Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-12-31
ned ln the nllhllc aohonls2


this is accomplished we shall \, ~
have made our saiespeople equal in
competency, good fnannrs and eff
cheney to salespeople of Europe.
IAN experiment IN Wisconsin has
recently proved that the same kind
Of training can be adapted to Ameri-
can ideas. Wisconsin together with
Indiana, Pennsylvania, New Jersey
and Massachusetts have fayorably
legIslated along these lines.
The Wisconsin idea is only the
north Of Europe Idea Amerieanized.
Two or three years ago wisconsin be
came through the extension division
of the State University willing to ed
ncate retailers in the conduct of their
business. to teach, for example, the
quality OF merchandise and the ham
ding OF customers. instiliing the idea
that business il largely built upon
courtesy to customers, that proflts
and wages must come only for SER
vices rendered. and that training and
good manners are essential to success
both for the individual and the con-
Germ.
EninrgiDg Vocational Training.
I'VE have long thought of voca-
tional training as the making Of me-
chanics especially put nave now come
to realize its Importance In the de-
partment store business. 1t is be-
lieved that the benefits that will ac-
crue from this sort of training to the
underpaid salesgirls will so promote
their efficiency that 1t will not be nee
essary to legislate higher wages, but
that they will come as the natural re-
suit of more efficient service.
1.-THE continuation schools of Wis
consin are now enlarglng upon the
work Glasses are already in opera
ton In several cities, and have been
very popular. The increase In the eff
flciency of those in attendance is al
most Immediately apparent. and the
scope Of the courses is being very
rapidly extended.
ut Is especially helpful to the stu
dents OF continuation schools TO nave
had actual experience in employment
In conjunction with the halliday in
school The linking of the retail
storekeepers and their employees de-
lightfnlly widens the interest In ana
support of the schools.
Divide the population of any busy
commercial and industrial city OF So,-
900 people, OF more, by eighty, ana as
a rule OF thumb we have the number
OF fourteen and fifteen-y ear-old chill
dren Idle or in blind alley jobs-ch1l-
dren who left school prematurely,
having reached at best no further
than the sitxh grade. There are ~
600 900 of these youngsters in the
United States. To provide for them
the state law should require the es-
Establishment of continuation schools
In all important towns, attendance at
which should be compulsory for every
child from fourteen to sixteen years
of age. not in the regular school or IN
employment. and each child should
leave work a half day O. week Tor
school. Wherever States have left at
tendance voluntary, almost nothing
has been accomplished, but under
Wisconsin is making rap
Not Much Money
ut will be easy to Introduce voca-
tional training IL only we, will stop
ideaiizing. trying to bend Human ma
ture and the worlds practiceI to form-
al upper class conceptions. Not
great deal of money or experience is
required to open schools and begin
work. Measured by the idehl these
are far from perfect, yet
they are so much better than nothing
and of such exceeding value TO those
whom they influence. as rightly to be
deemed invaluable In one instance
more than fifty little cash and bundle
girls, fourteen and fifteen YEARS old,
were taken from department. store
where they were getting extremely
low wages, the employer insisting
that he could not make saleskirls of
20 per cent OF them. Afterl few
weeks training the proprietor} visited
The school and expressed hiAs great
delight at the progress these GIRLS had
made. Such stories are endlesSl. Boys
are found who have apparently
neither aim nor hope, but who can
Ill become good students. In olne city
fifty working mechanics are having
% go back to fourth grade arithmetic
rs preliminary to course Tin me-
drawing.
Practical Courses Necessary.
"The education given in THE Con-
mutation Schools must be Thoroughly
>K1H years in Europd 1t was
left to the schoomastter with his
tendency to be formal TWENTY-FIVE
years ago Bismarck put the control
in the honds Of employers and work
ers. Wisconsin itself has established
a State Board of Industrial Educa-
ton, consisting of three splendid edu-
Gators. three employers and three
thereby assuring that the
work will be scientifically developed,
viii fit the needs of industry and
Justify the hopes and sacrifices of
I'm only four of our States is there
n practical. efficient Board of Edu-
cation. Whether they have as bal
anced n control and as strong q
hold upon each Of the elements of
society especially concerned may be
questioned, and except IN these four
States 1t seems wholly desirable to
have board like that of Wisconsin
THE Continuation Schools of Ger
many cost from $12 to SIS a year per
student, the work requiring eight
hours a week for eleven months.
wisconsin begins with a require
ment of five hours for only six
months. II should be eleven. Her
cost runs from about Sc to SIS, last
year averaging $40. Even then the
cost is not far frcm that of the aver
age trade school Nothing short of
personal study OF the Wisconsin