Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1912-03-08

The so-e4lled Page vocational bill, |
senate bill No. 3, introduced into 'h-
Unit-d States Senate by S-uatOr Carroll
) Page, Of Vermont, aims al something
Of this same idea. At all events. u
msk-s hr-ak tuN ard tie same field Of
governmental experiment. aud 1t Is A.
tracing fayorabl- attention from many
sources A. a Common s-use measure that
must, ia some iOim or another, ultimate
" prevail, il IL do.s not nov. IL has a.
ready been favorAhIy rePorted to the
Senate by vote Of eight to three Of the
committee OF agriculture aud forestry,
ahd so the first step toward victory is
won.
Here is what The Washington Post
says of the bill:
1.-The praise which has been given to
the bill introduced by Senator Page, OF
Vermont, with view TO instructing the
growing generation in vocational studies
should I've sufficient warrant and suggest
ion to Congress to give more that ordln-
ary attention 20 the measure.
Senator Pages bill attacks univer-
ssl problem from the right angle. For
many years Congress has been irving "a
improve mankind after it has become
sot in its ways. II has been trying to
instill high standard of business ethics
by putting trust laws on the statute
books, apparently refusing to admit that
laws will not cure the weakness OF igno-
rance or habit. II has been trying to
develop industry aud improve the con-
dition of men when they are past the
period which character and habits are
formed.
The measure introduced by Senator
Page gets to the root of every evil that
faces the public to-day. 1t provides, in
brief, for encouraging instruction III ag'
riculture, the trades and industries, and
home economics for maintaining in
struction in these vocational subject,
in state normal schools, for maintaining
extension departments in state colleges
of agriculture and mechanic arts, All,
for an appropriation by the government
for cooperation with the states to al
those ends.
"For the government to enter tn
field of education may be decried as al
invasion of states rights, but the fac
that the states must do their share be
fore they receive national aid seems t
dispose of this objection. Already tn
government is doing considerable educa
tional work, and there is no good reaso
why it should not extend its activitie
much further.
"If there is one important work tina
: the government can do it is along tn
lines of education. Cooperation be
tween the government and the states i
the encouragement of vocational Studio
would lead to greater uniformity in &c
ucation. The kind of studies suggeste
would lead to a higher sense of bushes
honor in the future, and would equi
, the coming generations for real servi(
in the world. Instead of young me
and young women trying to find then
selves and fit them selges into the syn
tenn after graduation, they would be d
rected from the beginning toward IL
activity for which they are best quaifie
There would not be so much fumblir
and cropping. The progress of futu
generations would be surer aud mo
sane.
"The present Congress cannot emplc
. its time better than in the considerable
. of Senator Pages bill. 1t strikes in
:. certain, sensible manner at all the evi
Congress is seeking blindly to correc
% The whole problem is one of education
! and not of laws. IL is not possible
/, legislate morality or intelligence in
:. mankind, but Senator Pages measu
presents the one chance for law tn
will come near to the accomplishing
% of that end.
10 Sooner or later, the philosophy behi'
, the Page bill will be established in Il
N recognition and policy of the Americ'
people, and we shall use our schools
"a prepare our youths and maidens for Il
= activities,of life, and not for the luxu
rs of intellectual dreaming.
st In the meantime, men like the sen
4 tor from Vermont are helping to fig
"a a battle for better things to come th
i. some day will be gratefully realized
# those that profit from the victory.-S
n Adams Messenger.
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