The Washington times., 1914-06-13

Practical experiments in vocational
training have been carried on for
two months by the committee on
education Of the Washington branch
of the Association OF Collegiate
Alumnae In an apprentice sewing
school for girls over fourteen years
OF age
According to the District child
labor law. no boy or girl can 90 TO
work under the age Of sixteen. The
compulsory education law. however,
allows them to leave school at four
teen. There is therefore danger
GUS period OF two years of idleness
before the child. unless he obtains
permit to work. Since this nermit.
allowed under the law in cases OF
financial necessity. is very literally
construed. there Is a tremendous
falling of from school attendance of
children over fourteen years Of age.
Every year hundreds of boys and
girls are turned upon the streets OF
the city or go into such blind alley
occupations as bundle wrapping or
the messenger service. They are too
a trade, and they have no chance
to learn. as the apprentice system ~
not developed TO any extent In MS
country
Trained Girls Needed.
II was to find a way out OF this
difficulty that Mrs. j. p. 8. Neigh,
the director of Neighborhood House.
and Miss Gertrude Swain, a trained
social worker, made a survey OF the
dressmaking industry of washington
to see what openings could be found.
They interviewed the heads of a
number OF dressmaking establish
ments. both private and connected
with the department stores In every
case they were told by The dress
maker that her chief difficulty lay
in finding help. and that she would
engage every girl who had been
taught to sew that they would fur
nish Unframed girls. on the other
hand. were of no use, as no one in
the shop had time to teach them.
The dressmakers also agreed that.
the sewing taught in the public
schools did not give the Necessary
training for their work. The public
schools teach home sewing and not
After making this canvass Mrs.
Neigh was convinced that there was
an almost unlimited opportunity for
young girls In the sewing trade IL
they could only be given the
training required. An impetus was
given to the idea by the remarkable
success of a sewing school which
was established in Chicago In con-
nection with Hull House to fill this
same need. This school. under the
direction of an experienced dress
maker, who was paid a salary. with
in a year was put on self-support-
ing basis.
Last June the committee on ,dn-
cation of the Association Of Col
legiate Alumnae assumed the re-
sponsibility for opening the school.
Pledges were also made by repre-
sentatives Of the Mothers Congress
and the Girls Friendly Society. The
plan was to have a salaried head.
who should put the school on a COM
merclal basis as well as teach ne
girls to sell the output of the school
and to pay the girls small wages as
soon as they were capable Of earn
ing them. The latter arrangement
was agreed to be necessary. as no
girl of the type considered world
work eight hours a day without be-
ing paid.
Scope of Operations
1t Nas not until April ! that 'he
school was opened. Owing to the
lateness of the season II was
thought advisable to modify the
original plans somewhat. and in
stead of training the girls directly