Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-06-19
WRONGLY EDUCATED.

Through the news columns 1t 10
learned that Of seven hundred members
of tho San Francisco Dish Washers
union. 100 are college graduates. This
It 10 said, Is greater proportion OK
college men than can be found in any
other labor organization in the coun-
try. :t.a .".. ~-. .s..'.
The statistics were compiled by two
members of the union, one Of whom
says he Is a former instructor In
mathematics in an eastern college.
He resigned from that position, he said
today, to engage in small business
in Oswego, N. Y.
Naturally l do not care to reveal
my name" he said. mot that think
there is any disgrace in what am do
ing. In fact. am proud Of some OF
work and have the highest respect
for many OF the union members. We
dish washers present a case of men
who have found themselves unable to
cope with some of the harsh require
ments Of life.
II was absolutely united for bust
ness, but might have succeeded If |
had even q rudimentary knowledge OF
business affairs. was unmarried and
came west with just enough money
to keep me q week. At first I tried
rough work but I was unable to en-
dure the hardships Of the men who had
never known any other sort Of toll So
became a dishwasher." The San
Francisco Dish washers union Is the
only one of its kind, 1t Is said, in the
United States. A dish washer gets
SO q week.
The fact that there is so many col
lege bred men doing dishwashing,
should not be used as an argument
against college education but there is
no question but what 1t. should awaken
college authorities the country over
to the fact that there is something
wrong with four year course OF in
struction which does not At man for
earning his way through life. A re-
cent report by the authorities OF
Northwestern university, showed that a
college education was worth on the
average. $4,000 to each graduate-that
is that his average pay for the working
years Of his life, was enough higher
than the average Of the noncollege
man to total $4,000.
There is no disputtng that a college
course aids some men. It does be-
cause It fits some of them for LIES
work and does It so we'll that they
can demand and receive higher sal
airy. For the most part however, these
same men come from class who
would do their work just little bet
ter anyway and whether they were
blessed with college training or not.
they would be up in the fore ranks.
It Is for the men who are not the
top notchers. that college courses are
most needed and unfortunately as Is
shown In the case Of the dishwashers.
tho present course does not At them
for something. It may broaden them,
It may aid In their culture, but it
doesn't give them the concrete,
specific training that enables them to
apply for work in some particular
field and say, II can do this
Colleges have done, are doing and
always will do good work. They can
be made to do better work however
by accepting the popular verdict that
an education is technical training
along some definite line for some
definite purpose. We will venture
the opinion that none OF those San
Francisco dishwashers are graduates
Of any manual training or technical
school. They are men who have been
given education without being shown
how to make use Of 1t. They might
be compared with the man who pushes
q motorcycle on which he might ride
ten times faster If he but knew the
secret Of starting and guiding it.
"Rernenber that money 10 Of