The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-08-08


dents place, thereby perpetrating u |
giant hoax upon the whole world"
ing school and there will be none of
the large loss in the transfer from thu
school practice to the shop practice,
1t is well known that general training
in skill is but partly transferable
from one class of exercises to another.
1t is necessary to the system of course
that the employer should give the
pupil a proper variety of practice and
proper instruction in the use of the
machines.
Trade schools as now organized do
not appeal to large mum bers It is bs.-
lieved that the plan by conforming to
the standard organization of the school
system viii be more HFely to attract
pupils than If it is operated under a
different organization.
"A practical feature il shat this sys-
tenn is about one-half as expensive as
the trade school The average cost of
education in trade schools is about
twice as great per capita as in high
schools. In some cases the expense of
trade schools exceeds 5000 per child
per year In Massac husetts, where
trade education has had it's fullest de-
velOpment, the cost is abou. twice that
of maintaining high schools. The
trade school does not as a rule pretend
to turn out real joHrneymen mechan-
les, as is popularity supposed. This is
partly on account of the limitation of
being required to work in a school
shop. which is different from an in
dustrial shop. Those schools, however,
have given their students q icng start
in industrial training. By the CO.
operative plan at Fitchburg the seniors
graduate as journeymen mechanics
''Dr. David Snedden Of Boston in
recent address at Lawrence stated that
the graduates of that school at Fitch
burg have been so intellectually tram
ed in their work that they are about
ready with little further practice to
qualify as fOremen. This plan has
greater power than any other type of
school known to hold students of high
school age. In Fitchburg of 140 fresh
man boys 80 are cooperative and of
81 seniors % are enrolled in the CO.
operative course. The number enroll
ed in the four grades from freshman
to senior are as follows: Freshmen,
80: sophomores, 80; Juniors, 81;
seniors, %.
''The students working half time in
the shops received in 19O9-191O S12,-
10.
Limitation of Trade Schools.
1.-THE limitation of the trade school is
that it can undertake but a limited
number of trades. While over a. hum
dred trades are commonly represented
in large cities, trade schools are able 10
undertake at most the teaching of
about five different trades Most of the
trade schools have not undertaken
more than three trades and it is more
common to find them teaching but two
traces and in some cases but one. The
cooperative plans seems to be better
adapted to a variety of trades. At
Fitchburg on the half time plan there
are two iron moulders, three in tin
smithing, four in pattern making, four
in drafting, six in saw making, and As
machinists.
THE plan works on the whole best
for the trade of the machinists.
The plan has the advantage of ease
of Introduction. The only expense of
introduction to a city like Topeka
additional teacher for the entering
class. It's introduction is simpler than
the introduction even of business
course It eliminates the large initial
expense attending the establishing of a
special trade school.
THE plan. it is true, involves the CO.
operation of employers but there has
been no difficulty in securing this feat
ure thus far. Special precaution must
be taken that the employer gives the
child a proper variety of practice and
the proper supervision of his work
The prevailing plan is for one of the
instructors to visit the shops regularly
to observe the work of the pupils and
also to use his observation as a basis
for the supplemental work of the
| school,
The strongest tendency today is to-
ward the adoption of the cooperative
| pldn Recently a large nuInDeT OF
trade schools have Incorporated it as
a part of their system. Arrangements
have been made by two more trade
schools in Massachusetts to adopt it
this year. The last Legislature of
Massachusetts appropriated $500 for
the expense of investigating the oper-
alton of the plan.
1T is taken for granted that the in
terests of the pupils and the public
must be guarded at every point. AS
the number prepared for the shops in
no case will be as large as the number
permitted by the trade unions to enter
the shops each year, there can be no
objection on the part of the trades
unions. On the other hand, the sys-
tenn corresponds exactly with their de-
mand for a higher grade of skilled
workmen and for a better technically
trained workman. The Ran certainly
gives a better opportunity for the sons
of workmen who very largely take up
the pursuits of their fathers
81 sent inquiries to number of
| schools that have adopted the cooper
alive plan of trade education and sub
nit herewith a summary of the re-
ports from the following cities; Fitch
burg and Beverly. Mass. Cincinnati,
q