The Wilmingtonian., 1885-03-14
COMMON SCHOOL
ITS INSUFFICIENCY POINTED
OUT.
The Needs of the Present Day NOT Com
pretended i'm our Common
School System.

|
edge of what the common school curriculum
contains, who, at that age finds it necessar
to step out into the world to earn his liyiu,
discovers, on the very threshold of real life
with all his lnsty young strength and all th
learning that his bright young intellganc,
has gathered through years of study that
as self supporting system he is absolute,
ly worthless. Worthless, that is to say in
the sense that his years of education in book
matter have delusively led him to hope that
he could offer to the world in exchange OIL
barter for his daily bread. But she is not
wolth his salt" There are exceptional
cases of course where a fortunate young
ster gains a clerkship where he can harbor
i for few years until his knowledge Of bus
iness enables him to earn suficieney for
his current needs. But such instances do
not affect the average cases Of hundreds OF
thousands of youths of the new genera
tion who are pressing forward and yearly
| presenting themselves to the world as ca
diets for an honorable livelihood.
Well! Have they not received an educa-
tion? The answer according to the present
system is yes. But tue reply according to
the educational system that should be in
existence is, no! The reason for the mega
tive being that these throngs of youths have
not been taught any way or method by
which they could earn living.
Here is host of 10000 stalwart young
fellows, ranging in age from 10 to 81 years,
straining to be let free to burst from the
ties of school life, anxious to make start,
and 10 fellow some respectable calling,
And yet not one has technical knowledge
of any trade or business by which he can
earn his daily bread! They are all fairly
informed. Many can solve an algebraic
| equation Some even construe passage OF
! a proper rotation Of crops FOR any gwen 10
cality? Which OF them will explain intelli-
gently the distinction of low pressure and
high pressure? Which of them all will pro-
duce practical draught for an ordinary
| iron moulding? Which of tnem will dis
tinguish at sight aud give an approximate
value Of two OF more mineral ore samples
or suggest what trees ara best suited for a
certain locality--or rectify and replace q
piece of broken machinery belting-or sur
vey plot of land-or give evidence of any
intelligent information upon the industriei
by which he could say can do this,-or
know something of that; by which he nigh
be of technical advantage to any of the bus
inesses oflife.
II We are speaking now Of the average cal
ing, not a profession but trade, that t
which the demands of this country an
these times point as the vocation Of the oil
dinary average youth.
1t is high time that the citizens, the fa
j. thers, the guardians Of the youths of thi
, Republic recognize that a part of the educa
tion, the school education be technical &c
q ucation. Til is is asserted advisedly an
1 IL, hot ha aIr fnty ~
some manner of gaining livelihood is prol
4 ably of superior importance to that of Il
a scholastic education. 1t is high time thi
h we discriminate as to the meaning and Il
"a end or the intention of education. 1t is n,
10 unfairly claimed that the aim of educati,
should be the fitting nf the prospective ci
., zen to such a condition as thar he may be
,e self supporting entity The condition
;, system of educati on that conduees to til
in end or nearest to that end, freeing the Q
be bryo citizen from the prospect Of a term
+e- years Of dependence in his early manhood
III the better education. 1t is not for one n
70 ment the intention to supplant comm
ID school education but it is the exact :
as overt intention to arraign the present $
,ct tenn Of education as incomplete, insufiici
er- and one that does no. fill the needs Of
present age.
as. A modification Of our present system
,eir hoped for by which part of the time /
nlv devoted to purely scholastic education
hat applied to technical teaching. II is ho
.ent before many years, that common school {
I Of cation will comprise technology. Tha
public school graduation will include 3
row uating classes in carpentry, in farrery,
TO weaving, in land surveying, in forestry,
tie designing in architecture, in knowledge
YER cotton and wooden fabrics and textures
the bleaching and dyeiug, in painting, iii
fall meutary mechanics. in telegraphy, in
re,i. biography, in type setting, in the elem
Of practical chemistry, mineralogy, mil
$ re- agriculture, ETC., etc.
nm A thorough knowledge in the above
uls. tical branches of technology is not aske
lie or expected of the common school grat
+ If of the future, practical acqusint
with them all is possible and with mos