Probably the most outstanding example of the educational achievements of American corporations was that of the trade schools which were organized and operated by the National Railroad between 1890 and 1912, under the direction of E. N. Brown, president of the National Railways--one of the “pernicious foreigners” who were exiled under Carranza’s “nationalization” of the railway properties in 1914. These railway schools trained between 15,000 and 18,000 Mexican mechanics and engineers, taking boys of 14 and 15, paying them first 62 cents a day and gradually increasing that until, after four years’ training, they were receiving three and a half pesos a day. They were then ready to take positions as skilled workers in the railway shops or on the locomotives or, if they chose, in other industries. The railway placed no limitation on them, holding that the company benefited in the increase of the efficiency of the Mexican worker wherever he might be. The whole scheme of this work, including the paying of apprentices while learning, was the broadest kind of educational service, taken up, to be sure, because the railway company needed mechanics and trainmen, but with an effect on Mexico and on the creation of the so-called Mexican “middle class” (the buying and building as well as the elevating element in any population) which is still felt through the chaos of revolutionary destruction. To-day the greatest industry of Mexico is the production and refining of petroleum, and foreign companies, of course, control it. Much genuinely helpful welfare work is being done by them, including not only schools for children but training schools for workers as well. In addition the very conscious plan of increasing wages until unskilled labor now receives a minimum of $2 a day is having a remarkable effect upon the standard of living and upon the buying capacity (as well as upon the efficiency) of the Mexicans of the Tampico oil section. There is much undigested prosperity, and agitators are creating trouble as far as they can for the foreigners, but on the whole the effect on the material well-being of the peon has been advantageous. It is inevitable that a continuation of this attitude should bring forth a vastly increased civilization at least in this one section of Mexico. Education has been pushed forward by the companies, and in the model villages such as the town of Terminal (across the river from Tampico on the property of the Doheny companies) really excellent schools are maintained with Mexican teachers under American supervision.