Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-11-25
Overlooking THE SCHOOLS.

Superintendent of Public Instruction
Welcber declared recently that what he
said in 1894 about Work Schools, time and
reflection have strengthened in his mind.
At that time the Superintendent wrote
into his report these passages;
There is a belief that the system of public in
stTuction is defective in that it does not teach
use OF the ordinary tools of the handicratts and
q knowledge of the fundamental principles of
mechanics; 1t is certain that nearly the whole
time of childhood and youth is taken up in the
schools and there is not time, even if there
were opportunity, to learn the use of tools and
the habit of labor
Most parents are in great hurry to get their
children into the public schools, frequently, it
Is to be feared to get rid of the trouble of taking
eG.e OF them. Besides, there is great concen-
tration OF the people in cities and large towns
ana children are thereby deprived of many of
the opportunities and advantages of a rural life
On farm there is a necessity for every one uu-
Outstanding and practicing the simpler opera
tlOnS OF the mechanical arts
The consequence is that there is a complaint
That our young people, upon quitting the public
gree whatever for work
Then comes the demand that they shall be
taught how TO work in the public schools Ev-
cry man who has an idea which he thinks to be
FOR the general good wants it taught in the pub
lie schools. The system OF public instruction
seems to be regarded as an OmnihuS which is
never full, but can always take on one more
The truth is that the public schools are now do.
my their work well, better, in fact, than might
be expected when we remember how they are
overloaded.
The proposition to teach industrial education
IN all the public schools is clearly Impractical
ble. We have vast corps of instructors fitted
by long aud costly training and by experience,
10 serve the public. Most Of them-the large
majority-gre ladies, and are in charge of dis
trict schools, where they are a'one without as
sistanee Tney have ali they can do. Does any
one expect these haId-worked ladies to teach
carpentry, blacksmithing, agriculture
No; ifthis demand is to be met 1t must be by
special schools which might be called Wori
Schools. which would have in charge to give
instruction in work which, however c ementary
in kind and limited in extent, would be good
and sound.
Very recently the Deputy Superintend-
eni of Schools in San Francisco fled re-
port in which he referred to the complaint
that children come from the schools net
sufficiently drilled in fundamentals to en-
abe them to engage in very ordinary work
o. business. In common with othersjour-
mails we referred to the report of that Dep
uty at length, but we remarked that the
COMPLAINT was not new, and then proceed
Ell to consider this same question of ''over-
loaling.s Its true that the State Super
iatendent brought the subject to public at
tention in 1884. 1t is also true that no
movement toward reform resulted. But it
is gratifying to know that this official, who
must be presumed to have closely studied
the question, is more than ever convinced
OF the soundness of the views officially pro-