Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-07-09

be general rousing up Of public senti-
ment, a sentiment that means better
buildings, better equipment better teach
ers and better paid teachers. LASTLY,
he said that meeting Of the kind such
as is being now held by the institute Of
instruction tends to bring help and cour-
age of a practical kind IL Vermont.
HENRY c. MORRISON.
The address Of response was delivered
by Henry G. Morrison of Concord, ~ H.
president Of the Institute who spoke Of
what the American Institute OF fnstruc-
ton stands for He said that II stood
first Of all for spirit OF democracy. It
Is most necessary that there should be
vigorous association that expresses the
feelings OF the rank and file and repre-
sents the educational interests OF all
New England. In preparing the present
program. Mr.. Morrison said that those
In charge had cndeavorcd ~ bring other
attention the problems chat are Of the
most vital interes, IN the cduca tional
world to-day and that the success Of
the convention would depend greatly
on the response Of the reprcsentatlv lives
lens.
CHILD LABOR AND SCHOOLS.
The next address was delivered by Dr.
+. W. Lord secretary for New England
of the national child labor COMMITTED
who spoke In part as follows:
The modern child has t the opportu-
nifty to learn at home the processes of
handwork. and ne is likely to fail TO
acquire the habits of manual industry
which are SO important n part OF the
personal equipment OF his parents The
changed conditions have made Il neccs-
sary for the school to undertake much
Of the training which was formerly CON
sidered within the province of the home
careful perusal OF the published course
of study of any up-to-date school sys-
tenn leads one to believe that the school
has left nothing untouched and that pa.
pills who have such opportunities must ne
we'll prepared to enter upon any career
But do the children for whom the
schools exist take advantage of all
these opportunities? Statistics indi
cate that not more than one half Of
the children who enter school in the
first grade go further than the sixth
that barely one in three compile es
the grammar school course; that only
ono in five enters the high school; and
that ve-sixths of those who enter
fail TO graduate. What becomes Of
the vast majority who fall out along
the way They who IRE most fortu
nate find their way into the skilled
trades; they who ara least fortunate
Of 81
unskillcd and that other army of the
unemployed.
The early economic Independence Of
the child Is an economic evil. hide
pendence without corresponding sense
Of responsibility is peIflOus in tho
case of men as Of nations. The child
worker has little occaeion to exer-
els" his reason and instead of being
prepared by his mechanical work for
more profitable work 1t more often
results In fixing his place irrevocably
in the elias. of unskilled and poorly
paid laborers.
From any point of view the wide
extent of child labor In the United
states is veritable menace. Here
then we the child labor question
is distinctly a school problem and 7
believe we can diminish child labor
in exact proportion as we provide for
more practical training in our public
schools. Our schools must no longer
offer only tho educationa. preparation
needed by the business man and the
professional man: they must comply
with the righteous demand of the
vast host who are now neglected that
they too be given come preparation
for the life work which they are to
do. The trade school must parallel
the high school and tho work in the
grades must provide sufficient
amount OF Industrial training to de-
velop the taste and foster the inclina-
ton OF the mechanically inclined.
The time Is near when our courses OF
study for the elementary schools must be
greatly modified. when much that Is now
taught in the abstract will be illumnat-
ed by concrete hand work. Destructive
child labor can be largely abolished. the
Industrial resources of the nation can be
powerfully advanced and society can be
made richer and nobler If the educa-
tiona, forces of the country take prompt
action.
RELIGION AND EDUCATION.
The last address OF the evening was
delivered by the Rev. John NJ. Thomas,
D. D., president OF Middebury College.
on Religion and Education" as pres
ented by him in his inaugural address
given last month an abstract OF which
appeared in the Free Press at that
time.
Excursion To ST Anne do Beaunra Sec