The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-11-02
Wha. Co-Opcration With Public
Schools May BE Made
TO Mean.
TRAINING FOR vocATIoMs
Eniightenins Addrcs, Delivered
10 Patrons OF School BY
Charles + I.asSiter

At Il meeting q: the ia trons %. Inc
Dinw;doie High School on FRIDAY.
Churles 4, Laysitei. Of Petersburg. die :
iivered tho following address or the
Importance of cooperating with the
public schools:
Mr. chairman teachers ana patrons
~ the Dinwiidic iish School, lauies
and gentlemen.
The principal or your scnooi hu. in
vitcd me to address this meeting OF
Patrons Day along tho I'm. OF the
Importance of patrons co Operating
with the schools
accepted this invitation only two
days ago, and have had no opportuni-
" 10 get The principal 10 explain Ia
me exactly tie scope of the subject
which he desired me 10 discuss
trust he viii pardon me. therefore, IL
seem to go somewhat hey"nd whcr-
ne intended Iae 10 stop
1t 2ccms evident TO my MUD that as
The pupils ana also TIA. ;a~es which
support the schools are furnished %
tho patrons they should be more III
terested than any on. else in cooper
dtinE with the schools
But what do YOU UNDERSTAND by those
words. Co operating with the schools.
or course. they literally mean woriiin 4
with the schools but hos End 10 whas
extent?
~ II ls Understood TO mean "teiY
sending your childIen to schooi rcgu
larly ana on time. there viii ~ very.
little TO discuss II ~ ~ even tak-ii
TO include the idea OF backing Up the
teachers in the enforcement OF a
proper discipline. imagine that Re "
peope viii deu: that order IS
Heavens first Law ana that teachers
must enforce discipline TO secure order
or More Importance.
n hat AZ ia. Oh q
with the schools incouA not rnerel %
those things. but something more im :
portant u means working with the
schools in such "A way that they may
accomplish the purpose Of their Gre
ation Now, suppose everybody viii
agree that the purpose OF the school
~ TO educate he children. but the i'm
portant question is educate them for
what.
believe it - tue mat the large
'ca1ority vi public free schools Ia the
United States follow courses OF study
designed to ii, children tor colleg"
This ~ Il condition " affairs which va
have inherited from that period IN our
history, when for man TO he edu-
Gated meant that he had fitted himself
Tor one OF the so-called learned profes :
etons. Tho ministry. Law. medicine. en-
rineerine o. teaching Probably IL i,
true that II one man IL every 100 quail
HeI nlinscIf lOT = i'dIneu picf"SSIoi
the needs Of society would To- amply
provided for
Blu, we have arrived Il; an age OF
general public education. which ~ al
20 very practical industrial age
What society needs from it's schools
Is education for efficiency that is 70
say. that the boys and girls trained
IN the schools shall be more capable OF
earning their own living and less
Llk.i,- became. charges IN.
state
public free schools arc supported b.
;aXdiion. and the only reason for tax
ing one man TO educate another man
children is that we may make bettel
citizens OF each new generation
Few Enter College.
OF all The hish school graduates +.
the United States. not more than
per cert OF them ever enter college
The % per cent have to go Immediately
10 work TO help themselves and tho
people dependent upon them.
OF course. | am not prepared 10 say
what effort has been made in oul
county high school TO Improve thi.
condition. know that people m the
Legislature. as we'll as elsewhere, are
beginning TO think about this quea
tion. What YOU want 10 know is
what is being done for tn. - per cent
81 tho children who never go 10 col
lego. II the schools are designed 20
prepare them for college
Here is your legitimate sphere. sou
patrons, for cooperating with the
schools. In the fret place. il IL i'm
portant for YOU TO take the trouble
10 inform yourselves as to what has
been and IL being done 1t Is of great
Interest for you. as patron and a
taxpayer. to know whether your chill
dren are being taught so that when
they leave school they viii be better
nttct. for life or not
one of the most entertaining books
which ! have read in long time Is
called Education for Efficiency" by
Dr. r Davenport | wish all OF the
Taxpayers in Virginia. and particular
IS the patrons Of public schools. could
hc induced TO read that book. ] thinks
il YOU will read It, YOU will not rest
satisfied until YOU have used your i'm
huencc 10 have the schools Of Vir-
yinia reformed. so that at least one
fourth of the time at school shall be
devoted to vocational studies.
Proba bly, most boys. when they leave
school, and most young men when they
leave college. are practically united
70 take up at once any means Of live
lihood requiring practical knowledge
and skill. | graduated iii law at Til,
university, but was very much non
pIussed the first time I was employe
to write deed. OF course, had beer
Taught the theory OF my profession
but the actual practice had to De
learned by making mistakes.
Half OF People In Country.
Nearly half Of the populations Of
The United States lives in the country
1t Is OF very great interest to society
:hat the farmer shall be taught the
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