The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1912-11-15
LABOR
Bureau In Schools Is The
Latest Thing

Washington, Nov 14-SchOolhouse
as employment Offices Is the latest pro-
posal In the movement for wider use
of the school plant, according to In
formation received at the United
States bureau of education. The use
Of schools as Social centers" has be-
come familiar through the organized
movement Of the last year or two, and
more recently the use of the school
building as polling booths and forums
for political discussion has become
known through the example Of New
York and hicago.. Now comes Prof.
John II. Commons, a member of the
Wisconsin industial commission, with
proposal to use the schoolhouse as q
labor exchange.
The plan to link the social center
work with the economic problem Of the
unemployed is urged by Professor
Commons In the following terms:
There IL :" Il an organized market
So zach schoolhouse
enter SER
,t''h blanks,
mt office. A
% the school near
lister, could be i'm
with the whole or
gan. ct of the state"
N~. ,,o khx, n,H <>f th a,
schools function In the labor problem,
according to Professor Commons. He
believes that the school, acting as a
branch OF the children's department OF
the empl0ym ment Office, should be made
to help reduce the maladjustment of
occupations. Records of children's 8
aptitude should be kept In school," de-
clares Professor Commons. Teachers
can best tell what the child Is good
for; and they should direct the chill
dren into the most promising occupa-
tions." It should be said that this prin-
ciple In already partially recognized by
public authorities. The vocation bu-
reau of the city OF Boston aids In d.
recting the future occupation Of chill
dren In the schools. In Ohio, by a re-
cent statute. there is kept ON file list
OF the children between IA and 16 who
have received school certificates and
desire employment; prospective en-
ployers have access tn this list.
The attention given to Professor
Commons proposal emphasizes the
rapid development OF the idea OF "wid-
er use of the school plant" since Ed
ward J. Ward inaugurated the social
center work at Rochester. Kansas City
affords a current instance Of the readi'
ness to accept the social center Idea.
The board of education OF that city re-
Gently voted to open II school build
ings for neighborhood uses at night
School clubs will be organized for the
discussion OF civic aud economic ques'
tions; there will be literary and dram
attic clubs, sewing and campfire clubs,
There will be lectures, moving pic
lures, folk dances, gymnastics and all
the other neighborhood activities that
are necessary to wholesome communi
ty life.
The use of school buildings al for
ums for political discussion IL now q
fact In both Chicago and New York
In the latter city plan to use the
buildings as polling places received
strong support from civic organiza
tions; and while educators have nc
way of finding out just how far the
proposal of schoolhouses as labor ex'
changes will be adopted. the fact that
a proposal like this receives attention
proves how widespread 10 the senti
ment in favor of any and all projects
involving wider use OF the school
plant for the benefit Of the community
-
Banner Classified Ads, Pay.