Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1902-03-12
Observation-Disclosures. :. :. : = :: : !.
PSYCHOLOGY OF VOCATION ;
:. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES = : - - :. :

At the meeting of the Territorial
Teachers Association held last even.
ing President Arthur MaXon Smith
read the following address on "Psy.
chOlogy of Vocation:
The practical schoolman of today
finds himself travelling that great land
called reform He IS Interested in
the scenery. all new and beautiful, es.
pecially the clouds. But in spite of the
apparent attractiveness of the new
country. his pathway is, for the larger
part, difficult, thOrny full of rocks and
pitfalls, and were he able to take time
to orient himself frequently, he would
find doubtless that his course is the
longitudinal section OF q labyrinth.
But he joys hopefully and strenuous.
ly on, nothing doubling that in good
time and season he viii straighten out
the devious pathway into a Decline to
the glorious ideal. and a new educa.
tional epoch, perhaps several Of them,
will burst upon him. 1t really Is not
his fault that he Is in this reformatOry-
transition state. The very lively
American public demand for new in.
ventiOns. assisted by the rather gener-
al public feeling that there is wide
gap between the school and practical
American affairs, together with the
confident and ION the whole) helpful
efforts OF our psychological, philosopn.
ical blazers Of the new path have fore
ed him into this position; in spite of
himself he must thread the way
rocks thorns. clouds and all-and II Is
hard financially to kick against the
pricks. Most OF the suggestions which
wise people make to him are either so
sweeping and drastic in their reform.
atory intent or so vague and unpracti.
cal that me poor teacher knows not
which way to turn or what to do next
and possibly. in this state of mind,
he is somewhat negligent of the old
things which experience and tradition
designated as good for a sChoolboy to
, learn. However, we may leave that
| part of the diagnosis to Prof. Munster.
burg, and go on to what is more popu.
lara suggestion OF something more
new--a new course of study; one
more thorn in the flesh; another kink
In the labyrinth! The apology for this
suggestion is the hope that II may help
TO solve some of the difficulties which
already confront us, or perhaps serve,
both to the teacher. administering
curriculum, and to the student, taking
the dose, something of palliative and
corrective.
In High School Course.
We suggest what might be called
for lack of more notwithstanding
title, Psychology of Vacations; a
course Of study to be given to the stu.
dent sometime during the many long
years before he finishes the High
School. This course need not contin.
he longer than three or four months. 1t
should be void of all psychological ter.
minology and technicalities, but never.
tneless should be a psychological ex.
animation and study of the various
leading vacations in life which ordi.
narily attract the student, and which
exercise upon MIN together with his
childish caprice) the deciding influence
in his choice of electives as q school
preparation for life. Such course OF
study would give the student an intelli
gent idea OF the human powers brought
into play by the various vocations. 1t
would point out to him the mental
nervous and physical functions called
into activity by the different pursuits
and professions. In very simple
manner that various demonstrations
and experiments might be undertaken
In the class tending not only to illus.
trate the activities involved in the va
rious vocations, but as well the rela.
tive adapatability of the students to
the different pursuits. For example,
there Is a wide difference between the
activities Of the merchant and those
of the physician. These characteristic
activities, and the corresponding quail
tiles of mind and nerve involved might
be easily studied, classified and made