ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Mechanics' institutes

So imagine you LOVE learning new things. You want to know about everything from how cars work to how to make bread to what the stars are made of. But you don't have a lot of money for school or fancy books. What do you do?

Well, back in the olden days (like 1800s), people had an idea to help others like you. They started something called a mechanics' institute!

A mechanics' institute was like a very special library. But instead of just checking out books to read, you could take classes and learn new skills. They had classes on things like math, drawing, and cooking. But they also had classes on things like carpentry, sewing, and mechanics (which is where the name comes from!).

The people who started mechanics' institute wanted to help everyday people learn and improve their lives. They knew that not everyone had the chance to go to university or learn fancy skills, but they wanted to give everyone the chance to keep learning and growing.

So, they made these mechanics' institutes all over the world! People who wanted to learn could join and attend classes. They could even borrow books from the special library, just like a regular library.

Today, we still have places where people can go to learn new things and improve their skills, like community centers and workshops. But we can thank the people who started mechanics' institutes for giving everyone the chance to learn and grow, no matter where they came from or how much money they had.