Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-09-02
VOCATIONAL
TRAINING IS
HIS HOBBY

Vocational training of children
and young people is still in the expert
mental stage in the United States,
and while we can learn something
from those institutions in which 1t Is
receiving considerable attention, the
system necessarily must remain in
the experimental stage in Hawaii sew
eral years. says Prof r. c. Bowman
of the Lahainaluna school. Maui, who
returned yesterday from visit of
two months and half on the main
land
Prof, Bowman, who is to have
charge of the vocational work in the
public schools OF Maui when the new
department, authorized by the last
Legislature, comes into being next
January, visited a large number OF
the more important schools in the
western part of the states, including
the Bradley Polytechnic Institute at
Peoria, ILL.,: Chicago university and
me David Rankin trade schools at st.
Louis
These are perhaps the most import
ant educational institutions west of
New York, from the standpoint of vo-
cational teaching, and in visiting
them, Prof. Bowman was privileged to
discuss the vocational training prob
lem thoroughly with the men who are
at the head of the system; such as
Prof. C. A. Bennett, William NJ. Rob
erts. district superintendent OF the
Chicago schools, and Dr. f. NJ Leav-
tit. associate professor OF industrial
education at Chicago University and
president of The Manual Arts Associa-
ton.
I'VE should be as we'll able to out
line a practical vocational training
system as those in the states" Prof.
Rowman says, "for one and all OF the
rnen / met admitted that as yet there
Is no definite, recognized system.
which can be accepted as a basis for
the department work
As a matter of fact the Industrial
teaching seems to be guided almost
entirely as yet by local conditions in
the various sections of the country.
For Instance, in Chicago and at PEI
oria,. ILL.,. they are trying the experi-
ment of making the schools at least
partly self-supporting, by selling the
goods the students produce. But !
was informed that this had been found
undesirable or impractical among the
David Rankin trade schools. In st.
Louis, and that the educators there
have given up the idea Of making the
schools an income bearing proposi.
ton.
Vocational training In the states Is
still hampered to some extent by the
opposition of the old-time educators.
who have no faith in 1t and object
even to the experiment. 1t is the
newer generation, the younger educaf
tors, who are pushing and encourags
ing it. That 1t is successful ia some
instances has already been shown in
st. Louis, l was informed. The labor
unions have raised hue and cry
against the educated mechanics and
other young men which the trade
schools are sending into the field of
skilled labor, yet 1t is found that as
q direct result, when the unions are
needing more men in certain trades
they are sending to the trade schools
for them. This indicates. they say,
that the labor world is beginning to
acknowledge the influence and utility
of the training.
''The Philippine schools approach
nearest the recognized system Of any,
and wherever went found the lead
ers in this work constantly referring
me to the Philippine schools and text
books In fact much of the expert
mentation in the states is based on
the success attained in the Philip
pines"