Evening star., 1914-07-19

lie equivalent school from to fourteen.
"At fourteen the child may either continue in
school obtain permit to enter specified useful oc-
cupation home elsewhere, at which he she may
work not than forty eight hours week, ncud-
ing-and just here is where the new arrangement
finds application including five hours week to be
spent the local vocational continuation school for
eleven months of each year. 1t is intended later to
tend the time to eight hours week. The
law provides that the employer must pay the chld's
wages for this continuation schoo1time.
aNor did it take the employer long discover that the
greatest protreturning wage paid the boy and girl
apprentice that for the hours spent school, With
out the vocational schooling they worth less than
one-fourth much as journeymen. With it they
worth seven n-eghths as much. 1t simply dem
ostraton of the old storycheap help costly; best
paid help cheapest.
"The boards of industrial education, both State
and local. consist of three employers, three employ
ees, and three practical educators. Thus two-thlrds
of the boards directly interested improving the
condition either of their class or of their employees
efficiency The local schools adapted largely to
the interests of the industries of the community The
course includes English, citizenship, business prac-
tice sanitation physiology, hygiene, etc. that the
students shall be not only skilled in the industries and
vocaons, but good sturdy, and desirable citizens. In
this way there is not alone the opportunity offered
the community for the bettemen of its interests
but compulsory demand made upon it.
THE first school under this newly established
tinuation plan started in my home town, Racine
forty hours notice and twenty days of prep
araton. Without forcing compulsory attendance and
with only general notice as invitation to attend
the evening school was crowded with eager vocational
Students and four hundred additional had to be pro-
vided for. The youngsters had caught the idea
quickly as they would the measles in epidemic.
"The idea swept the State like fame, and
ing at the opportunity to make capable and efficient
workmen of the youth who would otherwise find their
way into the great hopper of incompetence and low
wages, of human waste.
at the aim for teachers instructors who
have learned to do by DOING just it is intended to
teach the children. Racine started with teacher of
woodworking professionally trained who resigned
In the emergency the position filled by the fore
of the pattern room of large factory. He inn
mediaely discovered that the professionally trained
teacher had been making allowance in his pattern
work for shrinkage in the poured metal and that his
patterns would not draw out of the sand.
@Also the board found this workman teacher to
be of the best instructors on the force. No
enty- eighty -dollara-month professional school
teacher has a tithe of such a mans experience
ability practical teacher of the system of how to
do by doing. That is why are looking to the indus
tries for to teach the trades.
Although cannot legislate -dollar-a-week
girl into eight-dolar girl, educate her into
doublethat. Wecannot build humanity to fit present
school systems: must build schools to fit humanity
THE so-cal1ed trade high schools of the country are
misnomer. By their requirement of an eighth
grade certificate for admission first of ALL they shut
entirely the great of those who really need in
dustrial training. Secondly, every boy in of
these schools must take and half years of wood
working, half year of forge work, and year in
the machine shop; after which he is sort of Jack
of three trades and master of none.
@Why should would-be carpenter take year in