The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1912-11-06


81 - ,I1i1,1 lct
81 ost recent QropoSa1 tie
lcge11 for The N.ider use q the
school ant, according to informa-
tson reeeieels &c the United State Bu-
rean % Education The use Of
schools as social centersy sas be-
come familiar through the Organized
no9 Sene Of the last year or TWO. and
more recently the use Of the school
buildings as polling booths and for
uus for political discussion has be-
come known through the example Of
New York and Chicago. Now comes.
Professor John r. Commons. a mem
her 5of the Wisconsin industrial Com
mission. with a proposal to. use the
school house as labor exchange
The plan to link the social center
work with the economic problem OF
the upenpIoyed IS urged by Profess
or Commons in the following terms:
There is need OF an organized mar
ket for labor II each scnOol
house has a director o fits social CEN
ter service. he could be supplied with
blanks from main employment of
fee. A workman. by going to the
school nearest his house to register.
could be Immediately connected with
the whole organized labor market Of
the state
Nor should this mark the end OF the
schools function in the labor prob
lem, according to PROFESSOR Conn,
mons. He believes, that the school,
acting as a branch CT the ehiIdren's
department OF the employment Office.
should be made to help reduce the
reimbursement OF occupations that
IS now crying evil Records Of
chqIdren's aptitudes should he kept
in school. Teachers can best tell
what the child is good for: and they
should direct the children into the
most promising occupations 1t
should be said that this principle is
already partially recognized by pub
lie authorities. The vocation bureau
of the city Of Boston aids in directing
the future occupation of children in
the schools. In Ohio the truant
oficer is required by recent statute
to keep on file list OF the children
betweeS the ages OF "A and Is who
have received school certificates and
desire employment; prospective en-
ployers are to have access to this list
The attention given to Professor
Commons proposal emphasizes the
rapid development of the idea CT
wider use of the school plant" since
Mr.. Edward ]. Ward inaugurated the
social center work at Rochester. !.
Kansas City affords current instance
of the readiness to accept the social
center idea. The board OF education
OF that city recently voted to open;
seventeen school buildings fer neigh
borhood uses at night. school clubs
will be organized for the discussion
of civic and economic questions;
there will be literary and dramatic
clubs, sewing and camp fire clubs.
There will be lectures, moving pic
lures. folk dances. gymnastics. and
all the other neaghborhood activities
that are necessary to wholesome com
munity life.
The use OF school buildings as for
ums for political discussion is now
a 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 educator shave no
way OF finding out just how far the
suggestion of school houses as labor
exchanges will be adopted, the fact
that a proposal like this receives at
tention proves how widespread is the
sentiment in favor OF any and all
projects involving wider use OF the
school plant for the benefit of the
community.