Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-23
Democratized Industrial Edu-
cation Advocated.
VIEWS HEARD BY A. F. OF L.
Europe Ahead of Us, Declares
Charles F. Richards.
BOYS SICK OF STUDYING
Work of Y. M. G. A. in Manual
Training Explained by
c. r. Towson.

-. n. VoWSOn.
Social and industrial conditions in the
United States demand that industrial edu-
cation for poor and rich alike should be
democratized
This conclusion was reached by many
prominent leaders of workingmen and in
dustrial educators. addressing the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor's committee on
industrial education today.
Suggesting. that European countries
were far ahead of the United States In
fitting young girls and boys for trade
Charles F.. Richards of New FORK city,
originator Of the National Socie-y for the
Promotion Of Industrial Education, ar
gued that the committee should fight for
a plan that should relieve the American
school boy of the confusing plight Of not
knowing what to do when turned away
from the school.
Why Boys Quit School.
He declared that more than one-fourth
of the boys left the public schools in
New York before graduation, because
they were sick Of it, This he regarded
as an appalling fact, due to the lack OF
industrial training. which they were
forced to acquire elsewhere.
In the schools. he said. there SHOULD
be injected practical constructive work
that would fit the pupil for his future
career. He deprecated the fear which, ne
said, existed that trade schools would
flood the labor market, and said that this
phase of the question was only suborolnate
to the big issue Of extending 1nduStrial
education.
instruction in Schools.
Vice President James Duncan of the
federation strongly Endorsed the PROPOSE
ton of Introducing industrial training into
the last grades OF the grammar schools.
The courses of instruction, he asserted,
now developed children too much along
professional lines, and youth with an
inclination for mechanical pursuits was
turned out ''misfit,' because lis mind
had been developed along the wrong line.
This view found favor with large
number of. the labor leaders. who ex-
pressed belief that the best solution of
the problem was to teach more technlcai
courses in the common schools
Y. N. G. A. Manual Training.
The work of the Y. NJ. c. A. which
gives training in different trades to A.
coo employed men and boys in the United
States, was described by Charles r. Tow
son, secretary Of the industrial depart
ment of that organization. He said:
I'VE are subsidized by neither employee
nor employer: we are working for man S
efficiency. That is higher objective
than that Of putting the label on every
thing you do.
The shop and the school must go to-
gether for the complete preparation of
men. While the public schools. colleges
and universities seem to aim more
largely at training for the professions,
the greatest need of America, educa-
tionally. seems to be improving the in
dustrfal intelligence and working eff1-
cheney Of employed men and boys
Committee Considers Views.
went into executive session to consider
the recommendations offered in the
course of the speeches from men who
were invited to appear before it. The
report 1t shall agree upon will not be
made public until the Toronto conven-
ton of the American Federation of La
Dor, November 8.
Education of Boys and Girls.
Widely divergent views upon how the
big problem of industrial education in the
United States can best be worked out
for the economic betterment of boys and
girls in this and future generations were
voiced at the meeting Of the committee
late yesterday afternoon, after The Stars
report had been closed. President Sam
uel Gompers Of the American Fed
Grafton Of Labor occupied seat on
the platform next to John Mitchell, chair
man of the industrial education commit
tee of the A. +. l..
The fearful revelations made daily in
the divorce courts Of the country indf-
eating that the primary reason for most
cases of domestic infelicity Is directly due
to the lack of technical training among
girls, was declared to be one of the most
powerful arguments for Industrial edu-
cation by Miss Ella M. Haas of the de-
partment OF inspection of workshops and
factories in Ohio.
Appalling Number of Divorces.
today" she asserted. "is due to the fact
that our girls are not being educated and
developed along domestic lines. Yet, our
common schools are not doing one thing
to offset this dangerous tendency. Chill
dren are being turned out by the thou-
sands, not equipped for LIES battles.
The wonderful Industrial advance of this
nation makes 1t imperative that our
schools embrace industrial courses
Representative w. b. Wilson of Penn
sylvania. known as the thinner states
man." and a member of the committee.
made ringing speech. which sounded
the keynote of many others, declaring for
technical training as part of the pub
lie school system. He asserted that after
the basis Of pupils rudimentary educa-
ton Is once established the line of in
struction in the higher grades should be
formed into two divisions; one along pro-
fessional lines for children SO adapted
and another course in the mechanical
pursuits for those students who have
chosen that field for their lifeWork. This
plan he believed to be the best by which
the problem of Industrial education could
be advanced.
Discordant Note.
That all Of the federation leaders are
not in thorough accord as to the best
method of industrial training was evil
dent from the remarks of James Wilson,
president of the Pattern Makers League,
Cincinnati. He pleaded that the fedora
ton should not go on record as favoring
trades schools. The trades schools turn
out mon untitled for their work. he Ga III