The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1912-03-21
MAKES STRONG PLEA FOR
VOCATIONAL EDUCATION
Means Happy, Busy, Benefcent
and Effective People, He Tells
Board Of Commerce

:. Frederick II. Sykes, director OF
technical education and OF the schools
OF Industrial and household arts in
the teachers college. Columbia uni
versity, spoke on vocational education
before the members of the Board OF
Commerce at luncheon, Thursday
noon. Milton A. McRae, the retiring
president OF the board. presided and
about 200 members were present.
See that the mass of boys and
Girls withdrawn too early from school
IL earn their living may have con-
tinuation schools, for part-time edu-
cation" said Dr.. Sykes. Help them
10 At themselves for honorable en-
ployment. Don't leave them In blind
alley employments that mean slums
and misery and crime. Build the
stairs and open the doors of oppor-
tunity.
Here In this beautiful city should
rise a great art Industrial school, like
that OF Zurich or Dresden. Berlin or
Munich. A school OF graphic arts, or
the woodworking arts--to enrich and
diversity your industries. The city
that can think and act socially Is the
city that will lead 10 the future,
human happiness.
To sum up. az | said in q recent
article in the Teachers College Rec
ord: The new education aims TO train
our people TO meet the problems or
livelihood and liying--to apply science
aid art, craft and machinery, method
AND organization TO make possible a
higher achievement Of living Tor all.
III ctr M a.
tior. must penetrate like a vast irriga-
ton system through the land, push
ing its rills into the remotest com
munities-as universal. as essential,
as beneficient as the free elementary
school. This is the latest and most
Measurable contribution OF education
To life. That man only, said JONI
Ruskin. liz educated, who is happy,
Eusy, benefcent and effective In the
world To that idea-that men ana
women may in this land be HAPPY,
busy. benefcent and effective-the
new movement OF vocational educa'
ron is devoted"
The dedication OF the new Cass
Technical High school took place
Wednesday evening, when more than
1000 people were out 10 inspect the
latest addition to Detroits educational
facilities. DR.. Sykes was the speaker
III the evening.
Dr. Sykes made a strong plea for
technical education, and denounced
line present system OF education as In
efficient, because 10 out OF 20 pupils
who enter the common schools drop
out before they have completed the
course. He claimed that technical
education would keep the pupils In
the school and make them better able
TO earn q living when they have COM
pleted the courses offered. lie de-
scribed the efficiency OF the vocational
education in Europe, and said that
Merican education must be brought
ND 10 the same state OF efficiency II
this country is to hold its place in the
commercial race.
Other speakers on the program were
Charles r. Robertson. president OF tie
Board OF Education: Wales c. Mar
tndale, superintendent OF schools;
BENJAMIN +. Comfort. principal of the
Cass school. and G.. NJ. Burton, OF the
Aoard OF Education.
Mr.. Comfort gave a brief history OF
the development OF the Cass Union
school, which was founded in 1860 by
Gen. Lewis Cass, with the ideal OF
industrial wage-earning efficiency.
DIR. Sykes spoke before the teach
ers OF Detroit in the Central High
school auditorium, Wednesday after
noon, on Dickens.