THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT YOUR FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. SATURDAY, JULY 10, 1880.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3600, 10 July 1880, Page 2

THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT YOUR FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. SATURDAY, JULY 10, 1880.

Mb DeLautoub, speaking in the House on the subject of technical education, advocated a system that has long been in rogue in continental cities, and which has been found to bear exceJ'ent fruit. It is impossible in the present day to find intellectual work for those who hare been educated to do it, and it is therefore incumbent on us an the instructors of the coming generation to give them such an instruction as will enable them to earn their bread by the exercise of some useful trade. Of course we would not for one moment deprecate giving children a good education, but at the same time it is useless to educate young men to fill situations, when there is little probability of their obtaining that class of work for which that education fits them. Indeed, the more a man is acquainted with a craft or trade, the more easy will it be for him to obtain employment, as the world at present seems fast drifting into utilitarianism. The) present prospect would teach us unmistakeably, that usefulness and not mental store is the great principle of education, could it riot be possible to teach our youth how to use the saw, axe, plane, square, or teach him the value of eccentrics, shafts, cylinders, bricks, and masonry ? In a word, would it not be quite practicable to give our young lads instruction " while at school '• in the trade they show the greatest desire to learn? Many boys while at school evince a liking for some specified trade, and if the iron is struck when hot, the fancy may be easily matured; instead of which, the taste of the lad is over*

looked at the time it shows itself, and when at the close cf scholastic duties he is placed iv that trade he once showed a liking for, he does not care for it, as the fancy was allowed to pass by without aiding its development to maturity. There are a great many reasons which could be given in favour of such a scheme. There is little doubt of one thing, however, if some change is not made in the present mode of bringing children up, they will find it harder to get a living than the present generation do. Some means will have to be taken to make a boy acquainted with a trade, and at the same time give him mental cultivation : as if parents still continue to insist in bringing their offspring up to what they are pleased to call " respectable" positions in life, they, and they alone will be to blame, if they find their mistake has led to the impoverishment of their children. iWe sincerely hope to see Mr DeLautour's suggestions carried into effect as it would not only put lads in a better way of earning a living when grown up, but their education would to some extent pay for itself.