Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-07-08
ADDRESSES TO
SUPERINTENDENT
AND PRINCIPALS
By w. Stanwood and Frank V.
Thompson, Connected with
Boston Public Schools

Castine, Me-, July 7-(SpeciaD .-The
ence of superintendent of Schools and
Secondary School Principals at this place
was devoted to addresses by w. Stan
wood Field, director of the public evening
schools of Boston, and Frank V. Thomp-
son. assistant superintendent of schools
of Boston.
Mr. Field in discussing the larger SER
vice from the public school plant said
that the modern school building, fully
equipped, constitutes an educational
plant. paid for out of public moneys, and
existing only for the public good, from
which society is not receiving the bene-
fit which it ought to expect The major
ity of our schoolhouses have stood emp
ty and useless 10 hours out of every "a;
not to mention the vacation periods when
doors are locked during the entire "a
hours. This idleness of our public school
plants is impossible of estimation, and
will become a first point to attack when
business principles are fully applied and
schoolhouses are given due recognition as
factors in civic betterment.
In DAYS to come the perfected school
plant will be as important at night at In
the daytime. Its daytime use for chill
T dren will be increased, and men and wo-
men, young and old, with intensive
study, discussion, lectures and sociaoility,
Will teach one another and be taught at
night Besides the general school work,
the use of the school plant will be made
larger through evening schools, continual
ton schools, summer review and vacation
schools as well as by civic, social ana
recreative activities.
Continuation schools will use the plant
in the daytime outside of regular school
hours for the benefit of the employed who
are permitted to leave their work at stat
ed times for study. The summer review
schools will use the plant during vaca-
lions for the benefit of those whose regu-
lar school work has been retarded The
evening schools and evening centers Will
luse the place at night. The activities
connected with an evening center Will
include such activities as parents asso-
citation meetings, vocational lectures, vo-
cational clubs. reading circles, mothers
clubs. popular lectures moving PICTURES
musicals athletic clubs
He said that all of the uses above men
/ toned will be made efficient factors IN
civic welfare, and a high standard oil
efficiency will be made possible through
improved design and equipment of the
school plant which is planned not only
for general school work but for these
other activities well.
Mr. Thompson stated that vocationa
guidance is a new name for an old pfac'
r tice. The influence of wise teachers has
! been felt in the lives of successful Amer
1 leans as is indicated by the study o.
their biographies. In adopting vocation
al guidance we are simply generalizinf
i the practice of the best teachers by In
cooperating into general school proceed
ure the enlightened principles of educa
= tional leaders. New educational move
! ments are always old in their origins IL
spite of the seeming paradox of TIL
statement Vocational guidance Is now II
: that period of exploitation which char
= acterizes the rapid development OF
principle.
! He said that concrete instances OF tn
INCORPORATION of vocational guidance int
nuhlic school systems are beginning Il
appear with increasing frequency. Tn
+ Edinburgh (Scotland) plan has attracted
Y no little attention. Here, the municlpai
: ity and the Chamber of Commerce unit
o in a. Joint effort to conduct the WORK
s Representatives of the schools and ON
e GERS of the chamber maintain ofhces a
S a central point. The school gives guid
v ance and the chamber attends to tn
= matter of placement. Children leaving
= school repair to the central office will
= their narents. Cases are discussed b,
n we'll equipped officials and the chill
: chooses with considerable degree OF IN
tellieenee based upon carefully given in
: formation. The Boston plan recent
,. reorganized is as yet less than year oio
Each elementary and High school ha
one or more vocational counsellors;
general director of vocational guidanc
S has recently been appointed. This direc
: tor has his office at the labor certihcat
S office so that each young person receiV
: ing a working certificate must automat
icaIly come before him for an Interview
The child first receives the advice of hi
local school counsellor and again fror
the guidance director who assigns mir
= (when under 16 years of age) to the ap
, propriate compulsory continuation schoo
placement bureau at present unde
private auspices and actively assisted b
the Boston Chamber of Commerce ha
offices Immediately adjoining that of tn
director of vocational guidance.
Boston is recognizing the importanc
of the duty of vocational guidance an
the present rudimentary provisions ma
be expected to develop to considerabl
magnitude within the next few years.
coMERNIl