical coui.ses offered, showing a demand for technical work prob ably not paralleled by any simil ir in-titut on Givei. adequa e facilities for technical instiu tiou and tno saniu class of young men as are now in our engin eriiu c mrses, no fua need bo folt for the industrial future of the state. Thanking you, Mr. Editor, for the request to say something on technical education itt this time lam &o U B Oyvuns Charter Day, Charter day since the twentyfifth anniversary in 1891, lias been the gala day of the university. This year is to be no exception The best tiling is to ho the 'barter d;iy oration by President Franklin far ter of Wiiliams college. Hi aldress wi 1 ta'e place at the Lan-ing Tuesday evening on "Tlioi g'Hs on University Training." Every building on the campus will lie thrown open to tho public Every department isprepiring to mike -peuial exhibits The electrical display will probably bo the most novel. The society of ele tricil engin ers has al ways made a line showing and this year it has labor ed longer and tried harder than eve before, and therefore the display is expected to bo very t laborate and complete Tho lairy school is to bo open for inpution The battalion will bo inspected by Gov Hole mh and staff The Pershing llillu. will put up an e hi lion drill ami the gymnasium o hi'.iith.n .vM be given in the armory TheP.d Beta Kappa will give a rec ption to President alter at tlie 'ha olio ' residence Tiii sday Morning N -.v m-mb r will '. welcomed. Monday evening reo ptio nil' ' given ti the members of the legislature in Un- lib i ry building by the regents the l.aucellor and tin faculty We have made a reputation i Lincoln for handling every! hinff now and original in Valentino nitd we believe you will agree with us if oU examine our goods We have Comic Valentines not the cheap ones to be seen in almost every dealers window, but new and bright ards wit h good hits? and comic verses, which wo sell at 5 and 10 cts each; lace Valentines for 1-2 ct. each to 10 cts. Cards at lc. to 25c. Novel ties in elluloid, etc, at 12c. to $2.0". Etchings on satin, from 50c. upwards. Our prices as usual are made at lowest possible margin. Book Dopt., Hcrpol sheimer & Co,