Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1902-01-09

school nor Il manual training school, nor
trade school. 1t will not be a high
school, since the culture element will be
subordinate to practical technical train
ing. Manual training, as this term is
now understood, will not be taught al
though the eXcelcncies of this branch of
study are recognized. Instead of gen
eral instruction in using tools or design
ing things, the following practical sub
jects will be taught: pattern making,
forging, foundry and machine shop prac-
tice. 1t will not he a trade school, how
ever. as its activity is not limited to the
teaching of one particular trade, but en-
bodies in its curriculum such studies as
will enable a young man not merely to
carry on his business, but will also give
him the knowledge necessary for good
citizenship and the culture demanded by
the standard of life Of the large middle
class. In the technical high school a boy
should be able to fit himself for indus
rial pursuits and girl should receive
instruction in the home making arts
instruction should be practical and fruit
full of immediate results. All the courses,
therefore, should lead toward specific EN-
| ployment.
Heretofore the foreman in the factory,
| the dra ftsman in the architects office, the
contractor, the stationary engineer, as
well as many others in the ranks of the
skilled workmen, received their training
during the years of apprenticeship while
doing practical work as the eXigencies of
the day demanded. As much as time and
strength allowed and ambition prompted
they endeavored to pick up such informa-
tlon ana culture as course in night
school could give, or as conversation with
better educated men or newspaper read
ing ana chance opportunity would afford
At best it was a hard struggle. and due
appreciation of economic. social and pro-
iesSional values was often gained by too
many sacrifices and the loss of years in
unnecessary experimenting
Many a man or a woman perfectly fa-
mliar with the three RS" of primary
education never mastered the two RS"
of secondary education-range and readi-
ness. While high school courses will rive
range, which is 'the apperception of a
large number of facts of different char
acter,' they may fail to impart readiness
ana nasterShip in one pursuit or study.
This must be acquired by practice I'm
facts On the other hand, trade
school, whose aim it is to develop the
abilities of its students in one direction.
fails to give range and perspective of
mental vision.
Examining the statistics offered by the
different reports of school superntend-
ents it is interesting to note that on an
average only one-third or one-fourth of
all the pupils enrolled in the grammar
grades enter the public high schools or
private institutions of secondary educa-
ton. On the opening day of the Chicago
public schools the enrolment was divided
among the different divisions as follows:
High schools. S,545; grammar schools.
GO,0OO; primary schools, 1265OO. Fur
thermore. the reports of high school sup
erntendents show that about one-third
of all the students enrolled leave during
or at the end of the first year. or the
remaining students about one-fifth leave
during or at the end of the second wear.
and another fraction at the end of the
third year, so that only about one-thrd of
the original number of students who en-
tered the high schools graduate.
Why do so few students enter the high
schools? And why do more than one