The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-04-24
Governor Endorses the VOca-
tiOnal School Idea.
High Schools Are Not Doing
Their Share.
AND MIR. COBURN ALSO
Should Give Emphasis to Idea
of Honest Toll.
System That Produces Whist
Specialists and Parasites.

The demand for more vocational
work in the high schools, the teach
ing of real craftsmanship and the APP
probation of good handiwork, which
can only come through actual work,
is becoming more insistent. Governor
Stubs and F. D. Coburn have Joined
e. T. Fairchild, state superintendent
of public Instruction. The state COM
mission for higher education, COM
posed of the regents of the three state
educational institutions, is planning to
give full credit for college entrance
for all vocational work done in the
high schools of Kansas Governor
Stubs believes that vocational work
should be encouraged in the high
schools by allowing college entrance
credits for it.
Mr.. FairchiId has long been urging
more vocational work in the schools
and the legislature made an appropri-
alton to aid high schools that taught
elementary agriculture and domestic
science. Governor Stubs believes it
would be a good idea to permit this
work and also any other manual train
ing work to be counted as entrance
credits and when the commission
meets May a the arrangements will be
completed to do this next year.
Gov. Stubs Ideas.
at does not seem fair to me-" said
CsVernor Stubs today, that the boys
and girls who go to the high schools
should be required to study something
they have no interest in. l am firm
believer in more vocational work in
the schools There should be mere
variation in the courses of study 1t
does not seem right that boy or girl
who enters a high school should pc
tied down to one set course OF study;
Greek and Latin are all right and
CHI he We'll
branches, but the students ought not
TO be compelled to devote all their
time to these After the first year
there ought to be more vocational
work
than ever. The high schools are not
doing their share in making better
workmen. They are not making an
incentive to work with the hanos. ne
high school student should be permit
ted to select vocational work during
the high school terms and the courses
of study should be so arranged that
# the student desires to enter college
his vocational, practical work shoulu
he credited to his entrance require
ments the same as other studies he
should have full credit for all work,
whether cultural or vocational" -sf
Coburn Endorses 1t.
f. ID. Coburn is not at an pledset
with the attitude of some of the hlsh
schools. Superintendent Fairchlla is a
man of sense and entirely right in these
matters, he said. He puts the case
quite too mildly though. The snobblsh
tendencies tolerated, If not actually
countenanced, at so many OF our more
pretentious schools, where everything
1nder heaven is taught but good mau-
ners. good English and work with the
hands, are nauseating.
1.-The district school apes this Stiffness
because it is supposed to obtain in the
1r ca
because it imagines it is Initiating ths
college, and the college must show its
mettle by patterning after what 1T sup
poses is university style Result,
generation of staggering, soft-palmed,
lawn tennis. basketball, pink tea and
bridge whist specialists, parasites rath-
er than producers, of no earthly use to
the world in which they exist, and with
a contempt and pity-largely contempt
for those who live by work.
II do not for a moment mean that
any proportion like a majority are of
this sort, but it cannot escape notice
that latter day tendencies incline the
student to absorb the idea that he is
made of a clay greatly superior to that
of those who paid his way and who by
their years of strenuous toll and many
privations made his schooling possible.
This is not the fault of the student, but
OF the atmosphere surrounding him and
which he eventually helps to make
cation.
There seems lacking by the school
facilities either the disposition the
ability to uphold standard of virile
manhood and womanhood, and give
constant emphasis to the idea that
honest toll in whatever sphere is hon
orable; that 1t is useful work well done
and gentle manners and not their alb
sence that makes the world better
The state commission for higher edu-
cation, composed of the regents of the
three state educational institutions,
are at work on the plan to give full
credit for vocational work for entrance
to the three state schools. The plans
are only in the preliminary stage yet
The intention is that if high school
student does two hours laboratory
work day in making furniture. or
takes a full year in agriculture or does
a certain required amount of work in
domestic science or any other voca-
tional branch that full credit be given
for this work in the entrance require
ments. the same as credit is now given
for Latin. Greek, chemistry literature
and other high school studies. This is