The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-11-18

teacher is worthy of his or her calling,
to seek to recognize these tendencies in
their earliest development. What is
most desirable In connection with the
common school system, so far as 1t re-
lates to education on specific lines, is
separate schools devoted to the one
particular study toward which the pu-
pills, as they pass from the grammar
TO the high schools, seem to have an
inclination. In fact, the absence of
some such regulation is the most
prominent deficiency in the entire pub
lie school system of this country.
The public school OF itself Is useful
in the way Of rudimentary and elemen-
tary teachings. Therein exists q basis
for future development When the child
reaches the graduation period he or
she is left to founder around in search
OF other knowledge in accordance with
the individual bent of the mind, and
oftentmes without the means Of sup
plying that knowledge which can best
be employed at that particular stage
OF life A boy whose lnclinations are
toward the study OF mathematics leaves
the grammar school without the equip
n:ent for further pursuit of that study
unless he is provided with the means,
private or general, for further advance
ment on the same lines. The polytech-
pic school Is open to him. but frequently
| the conditions are rot favorable to his
ability to avail himself of such
course The same is true IL he has
the instinct of the artist or OF the law
yer, or OF the physician. 1t Is conspicu-
ously true with respect to young men
who naturally gravitate towards the
pursuits of trade. OF course, 1t Is not
10 be expected that the public schools
shall teach every detail In mechanics,
In art, science or trade. But IL would
seem to be an advancement in the right
direction If special departments could
be embraced in the system which
would enable boys at sixteen, for in
stance. TO pass into a course OF sys-
tcmatlc education. at the public ex-
pense, in connection with their natural
tendency to business pursuits.
In no one thing, as above stated. is
| the system OF educating the young
more de1icientss so far as the public
! schools are concerned, than in connec-
/ ton with trade and commerce. 1t
seems. therefore, an eminently wise act
/ on the part Of Chicago, as it would be
on the part OF any large city, to so
amend its ordinances to provide for a
| strictly commercial school in which the
| completion of education should be af-
fOrded to those whose instincts are d.
rectly in the line Of trade occupations.
There are commercial schools in Eng
! land and In Germany where the whole
! subject OF commerce and trade is
studied and taught. The young man
who passes from one OF these institu-
items Is already equipped with a basic
! knowledge and requires only contact
With the practical side to develop him
! into self reliant business man, a con-
! dition which can only be reached, in
this country, by long years OF slavish
work in the counting house, the store
and the shop. The United States Is
| rre-eminently marked out by nature,
| by location on the face Of the earth and
by the wealth Of It's material resources,
as commercial nation. There is no
duty more incumbent, today upon the
state. than the education of the young
In the principles OF trade and the fost-
| ering of every instinct associated with
this most important line Of national
development.