The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-03-29
BREAD AND BUTTER EFFICIENCY

BREAD AND BUTTER EFFICIENCY
What sort Of bread-and-butter eff
ficiency training does the educationa
system Of this country offer the
young workman who wants to better
himself by going to an industrial
school out of shop hours? This ques
ton is touched on by Charles r.
Richards, director of Cooper Union
for the advancement of science and
art, New York city, in publication
just issued for free distribution by
the United States bureau of educa.
ton. Mr.. Richards finds that just
now evening schools have the most
pupils of this sort, but points out
the advantages which would accrue
If America should follow the example
of Germany in allowing workmen to
get off in the daytime without hav-
ing their wages locked in order to
raise their efficiency by attendance
at an industrial school. 50
DR.. Richard says in part: Even
ing schools represent the first form
of industrial education in this coun-
try, and they reach today by far
the largest number of individuals
under instruction in this field. AS
a means Of supplementary instruc-
ton in mathematics, science, draw.
ing. and technical subjects they
present simple and effective method
of industrial education at least for
young men above. say, IS years
Of age. Evening continuation
schools were for half century the
backbone Of the German system of
Industrial education. Today that cOuT-
try is coming to realization that
for students between ii and Is the
evening is not the best time for
instruction and she is bringing the
work of her continuation schools in
to the day period. 1t will naturally
require a considerable time for this
country to reach the same point and
to bring about a general agreement
among manufacturers to allow learn
ers in their establishments to attend
industrial improvement schools dur
ing working hours.
THE positive benefits that result
when such a plan is followed, and
tho close correlation that is made
between the work of the shop and
that of the classroom. have. however,
been so strikingly shown that this
system Of industrial education de-
serves to be increasingly studied by
both employers and schoolmen. When
the time for attendance upon the
school work is granted to apprentices
or other learners by employers and
the wages continued during this
period the economic problem for the
boy is solved. Inasmuch as the
public school is not called upon to
supply the costly equipment for prac-
teal work, but only that instruc-
ton specifically fitted to the tech
nical needs of the learners, the adj
ministration expense is reduced to
a minimum.
''In its beginning such a plan is
evidently most readily applied in
cities and other localities where the
concentration of highgrade industries
gives a large number of apprentices
or learners in comparatively few
lines" Other types Of schools which
occupy important places in indus,
trial training In this country are
the intermediate industrial or pre-.
paratory trade schools, the trade
school, the evening school, the part.
time school, and the corporation or
apprentice school. These are also
discussed by Mr.. Richards in the
bureau of education's report. DR..
Richards finds that the economic
factors involved in the conduct of
these schools are OF two kinds;
first, the cost to the community Of
running the schools; and second,
the cost to the pupils of attending
the schools. "Of these" says Mr..
Richards, "the second is probably
the more important in determining
practical possibilities Of school
type" ...