The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-01-12
The Schools Relation,
the Community S Needs

| Egerton L. Winthrop. Jr. for seven years
president Of he New York city board of educa-
ton, has reviewed changes In aims and tendon
ces on the part Of the schools in the nation s
metropolis in a clear and interesting manner.
His comment is given in the New York Herald.
upon the occasion of the announcement Of his
retirement from the position he has held Two
! distinct problems confront the schools OF New
York, according to Mr.. Winthrop-the necessity
for vocational education of the youngsters who
have not the opportunities of those in small
towns to learn to use their hands outside of
school hours and the necessity OF the proper
training Of thousands Of foreign born children.
many of them without a knowledge of the Eng
lish language. who must be admitted to the
public schools every year.
Hare the sauth.-rue
rerned with the problems presented by the
presence Of large immigrant population.
Sometimes we wish that such a problem could
be present, for experience IN other communi-
ties has shown that the average immgra MT
child is SO far ahead of native children In the
desire to learn and to do that the standard OF
education has been considerably advanced We
are concerned, as this paper has frequently
nointed out during the past two years more,
with the necessity-the demand, II that word
Is stronger term-for vocational t%aining
As Mr.. Winthrop puts II;
In the old days the school boy depended on
the school only for what might be termed the
essentials of an education as set down in books.
The child found development In doing his work
IN his fathers shop in the chores on the
farm. He found or made the opportunities
70 acquire some skill OF hand II is important
that every school child should be trained IN
the OF his hands in these DAYS for such
training IS the basis of occupations and trades
It seems to that the greatest service
which the school car perform Is the PUBLIC.
IS to prepare the child for Some definite walk
IN life. Along that line the greatest work Of the
future can be done. To better do this work
think that the school BUILDINGS should be open
more and that they should be made useful to
the nnblic in more than the school hours The
restricted area of the city Of New York makes
1t impossible for tho children to have the
amount Of space for games and exercise they
should have for their development The athletic
Nelds for the schools and the plavgrounds have
accomplished something. but it would be better
4 the school buildings themselves were in use
all the time.
tho largest citv IN this part Of the world what
he has TO say regarding the relation Of schools
70 life applies everywhere Here in virginia. we
have recognized the application If the voca-
tioral principle In the rural schools We are
irving to make them worth something TO tho
child in his community not only from the
standpoint OF culture. but In RESPONSE to the
demand that the schools shah fit the child for
the unbuiiding Of the community. morally in
tei1ectualy and industrially. Our cities /, Viz.
ginia are In one respect already behind the
country schools; thew not making any seri-
Gus effort to provide vocational training IN
Ivnchhurg, where the largest proportion of
children are unable to continue long enough
TO complete even the grammar grades. much
less go through the classical hirh school that
We have: where there liz annually great de-
mand for new workers or an e#cient and in
teliigent tyne, with some training and direct
nr~paraton for the work that they hava ~ IN
In the factories and business houses that con-
stitrte the INDUSTRIAL and commercial centcr IT.
self where the community is actually weak ard
ieckfng--our schools make practically no pro-
visions OF direct nature
Our schools doubtless Efficient In carry
ing out our present aims for these who actually
complete the course. But do they satisfy suf-
fciently the demands OF the community in the
way of vocational training? Is there not this
demand, and ought 1t not TO be satisfied In
Justice TO children themselves as we'll as to
the community ?--Lynchbure Advance