The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-08-08
new SCHOOL PLAN
Supt. Starr ElabOrates Trade
School Idea.
Gives Board the Result of His
Investigation.
NEED OF TRAINING.
Calls Attention to Education of
Trained Mechanics.
CO-operative or Half Time Plan
Is Recommended.

c. c. Starr superintendent of city
schools, in an exhaustive report on the
subject. recommended Monday night az
the meeting of the board Of education
that a trade school be established III
Topeka and that the cooperative or
half-time plan be adopted which gives
the student the actual practical eX-
perience in the industrial or other es-
tablishment and the work in school
necessary to giving him a well rounded
but practical education. Mr. Starr
made a special trip to eastern cities
this summer and investigated a num-
Der of the leading trade schools in the
country. The report follows in part:
1.-THE subject presents unusual diff
culties for the reason that trade educa-
ton aside from the old APPRENTICE sys-
tenn, is a very recent development and
the experiments made accordingly
have not much more than reached the
stage where they admit of sat1stac-
tory analysis. comparison, and con-
clusion.
Vocational education is not really a
new feature of education The first
schools blished in this country
were highly vocational as they were or
ganized and conducted to fit students
for law. medicine, or theology.
In cities such as Topeka the neces-
sity for appropriate and adequate
training Tor the large number who eX-
pect TO become skilled mechanics
should need but little defense The ar
gUments that force the conclusion that
some special training is required for
business apply with equal force to the
need of special training for the me-
chanic. Since the OLD apprentice sys-
tenn has disappeared a substitute is
needed t. take its place
TT is evident that there is a missing
link between the public schools and the
shop that should, if possible, be filled
in some way. Since the public school
is to prepare for life, it cannot turn
aside from it's duty to the eight hours
of life devoted daily to the use of head
and hand in the shops. Any other plah
is to prepare only for a part of life and
not all of it. It is not desirable that
the general training of the school
should be supplanted by vocational
training. On the contrary, 1t property
is supplemental to such training. To
point all pupils toward mechanical
trades would be as asbsurd as the OPP
posite extreme, too common still, Of
pointing all pupils toward an exclusive
~ academic calling.
industrial education means the
complete and appropriate education OF
the industrial worker. While it in
wolves actual practice in tie proc esses
employed in trades or groups of indus
tries, 1t also must recognize the need
OF VOCATIONAL lnlGlllSeltG- OupGllu-
tendent Brooks of Boston aptly states
that cultural education is desirable be-
cause it is good, but its limitation is
that it is not good for anything in par
ticuIar, while broadly conceived indus
trial education is not only good, but 1t
Is good for something in particular.
when manual training was intro
duced Cthis probably does not apply to
Topeka) it was believed that it would
meet Industrial needs. Experience
however, has shown that while it has a
value in general education. it gives all
some training in the use Ct their hands
and mechanical manipulation with
needles, machines, household equip
ment and tools, and enables a child to
discover his aptitude and gives him
some practice in Industrial processes.
when manual training is enlarged
TO include cabinet making, joinery
wood turning, forge practice, foundry
and machine shop practice, i provides
a trade education as far as that train
ing extends. The average manual
training school, however. does not pro-
vide sufficient training of that charac-
ter to warrant any claim of providing
a complete trade education. Hence il
is common for educators to claim thai
the aim of manual training is that OF
general training in skill and that it is
a part of the general education.
For trade education enough train.
ing must be given to be effective an6
the training must be directed along
trade lines This amount and charac-
ter of training is not feasible as a par
of the public school system without &
much greater enlargement than exist.
at present A redirection of the worI
also would be necessary.
Stages of Development.
Historically, the stages of the re
cent development of vocational edu
cation are as follows:
% The manual training school o.
manual training department
CD The technical high school
CD The trade school
"a The cooperative CT part-tim,
school. where the pupil works half tn,
time in the shops and half the time il
school.
The technical high sSnool is inter
mediate between the manual trainin,
high school and the trade school. 1
differs from the former by enlarginl
upon the amount of machine practice
that is given and by its being NOR
largely adapted toward trade ends. I
differs from the trade school in that
lays less emphasis on specific trade
and more upon the mental develop
ment of the child, but the academi
instruction is made to follow yer
prominently along technical lines TIL
best type of this class of nigh school /
the Cleveland technical high school,
The trade school follows as far a