The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1913-11-21

@N Tuesday morning there
O alighted from the e. & w.
HmnfB V. train four gentlemen
NaU from Dunmore who were
bound for Fitchburg, Mass,
on a mission of Importance. The
writer of this department talked with
them from Hoadleys until trainman
Laughanny had said the magic
words, 'the next stop is Hawley-
all change for Lackawaxen, Port
Jervis, Middletown and New York
don't forget your packages" The
four gentlemen were John D. Purtell,
trainmaster of the Erie's Wyoming
Division, John E. Swift, of the Union
Cash Stores, Thomas McNulty and
Superintendent of schools Charles
F. Hoban, all of whom are of Dun
more and the first three of whom are
members of the Dunmore school
board. They constitute special
committee, and were appointed to
make study of the vocational side
of the educational question. They
are to make their report in Decem-
Der.
The quartette shook hands with
Hawley acquaintances while wait
ms iOi po66o6SJ W NSICioJ W bC
transferred from the E. & w. V. to
the branch train, and soon were
speeding on their way towards the
Bay State.
The vocational training system
is in use in Fitchburg, city of about
10000 population. 1t includes man
ual and domestic training courses in
the high schools curriculum and the
products of the school may be fitted
to meet the needs of the community.
If the committee finds that the sys-
TEN works well in Fitchburg a favor
able recommendation will be made to
the Dunmore board, and, as a new.
law enacted by the legislature by
provision of which the state pays two
courses, this provision makes it rath-
er convenient for that district to in
troduce such a system. The mem
bers of the board claim that manual
training and domestic science are
badly needed in the schools there.
They state that arrangements can
be made with the Erie shops and 9TH
er industrial establishments whereby
boys may be permitted to attend
school during the morning and work
The writer was especially inter-
ested in the work of this committee
becalfse it shows that our neighbor-
ing towns are reaching out along
progressive lines. In this depart
ment several weeks ago suggestion
was made that the Hawley school
board investigate the work and meth
DDS of other schools. Objection was
Nf A1ok \, H. nc,
expensive and unnecessary, and on
the surface it would seem that pub
lie schools are some sort of money
making enterprise, maintained for
the purpose of creating rich school
districts.
The writer is a great believer in
vocational study. He believes such
study is necessary and that the time
is ripe for its introduction in every
high school in the larger towns and
cities of the land; but he does not
propose to make any argument here
along that line. AS far as he cares
to go here is to hold up the progress
sive spirit of the Dunmore school
board as a sort of object lesson and
inspiration to the school directors
and the people of Hawley.
10 HOI get III d TuI' Do uoI Cou-
tent yourselves with the thought
that there is nothing more to do, that
educational work in Hawley has
reached the limit OF excellence.
During the past year much good work
was done; but ever bear in mind
that in school matters it is wise to
" get the best" and that " the best
is none too good " for the rising gen.
Grafton.