The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1916-04-01

Needs Of. Community Require
Study Before Money Is Spent
Training Boys.
HOW SOUTHERN :CITY:
TACKLED QUESTION
Richmond, Va, Made Practical
Analysis of Social and Indus s.
trial Situation.

How to make the work of the pub
lie schools more practically useful in
preparing children for vocations
which they wish to follow is a :ques-
ton which many cities are trying to
answer.
While the question of vocational
broader than the temporary need Of
any locality or industry. each city
must adapt it's plan to the social, in
dustrial and educational conditions
of the community.
The way one city has sought to
solve this problem is shown in a re-
port on vocational education sur
very of Richmond. Va, just pub
Gshed by the United States Bureau Of
Labor Statistics Of the Department
of Labor as it's Bulletin 162. The sur
vey he:e described was made under
the auspices of a survey committee
organized by the National society for
promotion Of industrial education.
and having the corporation of the
United States Bureau of Labor Sta
tistics, the United States Bureau Of
Education, the Russell Sage Founda-
ton, and the school authorities and
citizens of Richmond.
Got Accurate knowledge.
The chief purpose of this survey
was to secure for Richmond an"ac-
curate knowledge Of the industrial
and school facts and conditions neces-
sary in developing plan Of vocation
al education to serve the practical
needs of children preparing for the
various vocations and of employers
and employees. A special object of;
the survey was to secure the Coop
Grafton Of national and local public
and private agencies in the making
Of survey which might be useful as
model for studies in other locali-
ties where the need of a better pro-
gram of vocational education was
pressing. = - = - :.s=''Es :
The survey included a, study Of the
public school Of Rfchmo1,d, xith =sne-1
cial attention to the present status
Of vocational and technical: education
and the fields Of employment in Rich
mond, and a. study and analysis Of
the occupations of men in the print
ing, building and metal trades, and of
women in retail stores and in the to-
bacco industry.
The analysis of occupations was
from the standpoint of both employer
and employe, and was designed; es-
pecially to ascertain in detail for each
occupation the conditions of employ
ment, what the occupation has to
offer the workers, what the worker
needs to equip him properly for the.
trade, what the industry gives in the
way of training, the more common
Deficiencies of workers as seen by the
employer and by the workers them
selves, and in detail the specific
training which in the judgment of
the employer and worker the school
and the trade ought to give.
Cooperation HELPED.
A most important and successful
''.., Of the method Of the survey was
in securing the active interest and as
slstance of both employers and en-
ployes throughout the work, with
the result that it became necessary
to outline courses and organize
classes several months before the
completion of the survey.
The recommendations of the sur
vey committee deal with the problem
Of financing vocational education in
Richmond, compulsory attendance.
types of schools and courses Of study
for boys and men, and for girls and
women; prevocationa1 education for
boys. and the place Of private insti-
tutions receiving city moneys in the
general plan for vocational education.
The survey committee found.
definite need for the offering of edu-
cational facilities for men and boys
already employed. It was evident
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