Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-11
TOLD BY AN EDUCATOR
at Today's Session of the Institute of
Instruction
IN CONVENTION AT NEW HAVEN
A Comparison Made With the Old
Method Under the Restrictions
of Labor Union

NEW HAVEN, Conn. July 1.-The
American boys right to be taught a trade
In school instead of under the restrictions
of a labor union, tho members OF which ara
Jealous of his advancement. was asserted
by President F, s. Luther OF Trinity Coll
lege. Hartford. in today's convention OF the
American Institute of Instruction. President
Luther said In part:
To-day there are few apprentices. and
such may stili be found are learning very
little. The labor unions restrict the number
of apprentices to limits grotesquely below
obvious needs. The boys suffer from tho
Jealousy. Ill will and Incompetence OF
those who are supposed TO teach them and
from the greed Of employers who try TO
get mans work out OF them for boys
wages.
The situation OF a boy whose teachers
wish him to remain ignorant and whose en-
ployer wishes him to do the impossible -
certainly lamentable. Partly result OF
these things the standard of excellence in
teriorating. The number OF workmen who
can do good Job Is growing smaller and
smaller Manual skill. knowledge how to
do 1t. and ability to do II, seem TO be van
ishinp factors in American society. Our
best workmen are elderly men or are inn
ported from Europe" .
Unskilled Disreputable Work.
ne dinouflt Ga posir hiSaai Ni'Sh.iiVN''
disreputable work now foisted on the pub
lie and paid for by the public is indi-
cation OF the worse conditions which may
be expected unless some radical improve
ment be undertaken at once. declared
Mr. Luther.
much pains and spend so much money in
training boys and girls In our ordinary
school curricula, and then turn them loose
without the slightest knowledge how to do
single thing the world wants II done.
The German people know better than this
The outlook for American boy OF six
teen years who does not fancy clerical
career is not encouraging. said Mr.. Luther.
he must begin doer of odd jobs with
nothing to feed his ambitions and present
~ becomes anxious for soft snap.
Three Sorts Of Boys.
cone sort of boy In such cases" said
Mr. Luther, will force his way forward
honorably. expiating the sins of his fathers
by hard work. picking up by. native ability
in many years what should nave been
taught him in few.
"A second sort discontentedly do all their
lives what all OF us should do part OF our
ambitions forgotten, aspirations unknown:
the saloon haven of rest and the yellow
journal the literary diversion.
"a third sort make grafters. And We
might save most of these two classes OF
failures many of them at least, by simply
educating them in some chosen industry.
TRADE schools. manned by competent
Instructors whose sole business is to in
struct, exacting a standard so high that
American workmanship shall again become
a matter OF national pride; trade schools
maintained by public funds and free as
other public schools are freeLthese may
solve this great and pressing problem. A
bright boy can probably learn more IN tWo
wears In a trade school than in four years
of apprenticeship. simply because those
over him are interested In nothing hut
his progress"
Carroll G. Pearse superintendent Of pub
lie schools of Milwaukee, spoke on The
Trail of the Troublesome Boy"