The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1908-01-30
WOMEN'S CLUBS
LARGE ATTENDANCE AT
CHARITIES CONFERENCE.
Industrial Poverty" Discussed by Prom
inent Speakers at Woman's Club of
o~range-Club Notes.

Tina the American boy Is growing up
with the idea of making money rather
than earning 1t, was the keynote of the
stirring address given last night by Fred
eric Hoffman, statistician of the Pruden-
tiaI Life Insurance Company, before the
charities conference4 held under the aus
pices of the economics department of the
Woman's Club Of Orange. The subject of
the evening was industrial Poverty" and
Mr.. Hoffman laid emphasis upon the Fact
that industrial poverty lies not In the cost
OF labor nor the increased cost of living.
but in the general inefficiency Of labor. Ii
is the g%ravest problem confronting the
American nation, he said, and must be
dealt with. and at once. He pointed out
that only 20 per cent. of the timber in the
South was made use of, the rest wasted
through ignorance of the workers. In this
same way only one-third the coal output
is utilized. The turpentine industry will
soon fail unless trained labor is used, he
declared.
Boys Mr.. Hoffman went on to say,
ESPECIALLY between the ages of IA and JIG
years of age, should receive training in
labor with the hands, taught by strong
men who appreciate the fact that living Is
a serious business and requires, first of
all, character and purpose and effort. They
iittu ~ lftl tHdl IL - as yin W d" w "
good baker, a good miller or plumber, as
it is to be a teacher or a stenographer.
And it is in those four years that those
ideas should be developed along viii his
hands, so that he may have a trade by
which he Is sure of an honest living all his
life. This is not the boy who in old age is
seeking a pension"
Mr.. Hoffman scored the kindergarten
methods. saying that it is wrong to Undue
~ III A. ill.,. that -pavIr "a ha
made agreeable and a romping play.
should receive through elementary train
ing in the three RS rather than a smat-
tering Of this, that and the other, which
will drive him out of school at the age OF
fourteen, through sheer restlessness and a
desire to do something" said the speaker.
He added: Trade schools are needed which
will coordinate with apprentice systems. If
two hundred such technical schools were
established to give sever hundred thousand
boys employment, we should only equal
Germany today. The first thought Of the
system there is character and conduct and
an honorable calling, which will earn al
honest living rather than make money"
Professor Charles r. Richards, of Column
bia University, speaking on the same sub
Ject, scored the defective education Of the
hoy today, and quoted a report of thec COM
mission appointed by Governor Douglas, Of
Massachusetts, TO investigate the public
schools in that State.
Industrial schools are the only solution
of the problem" said Professor Richards.
They are not the panaeea for poverty.
biiL they will create opportunities and les
sen chances Of poverty"
Superintendent Riggs, of the East Orange
schools, speaking of local conditions, said
that there We're six things much needed In
the public s~chools-first, a seat for every
child, as there are now 800 coming for
part time; second, enough seats TO reduce
Glasses to twenty or twenty-five, instead
of forty or ~forty-five; third, n non-graded
class for deficient children who now retard
the regular classes; fourth, an extra
teacher to visit the homes of the poorer
classes and bring them In closer relations
with the schools; fifth, Industrial train
ing In addition to the manual training;
sixth, State provision for those who are
deaf and dumb or blind.
Mrs. George w. b. Gushing, chairman
Iof the department, was in charge Of the
meeting, and the Rev. Charles Walkley,
rector Of Grace Church, East Orange, pre-
sided. There was a large attendance.