New-York tribune., 1915-03-13
William Writ TO Talk on
Training in the "Art of
Right Living"
HOURS FOR ADULTS
AS WELL AS PUPILS
Educator Wants Facilities To Be
in General Use-Suffrage and
Teacher-Mothers.
BY HENRIETTA RODMAN.


William Writ. Of Gary. Ind, inventor
Of universities for children, Is coming
20 New York next week.
He will speak at Cooper Union On
Tuesday evening and at . West Sixty
fourth Street on Thursday afternoon
st 3:A5. Both lectures are open TO the
rublic.
In report 10 the Board OF Educs-
ton Mr.. Writ says;
Vocational training in the element
sry schools does not mean teaching
children how 70 use few tools. Only
3 relatively few persons can become
plumbers, electricians, sheet metal
workers, machinists or carpenters, ana
they cannot learn these trades at
twelve and thirteen years or age.
Teach Art Of Right Living.
THE best type Of vocational training
In the elementary school will be pro,
yided. not by the addition OF speclai
vocational school department Tor lew
children. but by enlarginG the junction
Of the entire elementary school, from
The kindergarten through the high
school, to meet changed industrial and
social conditions.
"Tbe school must learn how TO do It's
part in the training Of all types and
classes Of children in the art OF right
living. from the standpoint of the pro-
duce~. as we'll as the consumer. This
NAV seem TO be an idealistic, imprac-
ticsl programme for an ordinary school,
but believe il 10 be practical and that
IL can be realized in all ordinary
schools
at first thought it may seem that
the problem of financing such enlarged
school opportunities will be a very
serious one But the fact is that 70
finance an ideal school is not proo-
lem. The great problem Is to kno"
what kind Of school will meet the
children's needs, and how 10 run such
q school when you have secured u.
You can afford any kind Of schoo!
desired # ordinary economic public
service principles are applied 10 public
school management.
"The first principle in turning waste
INTO profit in school management IS 70
use every facility all the time for al
the people. The clasSrooms, the audi
torium. the playground, the gymnasium
.he swimming poo, the workshops the
studios the museums and the llDrales
should be in constant use all day long
nv all children alternately, and out or
school hours they should be used by.
adults
School practice still cling' 20 the
idea that all persons in school want
20 do the same thing at the same
time. Tho argument is made that 'ot
-he twentv-four hours Of the day and
tho 365 davs Of the year only certain
hours and certain days can be USED
for certain things, and that each cpl!d
must have his own private schooI
desk. auditorium seat, play space, ETC.
Tor his exclusive use.
What Tradition Says.
tradition saws that all school chill
dren must be in the auditorium Tor
opening exercises from 9 20 9:l6, IN
classroom from g:l5 70 II and TO 3,
IN playground and library from 3 10 o;
II would not DO at all to have child
in classroom from 3 to $3.50, IN
library from . to 3, in playground
from 10 20 II, o. in an auditorium
from / 10 2.
"The facts are that there are many
things in school and out o. school that
all people do not want 10 do at the
same time, Or can just as well do at
different times
"The modern city is largely the re-
sui, Of the application of the pnn-
cinle of the common use OF public
facilities that w. need for personal
use only part Of the time. We are
willing that other people use public
conveniences when We cannot use
them.
"The great masses Of our children
IN our cities can never have ample
play spaces. suitable auditoriums,
lrvmnasiums and swimming pools,
workshops. Libraries, museums, or
even ordinary school rooms for study
and recitation If all children at the
same time must be using each OF these
facilities separately