New Britain herald., 1916-02-10


 1 and quoted expert opinion on prevo- Calonal education. One authority has assumed that it is aimed wholly for the benefit of misfits. This as- sumption is wrong, in the belief of MT. Carris. He declared the time is past when such a conception can be maintained and we must realize that Is @ part of general education and not something apart, designed for the sole benefit of less bright pupils. We are apt to lose sight of the real reason for introducing the work, which is that our future prosperity depends upon proper training for in dustry.
 r The time will come and it is not far distant, in the belief of the speaker, when it will be the function of the public school to determine for each pupil when general education shall cease and be superseded by Vo- cational training. When it becomes apparent that a school has done all it can for a pupil then the tune Will
 have arrived when it must aid in shaping the future course Of the child. Society has already perceived
 that it needs more than general education and today has gone out
 into the commercial and industrial activities and brought them into the school that society may be better served by training its youth to serve in definite fields. The Prevocational school has undertaken this problem right here in New Britain.
 It is now generally assumed that people are born with varying ability, said MT. Carris, and as we have chance to measure each child's ability to do a definite thing, general educa- tion will not suffer if we can get him to specialize in his work. He favored the introduction in the school of many types of activity, but main tained that the instructors must be specially adapted to their work and made a plea for preVocat1onal school with many lines of activity for the purpose of mental develop ment and general intelligence. That in this manner the prevocational school becomes a part of the scheme of general education was his conten- tion.
 This Afternoon.
 The morning conference terminated with the discussion of the Vocational High school in it's relation to the | trade school, and this afternoon closed with another conference at the Grammar school auditorium. | The subjects for discussion were: The Department Store as a Training l School" led by Mrs. Lucinda w. ! Prince. of Simmons college, Boston, l et ucationa1 director of the National 1 Retail Dry Goods associations; and l 'The Abolition of Child Labor With out Vocational Training in the 1 Ssah 1c T 0f NTo tional Child Labor committee Of New | York city was the speaker. A. J. | Birdseye of the Mutual Benefit In- | sLrance company of Hartford was ! chairman of the closing conference
 At last evenings session of the Con- l League convention in the | auditorium of the Central Grammar | school there was a conference on | Vocational Training as related to l the continuation school. The gather | ing was held under the auspices of | the Chamber of Commerce, the Board of Education and the Consumers 1 League and the speakers were Principal John G. Thompson of the Mass, State Normal school 1 Superintendent B. W. Tinker of the public schools and Pro- lessor w. B. Anthony of Fitchburg, Mass. President E. w. Christ of l the Chamber of Commerce presided 1 and following brief remarks intro 1 1uced Mayor G. A. Quigley, who in urn welcomed the league to the | eity. Mayor Quigley admitted that ne was not we'll posted on the aims 1 and object of the Consumers Lea sue' but when he learned that it was intended for the betterment of wage | women and children, he was 1t once interested. His Honor then paid compliment to the schools of he city and stated that no city in l he country the size of New Britain IS spending more money on schools l Last year in connection with the schools a total of $319, 900 was spent l and this year the figures will reach s350,0OO. New Britain is justly proud of it's schools, said the mayor. Re- ferrfng again to the league Mayor Quigley offered to cooperate in any way possible to aid in the attain ment of it's objects.
 Principal Thompson.
 In introducing Principal John G. Tn ompson of Fitchburg, Chairman | Christ touched upon the matter of vocational schools and showed that New Britain is a pioneer in the field When the city of Cleveland first took ID the question in the belief that it was undertaking something new it l was forced to learn that the Hardware City had shown the way. Principal Thompson agreed with MT. Christ that New Britain is showing the way in omething that is vague and wonderful to the whole country. We are only just feeling our way into this mat ter of vocational training which is SO full of great possibilities said the speaker. He hoped to see the time