Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-03-08
EDUCATIONAL DUALISM
Editorial in tho Springfield Republican,

1t is plain that the controversy over
tho relation OF vocational education to
the public schools is not yet settled, and
perhaps only thorough and extended
test can settle It, The Federal Bureau
OF Education has done good service by
publishing a compact statement Of the
arguments on both sides.
In behalf Of making tho vocational
work an integral part OF the public
school system. the principal arguments
arc economy, the vitalization OF AGA
dcmic instruction, tho retention of
pupils who now leave early, a broader
education than separate vocational
schools would give, including prepara-
ton for citizenship, the avoidance OF
class distinctions. the retention in the
public schools OF the more energetic
pupils who would soonest he tempted
away by separate industrial schools.
unity OF administration. facilitating
transfer of pupils according to their
needs, and the logic of ccntering all
forms of education in one Office.
In behalf of separate organization
and control for vocational schools 1t Is
urged that they do for the ordinary
vocations what professional schools do
for the professions, that they have q
specific problem. experimenting and not
competing with ordinary schools, that
separate control is needed to protect
them from bad management and to keep
their very practical work from being
"culturlZed" as we'll az to secure CO.
ordination with the real work of the
world. that the schools should be man
aged not by educators but by practical
workers, that an adequate place for the
needed work cannot be made in the ex-
listing schools, and that tho present
school accomm oda lions and revenues
are inadequate.
OF all these arguments on either
side, the most important appear to be
those which bear upon social relations
and upon efficiency In instruction. That
Is to say, we do not want on the one
side democracy to be undone by carry
ing caste lines into education; on the
other side, we do not want education to
he spoiled by mixture OF incom-
Datibles Both are arguments deserving
OF the most serious consideration. and
IT need not be supposed that deciding
one way or the other will make an end
OF tho apprehendcd difficulties. Here In
Massachusetts, the tendency is toward
the unified system, and the choice has
been made open-eycd, but 1t is much
too soon to conclude the case settled,
and there is every reason to desire that
elsewhere the counter theory be given
an equally thorough and extensive test.
Where tho dual system is adopted
problems relating to efficiency and to
educational ideals arc simplifcd. and
the chief difficulty is in finding n way
to correlate tho different kinds Of
schools so that educational advantages
may not DO lost TO young people who
are learning a trade. Where tho single
system Is adopted this problem on tho
contrary takes care OF itself and tho
chief concern is to make sure that
neither education nor industrial train
ing is damaged by contamination.
In this respect the excellent brief pre-
pared by tho Bureau of Education is not
quito complete. because II presents tho
cnso for dunlism only from the voca-
tional side, whereas there is a consid-