The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1914-07-03
VOCATIONAL
EDUCATION
H. L. HUGHES, OF SPOKANE,
DELIVERS SPLENDID AID
DRESS IN TACOMA LAST
WEEK-THE VALUE OF A
STATE TRADE SCHOOL.
Especial Correspondence

TACOMA-As a result of the parti-
cipation of organized labor in the con-
ference called at Tacoma, June 20, by
the state commission on trade and vo-
cational education, State Superintend-
ent of Public Instruction Mrs. Jose
phine Preston increased the member
ship of the commission from five to
seven, and appointed H. l.. Hughes,
of the Spokane Labor World, to repre-
sent labor on that body Mrs. Pres
ton announced that she would later
appoint some one to represent the en-
ployers.
The commission now consists of the
following members: G. H. Lull, of the
University of Washington; Superin-
tendent w. M. Kern, of Walla Walla;
Frank O. Kraeger, head of the eXten.
sion department of the Washington
State College; Ben w. Johnson, of Sc
attic; Mrs. Lizzie Jones, superintend-
ent of Snohomish county, and H. l..
hughes, OF SPOKANE.
The conference was called by the
commission and Mrs. Preston for the
purpose of getting at the general views
of the public as to what is really
needed in the way of vocational and
trade education in the state. Some
so prominent educators, laboring men
and employers responded. All agreed
that practical education should be pro
vided for in our public schol system.
and that while the state has already
advanced far along this line, that more
advanced steps should be taken al
once. No definite action was taken,
but the commission has under advise
ment the many suggestions offered
and will meet again in October to for.
mulate some plan to be presented to
the next legislature.
Among the representatives of or
ganized labor present at the confer
ence were President E. P. Marsh, Sec,
rotary Charles Perry Taylor and H. L.
Hughes, legislative agent at the last
session of the legislature, of the Wash
ington State Federation of Labor. 9th
ers were Senator J. E. Campbell, of
Everett, and T. H. Bolton, vice presi-
dent of the State Federation for the
Seattle district; R. V. Hoyt and Clar-
ence Parker, of Tacoma. Secretary
Taylor spoke on "The Attitude of Or
ganized Labor on Vocational Educa-
ton" President Marsh briefly, but
forcefully, spoke of the present-day
condition of apprenticeship in indus
try, and stated that H. L. Hughes had
been selected to present the subject
of "The Value of a State Trade
School, on behalf of the State Fed
Grafton of Labor. Mr.. Hughes pa
per created most favorable impress
sion, and the commission requested
permission to have it published IN
pamphlet form in furtherance of the
movement for vocational education
which request was granted. The pa
per, in part contained the following:
Need of State Trade School.
Labor desires that every child in
America shall have the fullest possible
educational equipment, cultural and
practical, to give it the highest etfl-
cheney to do it's work in our complex
social and industrial life, not alone
that the child shall merely become an
efficient producer, but that it shall en-
10y the satisfaction, delight and in
spiration that springs from the most
highly developed intellect, balanced
with the assurance that it has such
practical vocational and trade train
ing that it can stand on its own re-
sources in every emergency of life
equal with every other human being
so long as health and limb are unlm-
paired. A child so equipped may be
safely trusted to find ways to hold its
own, and will always be an asset to
and never a burden upon society.
"All the processes of production
were formerly manual, the worker be-
ing trained to his trade or vocation by
long years of severe apprenticeship
This condition had its disadvantages,
chiefly in over physical strain, and
consequently little opportunity for in
tellectual development. But it, too,
had its good points, in that 1t brought
Joy to the worker In the pride OF the
individual excellence of his handiwork.
He could say, This is the product of
my labor and nay SKILL and what high
err art is to be found than such express
sions of mans very Joy in his work?
Our modern labor-displacing ma
chine has stolen this Joy, this skill,
this art, from the workman. The new
demand then, is, that the workman
shall find his pride. his skill, his art,
largely in the mastery of the machine.