The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-12-07
BE PRACTICAL.

In his annual report, Prof. Robinson,
of the Central high school. makes some
livery practical suggestions.
This is practical age and the Ameri-
cans are the most practical people Of
the age. That is certainly true in a
general sense, but we cannot apply it
to our high schools and colleges. Our
educational system is still modelled on a
plan that was fairly satisfactory fifty or
hundred years ago. when commerce
and industry were still organized along
comparatively simple lines, so that there
was but little demand for higher educa-
ton outside of the limited number of
those who were preparing for the learned
professions like law and medicine
But times have changed completely and
commerce and industry are now so high
ly and intricately organized that there
is an enormous and constantly growing
demand for young men who are not only
well trained and skilled but actually
educated along certain lines outside OF
the so-called learned professions. Very
little has been done in this country to
supply this demand. On this question
Prof. Robinson says very appropriately:
In View of the fact that from rs per
cent TO 81 per cent Of all high school
pupils are destined to enter business or
social life without other preparation than
that furnished by the high schools it is
certainly surprising that the courses Of
study have hitherto been shaped almost
entirely by the needs of those prepar-5
ing for the professions. So extraordinary
d condlClon OF affairs may indeed be eX-
planned by reference to the rapid and I'M
expected growth OF the schools in recent
years; but it admits OF no defense.
Already the matter has come to such
pass that high school graduates, who
often know much that they will never
need and little that is of practical use,
lind themselves at a positive discount by
reason OF their preparation, while the
CAPTAINS OF industry are driven to fill
all places recurring special skill with men
OF foreign training. Inquiry in almost
any large establishment will substantiate
the truth Of this statement. It is discred-
existed; it IS uncomfortable that it should
long continue to exist. The time is al
ready at hand when the prosperity of
the nation at large will depend upon its
ability to maintain and extend it's for
eign trade in the face of the fiercest
competition.
y,
is even more obviously true of ST. Paul.
The prosperity of this city is absolutely
bound up with the expansion of her COM
merce, domestic and foreign. The bust
ness men who have charge of this great
undertaking. certainly have a right to
expect from the schools all possible as
sistance.
cit is a notorious fact that the com
mercial conquests of Germany and
France are largely due to their un-
equaled system Of education for bust
ness men, Is there any good reason why
they should have a monopoly Of such
education? How could our high schools
give more effective aid than by supply
ing to our business establishments
young men, thoroughly trained in Eng
liSh, history, commercial geography,
arithmetic and practical methods of ac-
cOunting-proVided, always they remem-
Der how little any school training can
be objected that this has already been
tried. with doubtful success, the answer
is two-fold: First, that the men en-
ployed as teachers have usually known
little beyond the routine of bookkeeping;
second, that the fatal mistake has been
made of inventing, a short and easy
sequence, forfeited the respect of all
right-minded students. No course, what
ever its nature, can succeed unless it
be free from all suspicion of serving as
an easy road to a diploma.
Wherever thoroughly educated teach
erS have been employed, and the course
placed on the basis of sound scholarship
and rigid requirements, business educa-
ton has achieved phenomenal success,
not only in Europe, but also in various
cities of the United States In fact, the
movement in favor of the higher edu-
cation of the business men has already
reached remarkable proportions,
and there is good reason to believe that
the regents of the University of Mime
sota acting on the request of the State
Bankers association, will soon estab-
fish school of commerce at the State
university. The time would certainly ap-
pear to be opportune for st. Paul to join
this movement in favor of a more prac-
teal education. The need is urgent,
local conditions are favorable, and the
additional expense would be practically
nothing; and if a branch of the Com
mercial Museum is established here as
anticipated. the facilities for thorough
work in this line will be unexcelled by
those of any city in the United States"