United States Steel: A Corporation with a SoulCotter, Arundel
History
United States Steel: A Corporation with a Soul
Cotter, Arundel
United States Steel Corporation
An excellent illustration of how the Gary educational system appeals to
boys and girls is afforded by the story told the writer by a foreman
in the mills of the American Sheet & Tin Plate Co., which has a large
plant on the outskirts of the town. His story, told as nearly as
possible in his own words, is as follows:
About two years ago, my nephew, left an orphan by the death of his
mother, came from Pittsburgh to my care. I had been told that the
boy was incorrigible, and would pay no attention to his studies;
in fact, that he flatly refused to go to school. And it proved the
information was correct. Arriving at Gary he would not even make a
pretense at studying, and I practically had to use force to induce
him to visit Prof. Wirt with me.
Arriving at the school the boy explained to Mr. Wirt that he did
not consider himself in need of an education as his only ambition
was to become a house painter. The Professor thereupon suggested
that he come to school and learn how to paint, assuring him that
he would not be asked to do anything he objected to. Naturally the
boy, who was never so happy as when pottering around with a paint
brush, accepted the suggestion.
The first day he was given a pot of paint and a brush and put under
the care of a painter. In a short time he was fairly adept at
laying on color. Then, one day, Mr. Wirt called him in and informed
him that some of the classrooms were to be redecorated in several
colors and that, in view of his progress, he would be put in charge
of the job provided he could make a satisfactory estimate of its
cost.
That was a stumper. The boy confessed his inability to estimate,
and the necessity for a knowledge of mathematics being thus forced
upon him, took up the study enthusiastically. Gradually he was
brought to appreciate the advantage of other studies.
To-day that boy would miss his breakfast rather than be late for
school. It would take a padlock and chain to keep him away from his
studies. And so far as I can find out, he is taking pretty nearly
the whole curriculum.
Prof. Wirt has been strongly supported in his methods by the Steel
Corporation officials.
Gary is growing rapidly. Two Corporation subsidiaries, besides the
Indiana Steel Co., already have plants there. These are the American
Sheet & Tin Plate Co. and the American Bridge Co. The American
Locomotive and American Car & Foundry companies both big railway
equipment manufacturers, not connected with the Steel Corporation, are
said to be planning the erection of plants in that vicinity. The Gary
Screw & Bolt Co., one of several local enterprises, has a plant for
making bolts, nuts, and screws, and employs 800 men.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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