The Washington herald., 1908-02-26

Industrial education in public schools
was the principle subject brought before
the several hundred members of the De-
partment Of Superintendent Of the Ma
tional Education Association, assembled
in the Metropolitan NJ E. Church yes
terday for the first session OF its three
day convention.
The place OF industries, mechanical and
agricultural. in the curriculum Of the
lower grades, as well as the high schools.
was discussed by many prominent eda-
Gators. and papers were read that set
forth the many phases Of the question in
fullest detail
Among those who contributed addresses
were: Assistant Secretary OF Agricul
ture Willet NJ. Hays. George II. Martin.
secretary OF the Massachusetts, State
Board OF Education Charles II. Morse.
secretary OF the Massachusetts Commits
sion on Industrial Education: Miss Eu-
phrosyne Langley. School OF Education
University OF Chicago; James P. Neil
roy. consulting engineer Of the Consoli-
dated Car Heating Company. OF Albany.
" Y: Prof Edward C. Elliott, OF the
University OF Wisconsin. and James Z.
Russell. dean OF Teachers College, Co
lpmbia University. n. y.
Three Sessions Yesterday.
Three Sessions were held yesterday On
each occasion. when Frank 81 Cooper. OF
Seattle. Wash, president of the depart
Tnent, called the convention to order, the
great auditorium OF the church was filed
10 its capacity. II was a fine assemblage
of leaders in the science of education. and
the enthusiasm and zeal with which they
entered into the discussion of the prob
lens before them betrayed the source Of
the excellence that has ever characterized
American public educational institutions
The convention opened at $50 O'Clock,
with addresses OF welcome by Commits
sioner II. B. F. Macfarland, Willet NJ.
Hays. and Commissioner Of Education F..
r. Brown. F. Louis Sedan, superin-
tendent Of the public schools of St. Louis
responded IN behalf OF his fellow-mem-
bers OF the conference. and the peda-
gogues entered at once upon the con-
sideration of the questions before the
convention.
dustries in pubiic education. the officers
had decided that the subject had best
be presented to the convention from the
point of view of the manufacturers and
leaders in industries.
McEIrOy's Paper the Feature.
To this end they had asked Mr.. McEl-
roy TO prepare paper on the subject. a
paper that proved the feature OF the aft
ernoon session. and that provoked a
great deal OF discussion.
MI McElroy had taken the topic The
most urgent need OF our educational sys-
TEN is an adequate provision for tie yo-
cetiOnal needs Of children destined for
industrial and domestic pursuits.
BY aid OF charts. he showed the mem
bers Of the convention the falling off in
enrolment. year by year. in the grammar
schools Of Albany. The decrease was
from 1.551 IN the first year Of the schools
10 SOL in the eighth
The speaker claimed that this falling OF
was due mainly TO the fact that larger
proportion Of children In the schools are
either forced By circumstances To leave
school before they have graduated from
the grammar grades. or leave through
dislnterest. A close investigation OF the
manufacturing industries of Albany. the
speaker said. developed two facts: That
out CT all the men employed in the me-
chanical departments less than / per cent
ever attended a high school. and only
about per cent had completed courses in
the grammer schools
school Trimming Not Adequate.
The paper continued:
The ordinary mechanic in our manu-
school system for teaching him how to
read and write and for some instruction
in mathematics. but outside Of these ele-
ments OF an education. the schools fur
nish him practically nothing that Is OF
value or helpful in the struggle which
he must maintain the rest OF his life
The course Of study in our schools i.
based upon the theory that the student
will continue throughout the entire course
and graduate from the high school, and
this course is designed TO prepare the
student for admission 10 college. Thi:
course Of study. it seems 10 me, is un-
just unfair, and unreasonable, so far as
it relates TO over S. per cent of the total
school population.
"At the age of boys in the grammar
schools. they are fascinated with the
study Of mechanics and with all kinds
CT machines for generating or applying
power. At this age, boy is much more
impressed by doing things himself than
by being told by other people how things
are done
Only Needs the Chance.
If our schools furnished him the CD.
portunity that he longs for. there would
be little tendency to shirk HIS duties. and
he Of No -
not be required
There would also be no temptation on
the part Of the parents TO take boys out
OF schools that they might learn some
thing practical elsewhere
Young men destined for Industrial
pursuits. not only do not receive in the
schools proper education for their life
work. but after leaving school they
find no place where they can receive
instruction in the trades which they NAV
select. Our manufacturers cannot afford
70 maintain Industrial or trade schools.
and il is not their business to do so
even IL they could afford IT, This is work
that properly belongs 10 the public
schools"
The speaker outlined the form Of
course. he thought might bring abou,
the desired result. He explained that the
manual training high schools did not
serve the purpose. as the graduates from
those schools are ambitious for higher
things than the life OF mechanic.
Must BE I'm Grammar Schools.
The speaker emphasized further that I,
must be in the grammer schools that tho
boys and girls also. who intend 10 enter
upon an industrial life-work, should be
prepared.
spirited discussion followed Mr.. Nc