Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1905-07-10
SPEAKS ON RURAL INDUSTRIAL
EDUCATION.
AT NATIONALl
Head of Stout Schools in Dunn
County Argues Firmly for Practical
Preparation of Country Girls and
and Boys for Their Life Work on
Farms.

Asbury Park, n. j., July 5.-Lorenzo
d. Harvey of Menomonie, Wisconsin
presented yesterday the report OF the
committee on Industrial education in
schools for rural communities. Il
was in part as follows:
1t may appear that too much Is
claimed from the Introduction OF in.
dustrial education as a definite feature
of rural school work. 1t is not ex-
pected that this line OF work can be-
come properly organized and co.
ordinated part Of tle work in all rural
schools at once, nor in fact that it can
ever be developed to any considerable
extent without material modification
and extension Of the present plan of
rural school organization. Such a
modification will come slowly at the
best. Geographical and other condi-
tions will make it impossible to effect
any material modification for many
years IN certain localities. It's intro
duction to any considerable extent de-
mands increased expenditure for
teaching force and for equipment; and
to secure tle best results, the school
life Of the people must be extended
through a longer period than az
present. This adds another element
of cost in the education of the
country child. Those wno have mad
experience in attempting to induce
farmers to increase taxes for any pur,
pose will fully appreciate the neces-
sity for the presentation of arguments
that are SO clear and conclusive and,
appeal SO strongly to the necessity OF
the persons to be reached, as to make
clear That the failure to thus increase
taxes involves an element of loss to
the individual. The people who sup
port the rural schools must be educat-
ed to a higher standard as to the
needs of their children and the neces,
sary changes in the work of their
schools to meet these needs.
There mas never been a time in the
history of this country when the argu-
ments for industrial education in
rural communities could be presented
with as great force as at the present
time. At no time before have farmers
ever stood facing such problems OF
industrial organization as they DO to.
day. Competition is no longer con,
fined to the commercial world. The
farmer finds himself face to face with
the problem Of competition with
farmers in his own or other localities
as never before. 1t is no longer a
question of the man who can work
the most hours and the hardest, but it
is question of the man who works
most effectively, and he is the one
WHO has been prepared for it by a
study Of what is essential a training
in thinking and doing in dealing with
these essentials, and who now puts
the best thinking and doing into ais
work.
Is is possible that in almost every
other line of human endeavor schools
have been organized and are being
carried on to train men for law, for
the ministry, for engineering, in fact
for almost every department OF tech
nical labor, and that there is no neces.
sity for schools which shall specially
train the farmers boy and girl for
their work upon the farm
1t may be said that it is not the
business OF the common schools to
train mechanics, nor to train farmers
That perhaps may be conceded; but
it is the business OF the common
schools to so train those at
tending them as to make them more
effective and resourceful in Whatever
line of work they may enter. 1t is the
business of the rural schools, wnicE
give large majority OF the rura
school population all the education
they ever get in school, to definitely
train these pupils with reference tt
their present environment; and th1:
| is reinforced by the fact that the
major portion of these pupils, through
the productive period OF life, will b.
| concerned with the activities inciden
to country life.
! For the limited number OF countr.
children who continue their education
| beyond what the rural school system
should offer, ample facilities are al
ready provided in secondary schools
and higher educational institutions
either public Or private, offering gen
eral Or technical training.
The present plan of organization 0
the common school system seems t.
be upon the basis that its prime pur
pose is to prepare the pupils to ente
the secondary schools; and the prim
purpose of the secondary school
is 20 prepare pupils to ente
higher educational institutions.
1t is time to change front in GU
plan of elementary and secondar,
schools organization. 1t is time +
recognize the fact that a system o
| rural schools should plan its course
instruction with reference to tn
needs of the 95 per cent Of the pupil
who attend them and who attend n
other schools, rather than with refer
ence to the small remain
ing percentage VINO go on to
more advanced school. It is time t
recognize that the present course