The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1908-02-15
PLAN TO MEET
LABOR PROBLEM
CONTINUED from Page IL

to offer opportunity to make the ed
ucational feature practical in its APP
plicatiol, thus accomplishing it's true
purpose. There is possibility of
abusing this idea, as is being done at
the present day with educational fad
dists holding extreme views. For
this reason any changes to be made
should be made slowly until we grasp
it's true relation and meaning. With
our present educational system the
boys leave school almost entirely
handicapped to be equal to making a
livelihood. Therefore, much skill is
wasted where, if it could nave been
trained, it could have been utilized to
the interest of the boys and girl leav-
ing school and to the great advantage
of the community.
There is no better place to develop
this idea than in the fruit sections
throughout the country. No more
productive nor remunerative land can
be found anywhere than in the We
natchee valley and for this reason all
of our farms are operated on small
acreage and intensive principle, thus
materially aiding in the solution of
the labor problem.
But in the picking and packing,
there will always be needed skilled
help and for this reason we are fac
ing time when we must be equal
to the solution of supplying labor.
The best method of securing this
labor is to encourage the boys and
girls to the possibilities, profitable
ness and the. skill required, and
through encouragement the skill may
be acquired by affording them an OPP
portunity to develop and grow into
one of the most pleasant and lucrative
occupations known.
A School Question.
Approaching this state of affairs.
the superintendent of the schools of
Wenatchee and the principal of the
high school have taken an active in
terest in endeavoring to be equal to
the situation.
The possibility of securing the stu
dents Of the high school in a debate
at the coming convention of the hor-
ticultural association is a step in the
right direction.
The students have shown exception
al ability in this debate which will be
great surprise to the older heads
/ who may accept the privilege of lis
tening to them, and should the de-
bate be made public the least that
/ the community should do would be
to foster it by the encouragement not
only of their presence but by encour-
aging a full house.
Suggests Junior Organization.
But this is only one phase of the
work. The practicability of teaching
the boys and girls how to pack fruit
/ is not a matter for tomorrow. but
can be put to immediate practice and
utility. The picking and the thinning
of the fruits likewise, this whole mat
ter of interesting the students and the
several phases of the development of
the industry is only a matter depend
ing on the organization of the stu
dents themselves into a junior hOrti-
cultural body, similar to the present
county and state horticultural assOci-
ations. This junior body could be
materially assisted and aided by they
local organization and perhaps one
OF the most practical ways to which
the position of the county horticul-
tural inspector could be made us8
of would be the development in
spector could be made use of would
be the Development and the foster
ing throughout his territory in this
above plan.
The Davis Bill. which will I'M
doubtedly pass congress will aid in
The solution Of these problems. This
bill provides for the introduction in
our public school system of the de-
velOpment of the agricultural and
mechanical arts, as well as domes-
tic science.
One of the most interesting things
at the state convention at Walla
was the interest taken by Prof.
Thornber, horticulturist of the state
college, in his students, whom he
brought with him from the college
to develop them by an opportunity
afforded through the valuable dis
cussion to be heard at the gathering.