East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1913-03-19

attention to the fact that wealth Is
created by effort, that the creation
OF wealth is fundamental, and that
no matter how or to what extent
wealth may be afterward abused or
perverted, the production of wealth
Is essentially social act.
1t gives the boy some knowledge Of
the value of time, materials and la
Dor.
America, today, with her unlimited
resources, her ample facilities for
transportation, inventive genius and
her industrial leaders of marvellous
ability is suffering from one serious
lack a widespread dearth of manual
skill and intelligence among her work
ing class, and why? Statistics show
us that ninety per cent of the grad
yates of elementary schools earn their
livelihood with their hands and how
have we been training them? By CIV
ing them subjects of purely academical
and cultural tendencies. Our whole
system of education up until a few
years ago. and in many places at this
very time. was planned for the ten
per cent who followed the professions
in after life. If Manual Training did
nothing else than to point out to the
boy, who later on will learn his living
with his hands, what particular
branch of industrial work he is best
adapted for it would be well worth
the money spent. We are attempting
to go further than this, however. Not
! only does he gain an insight into sew
Iran oh nf
when he has decided which he would
! like to pursue the opportunity is Civ
en- him to specialize in this one par
ticular branch. This keeps him from
drifting into low grade or un-skilled
work and enables him to take his
place as a wage Garner at living wa
ges with an insight into the work
which will be his life work, together
with a working knowledge of this
work.
/ How many boys and girls leave
school at between the ages of four
teen and sixteen, not because there
/ is a need of their taking their places
as wage earners to support them
selves or those connected with them,
but because of lack of interest
Manual Training and Domestic Sci
ence supplies this interest. 1t is so
essentially a change from the other
school work that the pupils are more
ready to take up the academic work
and will show a greater interest IN
these subjects.
In order to give equal opportunities
| for self-realization and in order 10
give proper recognition to individual
| preferences in natural capacities ana
social activities our system of educa-
I ton must be democratic. 1t must
train those who follow vocational
pursuits not only for the benefit OF
the individual but in order that we
NAV gain industrial supremacy, which
Is ours Dy every right ana whlch Is
now relinquished to Germany because
of her skilled workman.
This change in our educational sys-
tenn is not stopping in the Hlgh
schools but is manifesting itself in the
elementary schools because so many
OF our girls and boys stop here with
their education. Forgin, brlcklaylng'
| printing textile work and the dltter-
ent branches in woodwork are being
taught in the sixth, seventh. ana
| eighth grades. not one or two periods
week, but every day in the week.
The time is not far off when the boy
that finishes the eighth grade Will
have had the opportunity to try his
| hand at several of trades ana during
the latter part of the seventh ana
eighth grades will have specialized In
one particular one, and why not? All
that education is for is to make good
citizens and how can We make good
citizens of our boys if we do not teach
them a way to carp a living.
! In summing up, the advantages OF
| vocational work in connection WITH
academic work are:
(a) On the industrial side, an IN
sight into and liking for real work,
some specific and useful knowledge
acquired of industrial pursuits and
an ambition formed for a. higher
grade work and of living after leav-
ing school, together with working
knowledge of some industrial work
which will enable the boy to realize
these ideals and ambitions.
OBJ On the academic side, as great
if not greater, proficiency attained IN
| the subjects required as would other
wise have been possible and more
varied interest and better judgment
developed.
(c) In character, greater respect
of obligation, or responsibility, of JUS
tice and of honest work developed
together with habits of industry ano
thrift
Cd In personality, better pois'
and more tidy habits.