Evening journal., 1914-12-21

pupil, which, am informed, was the
average in 81 cities in Wisconsin the
first year with 600" pupils; or Sl2 last
year with about 10000 pupils. The
Milwaukee Continuation School ran
eight hours, five days week Tor nine
teen months and then took 80 days va
cation
Cost Of Equipment Small.
Equipment for commercial courses,
including retail selling and store prac-
tice, would cost almost nothing beyond
desks and tables. Domestic science
equipment, we could easily figure. En-
ployers should release all their workers
under 10 years of age to 90 to those
schools during working hours without
loss OF pay. A committee of employers
and representatives, of school people
should be appointed a special commit
tee on these continuation schools, and
should see to it lin happy accord with
the school board. teachers and other
authoritiesl that the school teach pre-
cisply what the various children ought TO
know in their daily occupation. The in
strnctors should come right from the
occupation so far as possible Retail
stores are hall idle until 10 o'clock or a
! little later and can spare their help in
installmcnts and we could probably find
an instructor from our stores. althO
think the best place to get ono is at the
School of Salesmanship in Boston.
"lf we ever make start, even n
small one, and gather in a representa-
( tive number of these children and see
/ how hungry they arc to learn and how
( little they know, how they can neither
write business letter, or figure out n
bill, or understand the elementary prin-
ciples OF their trade or business, that
/ we will get such vision of the need and
the opportunity and of the way TO de-
Ivclon, that we cannot and would not
stop.
1t is easy because more than hall
of all our children arc insists in our
present public schools by tho time
they are fourteen and have the inn
pulse to do things like father and
their need is so great that it is easy TO
help them very materially. I read
somewhere not long ago that the
Pratt Institute of Brooklyn has just
trained some splendid mechanics OF
long experience to teach this sort OF
classes. Possibly We could get one OF
these men who would come 10 VIII
mington and If not busy all the time
in school, would be helpful the rest
of the time in some local industry.
81 understand Boston is compell-
ing the attendance at these schools a
half day a week of all working chill
dren under sixteen New York city
is very seriously considering similar
action, which would ultimately affect
about 10000 such children. Several
States enacted at their last legislative
session that any city school board
could, by vote. compel this school at
tendance.
1T will be but a short time now
when all children who are going into
the common employments and trades
will be introduced into the arts and
mysteries OF those trades and The
years TO give school training viii be
made Of especial value through thit
half day schooling for the first tive
years or more that they are out O
school.
PERSONALLY, while as Mayor have
nothing to do with this branch of oul
city government. I should be extreme
ly gratified If some plan could b'
worked out whereby the results l hav,
mentioned might be attained. I thinl
this is a subject for the school boar'
TO consider very carefully and ] thini
the Chamber of Commerce is doing
proper thing 10 urge matters Of thi
kind which are of such vital intercs
TO the community"