Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-08-22
Value of Modern School for
Trade Schooling.
EDUCATORS INTERESTED
Practical as Well as Theoretical
knowledge.
WASTE IN APPRENTICE SYSTEM
Courses of Study in Manual Train
ing Schools Equip Young Men
for Best Shops.

The subject of trade instruction is re-
ceiving the attention of educators in this
country to greater extent now than
ever before.
Prof. II. III. Belfeld of the University
of Chicago recently said: an my iudg
ment, there is no greater educa tional or
Industrial need in this country than trade
instruction. This is great manufacture
ing country, but the opportunities to
learn mechanical arts are extremely linn
tied. There arc three principal methods
Of trade overwhelmingly. the old APP
prentice system: the modern apprentice
system. instruction in a trade, combined
with instruction in other subjects, and
the trade school.
The old apprentice system is waSteful
of time Here is an illustration: In some
learns a trade in four years. Graduates
of manual training schools i'm Chicago
arc admitted to the second year of ar-
premiership In these shops. Their work
in the school is recognized by the super
iutendcnt of machine shops equivalent
to three times that i'll the shops.
Modern Method in Europe.
Many manufacturing establishments in
Europe have trade instruction of the
modern apprentice method In Paris Is
a printing and publishing company that
organized q course in 1872. The effort of
the house has been to train skillful arti-
sans who are well informed men and use
full members of society.
The theoretical portion of instruction
is given in classrooms adapted to the
pupils by instructors who are themselves
superior employees OF the house, or In
some few cases by professional teachers
from without.
There arc three courses of study. The
first includes the language. history and
geography of France, arithmetic and elc-
mentary geometry, with special relation
to the business.
Firm Pays for. the School.
The second course embraces the whole
subject of Typography scientifically
treated, together with some training
in photography and engraving and some
acquaintance for business purposes
with Latin, German and English.
The third course includes the history
of printing and of printed books. ply
sizes and chemistry in their leading ap-
plications, and such portions of polfti-
cal economy and law as directly con-
Germ the welfare Of workmen and their
rights and duties As citizens.
The firm not only defrayS the entire
cost of maintaining the school. but
credits each pupil with 10 confines for
each satisfactory attendance. The sum
thus accruing to an apprentice is paid
over to him each month as pocket
money.
This method turns out men with
practical and theoretical knowledge o.
the business, while the Odd method at
best produced mere thumb-rule prac-
.titioners. who, knew nothing thoroughly
and whose Intelligence had received no
ncouragelnent A few manufacturing
establishments if the United States
have organized instructions of this
kind. l.1.
Public Misconceptions.
Many people object to trade schools.
To hear the term arouses their OPPOSE
ton This dislike Is largely result Of
misconceptions of what trade school
is. Those opposed imagine a modern
trade school large shop where imma-
ture boys are worked eight or ten
hours a day and become Indifferent
mechanics but necessarily ignorant
men.
As matter of fact, in the modern
trade school today the boy devotes
portion of his time to the trade. The
other part is given to common or high
school studies. The usual studies are
English language, literature. arfthme-
tic, algebra, geometry. history. govern
ment, physics. chemistry and drawing
With skiIlful teaching In a school of
this kind a boy will learn nearly or
quite AS much from books as he is now
learning in an ordinary school. He be
comes an educated mechanic and ac-
quires sufficient knowledge of machln-
cry to engage in business