The Topeka state journal., 1911-08-23
Supt. Starts Practical Educa-
tion Ideas to Be Tried.
Students Are to Be Used In
Various Industries.
PART OF HIGH SCHOOL
Will Be introduced In First
Year.
Santa Fe Shops to Give the Boys
Work.

The agitation in favor of trade
schools which was started last spring
by w. J. Berkowitz of Kansas CITY,
when he touched upon the subject in
an address before the members of the
Commercial club and which has since
been taken up by the board of educa-
ton and the educational committee OF
the Commercial club. has reached the
point where it looks as though such
school is a go
Superintendent c. c. Starr sent out
today a circular letter to all students
who completed the eighth grade
studies last June informing them of
proposed high school course of an
Industrial nature designed especially
for those boys who desire to become
machinists or mechanics of any de-
scription, and which would give pu-
pills an opportunity to work half time
for the last two years of the course
at least in some shop and thus enable
them to get practical training and
earn some money at the same time
The Santa Fe shops will form one
of the training fields for the students
OF the course if the board of educa-
ton decides that it is the wise move
to establish such an innovation in
Topeka, and other industrial institu-
tions also in the capital city Will be
glad to take in the boys alternate
weeks to give them actual experience
in their respective lines of work
If the course is installed in the
high school Topeka will be the sew
enth city in the United states to
adopt the half time industrial system
of education. Of course, to be sure
there are trade schools of the ordln-
airy type innGmerable in cities of this
country.
Mr.. Starr's Letter.
The letter sent out to the boys by
superintendent Starr follows:
Z inclose a proposed high school
Industrial course for boys designed
especially for those who desire to be
machinists or mechanics of any de-
scription. The course is designed to
give pupils an opportunity to work
half time in the shops and halt TIME
III school after they have reached the
age at which they may be admitted
to the shops. This gives an oppor-
tunity to work half time for the last
two years of the course at least
During the half-time period the pu-
pills will be divided into pairs, one
half working in the shops one week
and the other half the other, and the
half not working in the shops Will be
studying in school.
The work proposed is to follow
closely as possible with a view to re-
ceiving credit in the shop for the
shop work done in school. The va
rious subjects of the course Will have
a general educational value ana VIII
at the same time be closely related to
the industrial activities. While the
DuDiI is working in the shop he NSill
he assured of instruction in his shop
work in the shop and also will be
guaranteed a reasonable amount of
a.
chimes for the purpose OF receiving a
variety of experience.
ss,Fhe wages received will be the reg
ular schedule of wages received BY ap-
prentices and will increase ear Oy
wear. 1t is believed that by the time
the pupil is ready to graduate his
wages will have increased so that he
will require but one additional year 10
become a jOdrneyman workman me
wages for apprentices in the Santa Fe
shops begin at 81 per day and end at
81 95 per day. with bonus for addi-
tionaI work amounting to about l212
per cent After a person has COM
pleted his apprenticeship he receives
about SO cents per hour, with a bonus
for additional work. BY the plan pro-
Dosed the pupil may secure a hign
school education and at the same time
meet his own expenses part of she
time In the latter part Of the course
he could probably more than earn this
amount.
"The best training for a mechanic
is generally believed to be one in which
the practical side is secured very large
ly in the shops themselves, bug that
work should be accompanied by an in
tellectual training related to work IN
the shops. A person who has mastered
A trade and in addition thereto has
good education will be assured a good
income even if he should finally change
his plans and follow a profession. The
course of study you will observe com
pares favorably with other high school
courses.
Pupils may change from this course
to the general course without loss UP
to the time when half-time work IN the
shops is undertaken.
please return the inclosed inquiry
blank promptly in case you desire to
pursue the course herein described. \
class of twenty-five to thirty boys is
desired to undertake this course. In
case more apply for it than can be ac-
commodated the pupils viii be admit
ted to it in the order in which their re-
plies are received. Hence the impor-
tance of a prompt reply
This choice of. course viii suparsede