The Penn's Grove record., 1914-04-10
THE new EDUCATIONAL CRUSADE
Manual Training-vocationaI Agri-
culturiSt

During the past three years the educa-
tional work in New Jersey has been adj
vanced with SO much force bN the State
Board of Education as to jar tHle citizens
who have been living in serenity of con-
tentment, with what they iearIped previ-
GUS to fifteen years ago in the little district
school house and have learnedl nothing
since they went to school. The world is
whirling thru space at the speed 9f eigh-
teen miles a second and while sonhe have
sent old dobbin to the bone yard and now
need two automobiles, and while Others
are not satisfied with the old trudgilAg on
foot and spend more money on educating
the fantastic toe and heels than OH the
education OF the head, yet are living lin
utter ignorance of the advances i'll educ%-
ton.
Manual Training and ' ocational Agri-
culture are the two things which are now
being most prominently brought to the
attention OF the people. Lewis H. Carris,
Assistant Commissioner of Education,
SofO "a ~ vi bICSO ouDJOOVc OOlOAO
the Gloucester County Teachers Associa-
ton in Woodbury. last Saturday. The
teachers are we'll enough informed to
know the needs of instruction III these
subjects but they can do little without
supplies from boards of education, but
they, like the lambs before its sllearers
must be num-, if not dumb. The latest
style i'll fashions for ornament of the
head is readily accepted and eagerly
bought by parents at great cost with the
change of styles, but TO buy The latest
style of information to go in the heads of
children is often considered an extrava-
CANT luxury.
MANUAL LEARNING
Mr.. Carris said that paper cutting,
drawing, sewing, cooking and woodwork
had become an important part of school
work. More progress had been made in
manufacturing aud in agriculture in the
last three quarters OF a century than i'll
all time before the 18th centurys The
wonderful transportation facilities and
factory life has led most people to live in
towns and cities instead of in the country |
as formerly. The great increase OF for
eigners has made the educational prob
lem different. We have been preparing
teachers for city schools, but a prepar-
alton for rural schools must be made.
The course OF study has been for the
learned professions, but a change is now
needed to meet the demands of industry.
Children have different abilities and they
must be trained according to environ
ment and facilities.
Some children are born short OF diff
erent faculties to learn. Some will never
learn arithmetic others never understand
grammar but have aptitudes for other
things quite as essential. Before holding
a child back we must learn the aptitude
and develope the ability OH the line
which will enthuse them. Give a boy
credit for that which he can do and help
him maintain his self respect.
We cannot teach school as generations
ago. The hands must be trained to ac-
complish something worth while. The
value of it is not so much in the project
of completion as leading to the creation
of something useful. The making OF a dog
house is Of more value than a taborette.
The design of manual training is to teach
how to supply an immediate need.
Play is greatly under valued as a part
of manual training. Rural schools know
little about organized play which can be
used in many manual training activities.
With an oil stove at small expense and
table linen from home many things can be
taught those who have never learned the
n~iceties of household work.
Keep boys and girls in school doings
what they can rather than keep them
back or let them drop out for the inabil-
ity to do all grade work. Children have to
live, the home life and school life. These
should be united by inspirations from
both. The design is to inspire respect
for manual labor and industrial work.
4cdClililR IS OlIc COuJlilS plOtcSSlOu. LII |
will equal medicine, pay as we'll, if not
better. 1t deals with social problems.
The view points OF each community
must be studied so that the children there
may be educated to become useful men
and women.
VOCATIONAL AGRICULTURE
The world has always had vocational
education. The father who taught his
son how to use the bow and arrow where
by he got a su bsistence gave vocational
education. AS civilization advanced per-
sons followed different vocations. The
first OF book learning was the priesthood, |
religious. AS man acquired possessions |
it became necessary to have persons to
decide as to rights. Law came about,
then medicine. knowledge of these were
first written in Hebrew, Greek and Latin.
Hence originated the need of learning |
these languages. Literature, was written
in the Latin. Only in recent years has
it become considered necessary to become
trained for business and for different
vocations. The West is in advance of the
East in vocational training, especially in
agriculture. Skilled and trained workers
are needed not only IN manufacturing but
on the farms.
All the tendencies of education have
been to lead from the farm to city life.
1t cannot be stopped until the conditions
in schools are changed. Only recently
has agriculture become a scientific study
The prosperity of the country depends
upon the prosperity of the farmers. The
cities might stop work, but if the farmers
stopped raising food for one year
there would be a famine aud much dis
tress.
A scientific technical knowledge of ag-
riculture has become necessary for the
prosperity of the people and advance
ment of civilization. There must be
specification on different crops. Hun
dreds OF growing men are being trained
in agricultural colleges for the profess