Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-01-11
Education Pays Dividends.

college has gained such a foothold.
Ev no means all the young men who
can attend high school, can find the
funds necessary to pursue their stud
les through four years at college,
However much they might desire to
do so. Others, who have the health
and the energy, as we'll as the desire,
to attend college, cannot do so be-
cause their earnings are needed at
home. 1t is in the cases of such
voung men that there has been doubt
as to the value of the present high
school course.
There is no better way to ascertain
the truth of the matter than to study
specific case in which the costs OF
education and the earning capacities
of four brothers, equally intelligent
and energetic, We're carefully kept.
The case cited is set forth in a report
recently submitted by a committee of
a Brooklyn teachers association.
The father was a laborer who work
ed at a trade and needed all the mon
ey he could get in order to keep his
family comfortably. 1t was estimated
that it cost $4,000 to keep a boy in
school until he was II years of age.
The eldest son left school at that age,
| after having completed the work in
the grammar grades, and went to
in an office. He supplemented his
grammar school, education with some
work in night school During the
first year he earned $500 and when he
was thirty he was earning 1892.
For the Is years Of work he had re-
ceived $SSS4.
The next son also entered an office,
but later learned Il trade, and when he
been at work seven years and was
receiving therefor $1,000 per year. In
the Is years he had earned total OF
s12,61O.
| The third son continued in school
until he was II, evidently taking
three years study in high school. 1t
was estimated that the three years
additional schooling cost his parents
1851 He then entered the employ of
a contractor and builder and supple
mented his regular school education
by study at the Cooper Institute.
During the first year he earned but
| 1862, but at 80 he was getting $3.50.
| In all he earned $13152 in the II years.
The fourth son was enabled to go
through college at an extra cost to
his father of $2Z41. He took up one
of the professions and began practice
at the age of % at salary of 1920
At the age of 30 he was making $1,000
a year and in the eight years had
earned $12420.
There is but one conclusion to be
reached in the light of these facts and
that is that it pays to give boy an
education. At 80 the first sons earn
capacity was 1892 per year: the sec
ond sons was $1,000; the third sons
was $3.50 and the fourth sons was
$4,000 Another very important fea-
ture of the matter must not be lost
sight of. That is that the first two
boys were in all probability at their
maximum earning capacity at 30, while
reap the reward of better prepara-
ton for life.
| Few parents keep such a record of
costs and returns, but it is reason
able supposition that the majority of
families would show the same result,
granting that the four boys were of
Iequal intelligence and that they had
found the particular work for Which
lthey were fitted by nature. If one OF
them was of a mechanical turn of
mind and had been fitted for the prac-
tice of medicine, it is more than likely
that he would have been only a fairly
good physician and that his earning
capacity would consequently have been
smaller. If the first son, who entered
the employ of a contractor and builder
lhad instead, undertaken to master the
dry goods business, his earning ca
pacity would have suffered. also. But
granting that a boy has found what
he is fitted to do, it is safe to spend
j a reasonable amount of money in fit
ting him to lead in that work. what
u ever it may be. A first class carpen-
ter is better than a poor workman
but an architect is better off than the
+ first class carpenter. The difference
between the two Is the education.