Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-04-22

books now used it is a difficult mat
ter to select the proper books for in
dustrial schools.
The commission has two classified
lions Of Industrial schools, those for
rural communities and those for In
dustrial centers, especially the cities.
The rural Industrial schools in turn
are of two types, those maint ained by
two or more towns uniting as dis
trict for the purpose. and each paying
It's proportionate share of the expense;
and those established by a town or
city at center easy of access to
which pupils from neighboring towns
are admitted in return for proper
compensation, the amount of which is
fixed by the commission.
Both day and evening Industrial
schools have been established ~
Massachusetts,. The day schools offer
full courses for those youth fourteen
years Of age and upward. who can de-
vote their whole time to preparation
for Industrial life. and part time
| courses for those who can devote part
OF the day to industrial school work,
! the remainder OF the time being oc-
| cupied with wage earning. The school
| 9 Montague, for example, offers n full
! four years course in agriculture, with
| a preliminary course Of instruction
| along general lines preparatory to
taking UP the work of the school. The
| school at Northampton offers a four
years course in three departments:
The first offers preparation for farm
| Ing; the second, preparation for me-
hanical work; the third. preparation
| for housekeeping and home making.
Both of these schools admit girls as
| we'll rs boys
In n number OF cities night schools
have been established with courses de-
signed to meet the needs Of those who
are employed during the day and fit
them for different occupations. The
courses consequently vary to mark
| ed degree.
Especial attention is being given to
| the important problem Of Industrial
| education for girls. it being in many
| ways more difficult and complicated
| than that of the industrial training Of
| boys. This difficulty is partly because
girls who need to be prepared for
| home life, as we'll as for an occupa-
ton which will provide for self-sup-
port
| The commission feels that domestic
efficiency is of Importance to all wo-
men. and training for housekeeping
| and home management should be an
! essential part of the education of all
girls; but, on the other hand, large
their living for a time in industry. ana
the occupations that are open to
young. totally unframed girls are for
the most part ill-pail. without cduca-
| ticnal value, and not a steppir g-stone
TO better positions Such girls nee
the best practical trade instruction, in
order that they may TT themselves for
work which offers opportunities Cor
advancing skill and wages. with all
that these imply Of higher standards.
The commission feels that industrial
education for girls must therefore pr,-
! vide for trade instruction, domestic
training and the important work Of
agricultural schools.
The commission favors Independent
day schools. furnishing girls with def
mite. special trade instruction; part
time schools, for girls who are Obliged
to become wage earners at an early
age: and evening classes, whose gem
eral aim shall be to increase Industrial
efficiency and give greater opportunity
to women whose daily occupations do
not lead to more advanced positions
without additional training.
The commission felt the necessity
of having information regarding the
number Of pupils now in the gram
mar grades of schools in the various
cities of the commonwealth, who
might become pupils In Industrial
schools. AS a basis for such statist-
cal work. the commission caused to be
made canvass among the pupils OF
the sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth
grades OF the grammar schools in the
cities and towns having over 10000
population. In SO cities and towns in
which the data secured were strictly
comparable, there were in these grade-
the following number OF pupils: sixth
1851; seventh. 13,4o3; eighth, l0,S63
ninth, 9O5S. The total in all these
grades was 49,2O1. The total number
Of pupils who dropped out from the
sixth to the ninth grades was 6.Sl9
and the average drop was 43 per cent
OF the pupils in these grades, 4,23l
said they did not expect to graduate
from the grammar school, and 6.92t
expected to graduate from the gram.
mar school but did not expect to con
tinue their education. Consequently
there were over 1900 pupils in these