New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-08-02

The ideal trend OF public education
IN the United States used to be. main
ly, education for good citizenship.
Patriotism, /. e., the love Of ones coun-
try, whether inculcated in the native
or in the foreign-born, was the moving
spirit in the education of the young
quarter Of a century ago. Education
which contained this high ideal was
sufficient for its purpose under those
conditions Of social life and Of bust
ness opportunities which prevailed at
that time Times now have changed.
Keener competition in the business
world began 10 arise, vast corporate
interests were created, business com
binations were formed. both CONNER
cisl and mercantile affairs assumed
greater volume, and consequently the
cry went up that our system OF ecu
cation was Inadequate TO Mt the theh
Younger generation for the demands
ibat would soon be made upon II by
The business interests OF the fast
growing country. What was the re-
suit? -,.. ,o.o
The old methods OF euuc8llon "eie
revamped and the public school sysr
tens began TO organize sehoois OF
commerce. accounts and finance and
30 fnrnisb business instruction as a
mart OF its elementary curriculum
And among the private schools were
soon TO be found the business colleges
and other institutions for special
training in commercial branches. In
deed SO much was so suddenly done
along such lines IN both private and
Dublic institutions that the whole ma
ton soon bid fair TO become a nation
Of clerks
Thus the oldtime patriotic system OF
education, ideal though II was, com
menced TO feel the impact OF the more
practical things in every day me-
though patriotism did not suher JUST
because the people began TO reaiize
conditions and TO learn standard metH-
ODDS Of transacting business. A ousl-
ness man can be Just as enthusiasucaI-
" patriotic as the idealist IS. and ne
can also become a hero If occasion re
ouires or II the opportunity is al
forded. However. the school output
at this time was mainly Of the nature
of what is known as "unproductive
labor"
lin 10 this time We have accounted
for the pstriot. for the business man,
for the trader and Tor others OF the
same kind-either employers or en-
ploves but we have not touched upon
the man who creates things Tor the
business man 10 handle, 10 sell or 10
exchange. The tradesman. the aruzah'
the mechanic the inventor, the manu-
facturer. and possibly even the sr'ls''
sll these are still unaccounted Tor.
And 10 this list Of those unaccount-
cd for we MAY even add some OF the
members OF the learned professions
sucb as the engineering profession IN
its broadcast aspects.
Times have changed and we change
with them. The watchful eyes ana
trained progressive brains Of the OBJ
servers OF the conditions Of life are
ever alert to perceive and to suggest
remedies and panaceas Tor human az
fairs The philosopher and the THINKER
Is sometimes q greater force IN the
worlds affairs than rs the practitioner
or the doer of things, for the phlloso-
pher and man o. reason creates ana ana
originates, while the latter often oniy
carries out in practice or produces IN
nbvsical form the truths and discov-
cries Of the former.
II has been truly said that the best
practice is based upon the best theory
and so IL has fallen TO the educator
10 enunciate a new idea in education
an idea affecting the very marrow OF
the countrys welfare-namely, Voca-
tional training.
However, we in this country must
not lay claim to originality IN Voca-
tional training. Other countries nave
been first in the field in this respect
chiefly because their natural sources
of wealth had become sparce or eN'
hausted. Hence they became manu-
facturers and bought their materials
from countries rich IN natural re
sources-such countries as this one.
However. the foreign trade OF tn'
limited States is expanding and IN
creasipr bv leaps and by bounds an
manufacturers are producing create
proportion of our exports thsn eve
before. Our domestic trade rs fast re
placing the importation OF manulac'
ured material.
breadth Of our land is heard IN clSr
ION tones the cry. Vocational train
;ngf' and its concomitant, Vacations
guidance" -.
There is wholesome trend IN tn
ncv, cducado movement, because }
means that members Of the presen
generation may have the opportunlt
20 become scli-Sustalnlng ecOnoml
units, j. e., producers instead Of para
II sites.
vi The public schools. with their read
VI ily acquired facilities, drawn from IN
public pocketbook, are naturally IN
first in the field, but while their prob
lem is greater their standards ma
only reach q few rungs up the 'vocS
fional ladder" Their product Will re
suit in the uplift Of the masses,
noble and bcnefcent result, TO be SURF
but the very nature Of public seho(
education tends toward an output
quantity rather than toward an outpV
OF quality, and the truth OF this ma
be admitted from the very nature
things and without any thought OF di'
paragement Of the public school sy'
tenn.
The private school has a pTomlneI
place in this new vocational move
ment. II may also be said that IN
private school has its conspicuous plse
In il because Of its position well up 0
The upper rungs Of the vocational lac
der. Such institutions as stevens IL
stitute. Pratt Institute, Boston SchoS
OF Technology, Brown University an
many other equally high class privat
Institutions are on the highest ruhg
~ this vocational ladder. There
-. &c rom, for the private SchoC