The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-12-11

10 types of schools and courses Of
study.
The findings of the survey show
that ma ority of her workers learn
ed their trade in the city or in the i'm
mediate environment. Evidence points
that Richmond may safely train
larger proportion Nof her childsen for
future participation in the local in
dustries than might be wise for an
average city. Richmond Is not con-
fronted with the task of assimilating
a large foreign element, but rather
with that OF training a native popula
tior for efficiency
The findings of the survey snow q
definite need for the offering of ed1ca-
tional facilities for men and boys al
ready employed. 1t is evident that the
supply of efficient journeymen is in
adequate, that the amount OF syste-
matte instruction in the shops In APP
parently small and that the amount OF
Apprenticeship training Is limited.
The findings indicate that the men
themselves seek further educational
advantages and that they are person
ally interested in trade education.
Many workers have taken courses at
their own expense since leaving the
regular school The facts show that
the aioritn of these, workers have
taken courses bearing directly upon
their trade. The minority have taken
day evening pr correspondence work
unrelated to their trades.
Evening school Best Approach.
1T is recommended that schools and
courses for boys and men already EN-
ployed should find expression in two
great groups: ~ evening schools, ta)
or the industrial order and (b) of the
order a -fiy1ta a. hhnIe
'a) of the industrial Rrder. OBJ of the
general order. schools of the in
dustrial order should take most decid-
eddy the trade extension aspect. The
work which the men and boys elect
in the school. whether it be Of the
part-time or evening order. should
supplement the day employment and
, upon the shop experience OF the en-
fployed boys and men who attend.
THE evidence points out that the
evening trade extension courses con-
, stitute the best approach to the full
program of schools and courses which
may be finally established for men and
boys The employers favor evening
work in preference to part-time work
for their apprentices. The workers
themselves have indicated a desire for
evening instruction which will supple
nent their daily shop experience. Both
state that promotion will result from
these evening supplementary courses
The committee urgently recon-
. mcnds that steps be taken at once by
the Richmond school authorities to
estab lish The part-time day school or
classes for those industries and plants
where employers have expressed a
willingness 10 cooperate in this way
The committee believes that this plan
furnishes the only satisfactory metnon
of dealing with the proper training OF
apprentices in the city OF Richmond.
In the abserce of r. W Selvidge of
Peabody College. Nashville, Tenn. the
recommendations as to prevocationa'
training were handled by 3. w. john
SON industrial education supervisor at
Seattle, Washington
As to Mechanicf Institute.
superintendent of Schools william
~ Davidson. OF Pittsburg- was the last
sneaker on recommendations. His
topic was the place Of private instttn-
tions receiving city moneys in the gem
eral plan. 1t had to deal particularly
with the Mechanics Institute. and
urged that that institution be mel ged
with the public school system OF
Richmond. IN accordance with the FOL
lowing plan:
That the corporate name Of the
Virginia Mechanics Institute shall be
preserved but that the ownership OF
it's property shall be vested in the city
Of Richmond.
That an ordinance he passed By he
City Council of Richmond which shall
provide that the immediate direction
:, of the affairs of the Mechanics lpst-
tute shall be under an advisory board
, of FIVE members one member from each
city school district and two members
at large; and that tho management OF
the institute shall be under the direc-
tion of the City School Board to be
used for public school purposes in con-
uection with both the day and even
i ing school work.
"That the City School Board Of
Richmond shall agree to make this
plant the vocational center or the pub
t lie school system and open the insti-
tute in the daytime as soon as prac-
teal after this merger shall have been
accomplished.
'Jn the event THIS merger can be
brous hs@>a bout in accordance with the
above plah Il will he possible TO make
the Virginia Mechanics Institute serve
i tho public school system OF the entire
city for both day and night school
classes for practically the whole year.
and the institute wonid he elistble as
an institution supported aud CONT lied
by The public 10 participate ii tho
distribution Of the funds which will
be available in the event of the grant
ing of state moneys for industrial or
commercial education to the local ON
,uunities Of Virginia or In the event
/ ar the passage Of the Industrial Edu-
j cation Bill now pending before the
Congress of the United States"
The M6rninG Sessios.
DR. j, A. G. Chandler, superinten-
ent of Richmond schools presided at
the morning session In Jefferson audi
ftorium He first introduced Secretary