New-York tribune., 1905-07-24
TRADE SCHOOLS NEEDED.
Failure of Connecticut Legislature 10
4ct ON Them Criticised.

Hartford July % (specisD-Of the sins OF as oll.
sion committed by the legislature JUS. $1,000 $1,000
that of failing take some DEFINITE @S'O
ing the matter of trades schools may well De CON
sidered the greatest Yet the members OF the leg
isature do not feel like shouldering the blame ou'
lay it TO the commission that was appointed oS tn
previous legislature 20 report on the ma''e' u ~
present Governor. Henry Roberts
The failure to do anything with the traoes se"oi9
question has occasioned bitter feeling among ~'s
better class in the cities which sr= made - sf m
chanics who are employed In factories Many "
these men have children whom they wish 10 teai"
a trade. but owing to the present limited aPprsn-
tice rule in force in most OF the factories unde'
the rule OF organized labor. il Is absolutely impos
sible TO find places for all OF the boys VINO desire
learn a trade.
The working or laboring class hoped that tne
legislature would take up the matter and provioe
means for the establishment OF trades schools SO
that boys could least obtain the rudinnen's Oi
trade without being obliged TO go into d Iae1O.S
This class OF artisans feel that the State defoerate
ly neglected to pay any attention to quesuoh
which is of deep Importance to state IN WHO"
manufacturing Is the chief industry
There were other questions left as heritage anu
each one satisfactorily disposed OF OS 'A1
present legislature but, for reason. no report
on the trades schools question was handed 10 'hs
Governor 10 be transmitted to the legislature un'i
so late in the session that II was Impossible 10 taA
the matter up at all. The report Of the eommis-
sion should have been submitted 20 Governor Rod
February.
until the month before adjournment.
AT the beginning of the session IL was considered
that the trades schools question would De one OF
the leading of legislation for the session.
but in the rush of other business that was forgot
ten and the report of the dilatory COMMISSION was
not asked for by the legislators.
The report of the commission was considered oy
the Committee on Education and all others VINO
looked into 1t most incomplete II did not rec
ommend any method OF providing money Ior the
Id hat trades
we're good thing. and that they ought to be un-
der the supervision Of the local school boards and
the State Board Of Education
The idea of the governing board of trades schOOi
having no representative from either the manu-
fact,Irers or the workmen is considered by prae-
tical men as most extraordinary. IL is well known
that average members of the local school boards
are not competent to supervise trades school ana
the same may be said OF the members OF the state
Board of Education. The members of the Board Oh
Education appreciate this fact and agree thdt at
least the manufacturers in whose factories the
graduates from the trades schools would be
pIoyed ought TO be represented the board OF su-
pervision of trades schools Whether members OF
this board of supervision would be taken from
among the workers in the factories or be named oy
the la Dor unions a question. but there are many
who believe that the employe as well as the en-
plover should be represented on the board OF SUI
pervision
The trades school question now goes over 10 the
next legislature. and two years viii be lost herore
even the first step toward giving to Connecticut
schools in which her boys may be educated in the
mechanical arts has been taken Connecticut IS
far behind her States in the matter or trades
wbere bow can be taught trade is at the Re
form School for Boys in Meriden There the boys boys
are taught a complete course in carpentry Nhat
a commentary on the State 20 think that 70 get an
euter t6e reform school! A boy must necessarily
be bad get into the reform school SO II appears
that the bad boy has an advantage over the good