The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-12-30
SCHOOLS
SPECIAL CoMMITTEE MAKES 4
 STRONG FLEA.

pfan ir Presented For evocstfonai1 schools To Articulate With Gram
 mar schools---Naticnal secre-
 fnry of Eduesfion
 wanted.
 Atlanta, Dec. 2s.-The committee of ten prominent business men and edu- eatorr appointed by the National Society for the Promotion of Indus trial Education to consider the rela- ton of industrial education to the general system of education of the country, presented a preliminary re- port at the annual convention at At lanta, Ga. The important nature or this report makes 1t of interest to all laboring men as we'll as to manufac- turers and teachers. Some Of the salient statements from the document follow;
 The need for industrial training and the facts concerning our own lack of 1t have been so often repeated that they may be accepted. All who are acauainted with education in European nations know that an the matter of in- dustrial training we are far behind such countries as Germany, that our apprentice system even if materially extended can offer industrial education to only a comparative few. that there are practically no facilities for the training of the youth between the ages of 14 and IS for industrial pur- suits and the opportunities for those who are in the trades to improve their skin by theoretical training is com fined to isolated and occasional schools. It is also perfectly clear that this is an industrial age and that the educa- ton which is to serve for a whole people must take account of vocational training.
 Assuming these facts as clearly demonstrated, 1t Is evident that two distinct groups of our population are to be considered: CD boys and girls between the ages of 14 and IS who leave the grammar school and at pres ent have no systematic opportunity for training in the industries; CD the men and women now in the industries who desire to increase their skill and ef- ficiency by further study. The prob lem of industrial training seems. therefore. so far as the schools are concerned, to be divided Into practical ly two parts. according to one or the other of these groups.
 Committee Recommends Vocational
 Schools.
 fs''The vast majority of children leave school at the end of the grammar school period, a number in fact leaving the school before that time. Any voca- tional school which has to serve this great group of citizens must evidently fulfil the following conditions:
 "(a1 Such a school must articulate at some point with the public school system of the country. preferably with the grammar school In other words, the grammar school must at some point of its course lead boy or a girl naturally into a vocational school, II such schools are to be fruitful to the great mass of youth. tr
 "(b) If the grammar schools are 10 make this connection with vocational schools, it is clear that the grammar schools should at some part of their course do their part in developing the vocational purposes of the pupils on the basis of enlightment concerning the advantages of skilled vacations, including the trades. It is clear, also. that every study should be so taugh { as to bring out its application to life, parttcularly to the skilled vacations, although those studies would not be so taught in the grammar school as to provide preparation for any particular trade It 1t clear, too, that the gram mar school should introduce elemen- tary industrial training in some form either in the form of manual training al the bench or ct the forge or dn household pursuits, wherever the training could be effectively giveA. Such an introduction Of subjects for industrial training must come through the substitution of these subjects TOT something in the curriculum. The way to industrial education lies not In a more complex curriculum in existing schools, but in a larger variety oi schools, each with a simpler program and each seeking to do well the work 1t sets out to do.
 "(c) Such schools as may artlculat' with the grammar school for the train ing of youths will. therefore, mos likely assume the form of training schools for particular industries. They will be local in their character ana win seek to serve the needs of loca industry. The boy or girl trained ii them will mot be a skilled journeymeT in any trade, but will have received fundamental training in those thing which will make him a skilled journey man in a short time and will at tn same time prompt him to higher forn of vocational efficiency than he | likely to have had otherwise. In thi respect the industrial training schoO for youth is likely to have much tn same relation to the preparation of skilled journeyman as the high-grad engineering school has to the prepara tion of a practical engineer.
 Trade Schools for Those in Industry
 s'Experience would seem to indicat that the schools which seek to serv those already ib the industries vii assume one of two forms:
 "(a) Industrial improvement schools
 "(b) Trade schools.
 ''The industrial improvement sch co has so far, as 1t Is likely to do in tn future, assumed the form of an even ing school in which are taught tn fundamental sciences upon which trade rests. together with such techni cal information as can be given in physical, chemical or mechanical la boratory. For example. those who ar engaged in the power station of al electric railroad, as motormen, as cleo tricians, or as linemen. may In such school learn the fundamental theory O