Evening journal., 1914-12-10
NEW Education
Plan ENDORSED
Chamber of Commerce Pres
ident Says Industrial
Study Is Beneficial
FAVORS THE STUDY
BY ALL EMPLOYEES

As an aftermath Of the address
given by II. e. Miles, president of
the Wisconsin Board of Industrial
Education, few weeks ago in the
High School Auditorium, indications
now point to a revival of interest in
Industrial education by a number of
Wilmington's educators, employers OF
labor and employees.
president John j. Satterthwait. OF
lhe Chamber of Commerce, when
asked concerning his views on the
subject OF Industrial Education, ex-
pressed great disappointment at the
smallness of the audience which
heard Mr.. Miles and attributed the
apparent lack of interest to the fact
that many of those TO whom invita-
tions had been sent had an idea that
Industrial education was something
desired by employers of labor for the
purpose of increasing the efficiency
OF their working force, and educat-
ing their employees only in such
Things as would materially accrue to
the benefit of the employer. This
subject was recently discussed i'm the
editorial columns of THE EVENING
JOURNAL and industrial education
as explained in Mr. Miles address is
tar removed from such an assump-
ton.
industrial education" said Mr..
Satterthwait today, IF impaired along
the proper lines is the greatest thing
that has happened in many years
Tor the advancement of young boys
ana girls who, while not being able
to attend the public schools in the
ordinary way, are enable to take ad-
vantage Of the educational facilities
offered by states which have adopted
the system as part of their educa-
tional scheme. Many bright young
boys and girls whose work takes up
their entire time in the day and who
can attend school only in the even
ing, or perhaps only few hours dur
ing the day, by means of the CO.
operative plan have an equally good
opportunity. The movement for in
dustrial education secured its first
great impetus in the West and Wis
consin was one of the pioneer states
to take up the matter. With much
wisdom and foresight, the Wisconsin
Legislature of 1908 named a very
able commission to study the ques-
tion of industrial education at home
and abroad AMI lay before the next
Legislature, that of 1910, its findings
and recommendations
THE report of this Commission Is
regarded as the most intelligent ex-
preston upon the subject so far made
In this country. The Wisconsin laws.
then, were not hastily devised nor
passed. They are based upon two
years Of exhaustive study by very
able men and upon the experience of
all the countries of the world, whose
experience is of value. Wisconsin
began at the beginning by rewriting
her Child Labor and Truancy Laws.
BY these laws the state has taken
complete control educationally Of the
time of the child from its 9TH to its
18th year. II has provided that no
child under l6 shall work at any oc-
cupation hazardous to body, health
or character. The requirements are
very exact with reference alike to
employers and officers of the
law. The employers of miners of
any age should read carefully the
Child Labor Law, Chapter 479, which
may be had upon application to the
Industrial Commission at Madison,
Wisconsin.
Every normal child Is required to
attend regularly the public school, or
other equivalent school, from the 7th
to the 14th year. Between ID and
16 years of age there is an alterna-
tive; every child shall continue to at
tend the common school faithfully
or. upon obtaining a definite permit
from the Commissioner of Labor, o
Truancy Officer or a judge of a state,
county or municipal court, the child
may enter upon a definitely specified
useful occupation. working thereat
not more than as hours per week, in
cluding hve hours per week to be
spent in the industrial school, It
may therefore be said that Wisconsin
has compulsory education up to 16
years of age, in the common school
up TO ii years, and from IA to 16
either in the common school or the
industrial school. There Is no es-
cape except for children engaged in
agriculture. who are exempted from
the provisions, presumably under the
assumption lHdl the idIH is IN way
a school The lax truancy laws of
the State of Delaware show their
results in great numbers of children
absenting themselves from school
without adequate cause. The ma
jority of those who so absent them
selves. might just as we'll not remain
in school.
"An investigation recently conduc-
ted by a Massachusetts, Commission
into the condition of 3.700 families
whose children were absenting them
selves from school. disclosed the
surprising fact tnat 76 per cent might
better than not continue in school.
Their services were not needed by
their families. They were out OF
school only because the parents were
tired of Insisting upon further atten-
dance and BECAUSE the work of school
was distasteful.
"Alr. Miles, who made the address