The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1907-06-27

'ary drawing made and the material
after which the pattern is ap.
Piled. In either of the two higher.
grades visitor would see some design
On the blackboard for weaving, and on
the looms number of partly finished
cushion tops, while several unfinished
pillows would be lying about. The
color scheme in these would in every
case be interesting, as also that used
in the baskets of raffia would be. AZ
ter the May examinations had been
held the scholar was allowed to give
a few of his or her productions to their
friends; the rest of the articles were
sold, the proceeds being used to pur-
chase new material from time to time.
Now I believe that you will agree
with me when say that the training
received by the pupils at the school
mentioned was of immense benefit to
them in many respects, and, had 1t
continued as an industrial education
for another two years-years that are
at present wasted, lost to the children
because of a lack of economic growth,
and to the industries because the chill
dren are not fitted to satisfy the de-
mand for trained workers by the time
they are old enough to be employed in
the trades-would have helped in many
ways to solve that much-discusse
economic question called industrial
education. In the manual training
schools the scholars graduate when
fourteen years of age, from then until
sixteen years of age, for boys are not
wanted in most of the skilled indus
tries uEtil they become that age; he
either works at some jaEenile occupa-
tion in which he learns no trade, in
fact receives little If any beneficial
education, or else attends some high
school where he is often actually di-
rected away from the trades by the
bookish education of those institutions
with their purely academic traditions.
OF course we understand that high
schools serve to give general educa-
tion to those pupils whose training
must cease on graduation, or to fur
ther study in higher institution for a
profession. Even the academic schools
many of which comprise so-called CON-
mercial courses are but purveyors Of
general education, aitho they are do
ing their work better than they have
ever done it. They do not, however
supply the specific education required
for particular calling such as the
greater part of the people require, con.
sequeptly they cannot be classed az
vocational schools. Hence, the need
of the industrial schools in addition tC
) the present school system, schools thai
will meet the new educational need
which have developed with the evolu
ton of our industries and commerce
Such schools should be established
as independent schools, because th'
end for which they would exist (voca
tional trsining) would determine th'
value of the instruction in every detail
believe that schools of this kline
> should keep in close touch with tn
different trades, with agriculture
: should offer three or four-year cours
and should have advisory boards
), which should have representatives o
the industries, Including both employ
ers and employees. OF course man
> of the scholars would be able to tax
only part of the course offered, but n
matter how brief it might be, the
would be better apprentices later OF
Were such schools to be established
the future land 1 firmly believe the
7 will be) it wonld be impossible for th
. instruction to be uniform thruou
. Existing conditions and localitie
. would have to be considered just 8
= they are in the agricultural schools t.
s. day. A successful school of agricultul
= In the West might not be as successf,
. in the East, for in the West farming
. extensive while in the East especial
= the New England States) it would hay
10 to be intensive. Should industri
3 education be permitted fair test thr
8, the medium of Industrial schools,
,r would not result in g short cut to
trade. but might have q tendency aft,
ss two or three years training, to devele
1t skilled workmen after . shortened q