Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-04-27
INDUSTRIAL STUDIES IN SCHOOLS.

INDUSTRIAL STUDIES IN SCHOOLS,
There is growing demand in this country
for skilled labor in the mechanical arts.
Every year, in our rapid industrial develop
mcnt, the need of trained artisans becomes
more urgent. A very good index OF the
value of educated mechanical skill, is the
high rate of wages paid those who possess
the desired qualifications. In practical sur
veying and engineering, for inslance, where
educated skill is clrc., wages are rcmarka-
bly, high. Young men, who have spent out
three or four years in these branches OF
study, 90 out into the growing parts OF the
country and command large salaries at once.
Their knowledge and skill are n; pre-
MUM. The demand is greater than the
supply. And it is the same In other branch.
es of mechanics. The young man who starts
out in life thoroughly equipped to perform
some kind of skilled labor, need never beg
work. lie is wanted, and is sure to be
| found out. 1t is would.bc workers who can
not do anything in particular, who starre, i'll
this busy world. They may have ability,
| culture, q broad educational foundation, but
they lack the one Thing necessary-they can
not do anything. 'What can you do Z" is
the brief, incisive question OF our rushing
timcs-not, "What are you capable Of do
ing?"
The need, then, OF some particular training
in youth, seems to be clearly set forth by this
i I, Ia, oh
lection, to be sure. Youth il the time to
lay the broad foundation of mental growth.
II is not, in the course OF nature, the time for
special training. That comes after the gen
eral foundation has been laid The youthful
powers are stunted by compression. This is
the theory of our educators, and il is a good
one. If it could always be carried out, il
would be the best possible theory. But it is
ore of those theories which are, unfortu-
nately, SO divorced from the actual condition
of things as TO be positively impracticable.
SPECIAL training in youth is demanded by the
necessities of the case. Three fourths of the
youth who graduate from our schools ase aS-
pected to ''go to work" at once. Many
of them are thrown entirely upon their
own efforts for support. They so out
to seek employment, and the question
is asked, "What can you do ?" "Oh,
| can not do anything in particular Just
now" is the answer, "but have had a good
education, and can learn Learners are
not what our business men want. The mar
ket is too All of them already. 1t takes time
to learn, and time is money-Iloncy lost, TO
both employer and employed. What i;
wanted is skilled labor. Imagine a young
man, Just out of school, going 10 large pub
Usher, and asking employment. Business Is
brisk, and each employe of the vast estab'
less making of books !" and still the world
cries, "More !" and the presses clash and the
types click night and day. "What can you
do?' asks the publisher. Gan you set
type ?" "Oh no; l never learned d trade.
have been studying" "Can you read
proofi" mo" "Do you know anything
about book keepingi" NO" 500 you un'
derstand the binding art p NO. swell,
are you acquainted with any branch of the
book publishing business?" NO, sir, can
not say that l am. But l can learn. y
young man" is the answer, Eve do not
want any learners We want doors. We
have no time to waste in teaching This is
book factory, not book school"
Substantially the same verdict would be
pronounced in any department of skilled la
Dor. The time was, perhaps, when business
men and large producers were willing tc
stop and teach their employees how TO do theil
work. That time has passed Demand is
so great, and time so precious, that the poll.
cy could not be adhered to-
Where, then, shall our youth get theil
training for the work they are expected TO do,
unless it is in the schools? Where else car
they? The time they spend in schoo
is the only time of preparation they
will have. 1t may be spent entire
: ly in the acquiring of n good gen
eral education would it might !-o
it may be partly spent in fitting themselves
for what they expect to do in life. If they
expect to follow a trade and to enter upon il
Immediately their education is finished, it !
high time they were looking at its beginnings
Why can not opportunities for this be furn
ished, in connection with the regular studio
of the school?
AS directly bearing upon Ills question W
4 quote from the recent circular OF the Car
} rage Builders National Association in whic
. attention is called to the necessity of sue
G changes in the course of study In our publ
f, schools as will better prepare those student
: who intend to enter the mechanical pursuit
d requiring a high standard of taste and skill
e "The studies especially needed are free
= hand drawing and geometry, so necessary t
I all who propose to engage in the higher m,
h chanical trades. These studies are no,
taught in most OF the public schools, but eS
. perience has shown that those boys intend
e ing to learn trades are compelled to leav
| school earlier than others who propose 1