The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-07-10
AMERICAN INSTITUTE
MEETS AT NEW HAVEN

I may come from study OF deeds as wei
| as thoughts, OF the stirring history ol
| today as well as the story OF the past
and OF the speech and thought or this
| time as well as the language and ltera'
| ture OF past age. and also that manua
activity as we'll as intellectual has cul'
tural value. Such knowledge may lead &c
a full recognition OF the truth that tht
best individual culture comes by labor
and social service.
And now comes the demand that the
study OF industry and training for indus
trial and domestic pursuits have a larger
place in the public school. To be sure
there has been for a long time KIND
of long-distance study OF Industry under
tho name OF political economy. called the
dismal science, but nevertheless cul-
tural study. No one denies that what
mon are thinking. doing. living, are
proper subjects and arts for school. But
shah they be so taught and practiced as
TO give a training for vocation? II is
significant that the report frankly recog-
nizes the vocational as well as the cul-
tural aim In school education
Furthermore the report shows that
the state IL already committed 10 pol
icy OF supporting vocational training.
schools and colleges, supported wholly or
I'm part at public expense, provide train
ing for the professions, teaching, com
mercial pursuits and for the highest
ranks of productive Industrial life, such
as agriculture. building and manufactur-
"Thus far. then. public educational in
stitutOns provide vocational training Tor
the higher and more attractive callings,
and hardly affects the larger numbers OF
productive laborers. This condition per
haps justines the criticism. sometimes
made. that our education Is top-heavy.
The pressing need OF Industrial training
especially for those who leave school at
an early age, as revealed by the report
is perhaps it's most significant feature
The Investigations of the commission
disclosed a general want OF industrial
In "a workman
suggests economic and social danger. our
industrial system calls for better train
Ing for efficiency I'm productive employ
ments.
40 meet such needs the commission
do not seek revolution, but evolution I'm
the existing public school system; not
radical and destructive changes. but ex-
pansion and development. It's recon-
mendaiOns are signicant for wise con-
servatism I'm aiming TO conserve the in
tegrity OF the present system and for
alert prog-essiveness in planning 10 en-
rich " along industrial lines, and In ex-
pauding IL along vocational lines through
Independent industrial schools. such a
course is practicable, adapted 10 local
normal and healthful growth. The dual
system OF public schools may be regard.
ed as an intermediate stage In its deVel-
opmen; and ultimately be unified under
one board OF control"
A criticism of the evils OF college ath-
letics and a statement by DIR. w. @. An
derson. head Of the Yale gymnasium. that
he would rather see Sunday sports than
to see boys loitering about the streets
learning bad habits. were the features of
the opening session OF the department OF
physical culture.
DIR. James III. McCurdy of the Interna-
tional Training school. Springfield. Mass.
said In part:
''By the evils which have grown into
college athletics. the faculties OF colleges
have been forced 20 gradually take
more active part I'm athletics. Forty
years ago the director OF the Harvard
gymnasium and physical culture depart
ment was a negro prize fighter. Now the
gymnasium with a trained instructor In
athletics In college should be much lesS
with outside teams I'D should be more
intra." The East is far behind the West
In the matter OF supervision OF physi-
cal culture"