New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-02-23
LEARN BY WORKING,
SAYS INSTRUCTOR
Columbia Professor Dis
cards Old Ways of Find
ing Natural Gifts.
HOW THORNDIKE
METHOD WORKS
Writ System of Elementary In.
struction a Success in
Brooklyn School.
BY HENRIETTA RODMAN.

BY HENRIETTA RODMAN.
Professor Harry l.. Hollingworth, Of
Columbia University, mas just com
pleted a study of ways Of discovering
natural gifts. We ~ want to know
how to find special ability" | told him.
III we haven any, We are sure our
children have. Can you tell us how TO
discover what kind Of work we can do
best?"
81 can tell you what methods are
being tried" said Professor Holling-
worth, in that scientific way.
And he did tell me most interest
ing story Of how the ssvages tried vo-
cational guidance by magic and of the
later use Of fortune telling and palm
istry to help young people find their
work. He spoke especially of phren-
ology and Of attempts to discover spe-
cial abilities by observing such physi-
cal characteristics as the shape Of the
fingers, color Of the eyes or texture OF
the skin.
These methods have no value" said
Professor Hollngworth. Physical
characteristics have no relation to men
tai traits, except where they are as ex-
treme as the differences between a man
and dog, for example. The sioping
forehead of the dog does indicate lower
mentality, but the comparatively slight
physical differences between human be-
ings do not indicate psychological diff
ferences.
Eve have a simple theory here In
America TO the effect that any boy can
be trained for any job. The theory is
wrong, but the practice based on II is
rather useful, for it is leading Us to
put all kinds of industrial training
within reach of young people. II they
fail in one kind they try another. Thus
the work itself constitutes practical
test of ability. This is the test that
Dean Schneider uses.
professor Thorndike uses different
method. He gives set tests on the type
Of work TO be done in a given occupa-
ton. The test Is itself sort of con-
centration Of the experiences q worker
would have. II he fails in the test, it is
probable that he will fail in the work.
Thorndike's tests save time, and they
have proved very successful.
"If | want to find my particular gifts
must | either work in all kinds OF oc-
equations or take all of Professor
Thorndike's tests" | asked.
"He hasn't developed many as yet
Professor Hollngworth comforted me,
land you can't very we'll work in all
occupations, so you may never md
them at all"
And then I remembered a Sorolla
day several years ago on the coast OF
Massachusetts,, and young man VINO
pointed TO another young man and
said: They've made that chap pro-
fessor. Apparently because ne knows
nothing about life-he's never been out
of school-they've selected him to
teach other young men to live.
"By the way" he went on, do you
know that you are very idle, lgno-
rant and unhappy young woman put
you may have some sort OF AFFINITY
Why don't you try to find 1t out! 20
TO work at anything you can do 1or on
cents a day, and live on the Oh cents
Find out what's in you.
This was my first interview with FRO
lessor Thorndike; and the first Voca-
tional test | ever attempted was work
ING for a month at sewing, cleaning,
factory work, nursing, anything at
which I could make 90 cents a day. 1t
was a worth while experience. | wish
every college girl would take this first
"Thorndike test
Public School SO, in Brooklyn, where
Mr.. Writ is trying out his system OF
elementary education, is rather dlsap-
pointing to the hurried visitor IL you
drop in at the school, which is, by the
way. in one Of the remotest parts OF
Flatbush. you may feel that you have
only the trip for your pains-but you
haven't.
You may think that all that Mr.. Writ
has done has been to put two schools
into one building, take the vacant lots
about as a playground for the children,
and send several classes TO the audi
forum at every period for a culture
hour"
II YOU stay little longer you may
notice a rather unusual lack of rightly
on the part of the children. They are
more natural, spontaneous and ener-
getic than in most public schools.
The Dewey-Wirt idea of education
through activity is making itself felt
in spite of lack of equipment. The
shops and laboratories which make the
Gary school childreh's universities are
not yet established at public schools.
They say that ne Is poor "olhha
who blames his tools, but he seems TO
me a poor employer who provides a
wood carver with no tools at all except
his ten fingers.
So far as / can see, the Writ sys-
tenn won't work without plenty OF play
space for the children. But the cost
OF this luxury and OF all the other
Injuries which Mr.. Writ regards as
necessities for children-God bless
him,-is saved by the remarkable
economy OF his system
Hereafter our elementary schools
will have 10 be built beside play
grounds, therefore we shall have more
breathing spaces in the city, and we
parents. as well as our children, will
have better chance 20 breathe.
The need of trade school In The
Bronx will be discussed by Superin-
tendents William Writ and Joseph
Taylor, Mrs. Florence Kelley, DR.. Ira
Vile and Angelo Patri on Wednesday
evening. February %, at 3 o'clock, at
Bronx House, 1887 Washington Ave
nue., near Third Avenue. (Claremont