The Washington herald., 1917-01-22

The first graduates from tho Wash
ington Business High School under the
new vocational regime-a feature
never before introduced in an Ameri-
can school-are about TO make their
debut in the world of business.
Knowing this. a representative from
The Washington Herald visited the
Rhode Island avenue institution to see
II these students looked any wiser
than those who had gone before them.
They don't!
But listen:
Among the John Joneses and Mary
James who will receive their sheep
skins the latter part of the month
there will be no misflts; there will be
among these trail blazers less likeli-
hood of the wedging of round peg ca
pabilities into the square holes of un-
congenial professions. and there is no
less authority for this statement than
Prof. Allan Davis, principal of the
school
Here's the reason.
Beginning last fall, every pupil who
entered the school was compelled to
select some trade or profession which
he seemed best adapted to follow. 1t
might have been medicine, nursing,
farming, music, advertising, dressmak-
ing, law, or domestic science. But
each pupil had to ouoose something.
After the some 900 pupils had made
their selections. IT was found that the
school had been divided into thirty
averaging twenty-five students.
Then they set to work.
No Change of Teachers
Here are a few Of the new wrinkles
which are serving to aid them In their
encounter.
First, there is no changing Of teachers
as has been the custom in the past.
This guarantees each pupil individual at
tention and personal advice which should
serve TO guide him in later life. An
other is that the students in each voca-
iiOnal group are bound to each other
BY a common interest which naturally
develops enough of the fraternal spirit
TO exercise a strong moral influence.
The mingling together in each group Of
the younger students with the seniors
is also a great advantage. For this as
sociation aids the freshman in that he
receives beneficial advice and assistance
while the senior gains by the valuable
training he receives in both leadership
and responsibility.
Most popular among the various groups
are the ones in office organization and
private secretaryship. Close on their
heels, however, come dressmaking, ad-
vertising, journalism, insurance, print
ing. and law. Suffragists may be pleased
to know that Is per cent Of those are
girls.
There are certain trades which, It has
been found, it would be impracticable to
include. For instance, lads and lassies
having ambitions to become BARRIERS,
dentists, or cobblers have had no pro-
vision made for them Then again, there
will positively be no course in emblam-
ing and undertaking. No sir, there are
10 dead ones at Business High.
Lectures Are Popular.
A most important feature Of the work,
especially in this, the experimental stage,
is that known as the lecture series. Every
other Friday a comprehensive and inter-
esting lecture by some one eminent in his
particular calling Is given before each
class. Scores of interesting talks have
already been made. In this connection
Prof. Davis remarked that, though It
may seem surprising, he has never yet
failed to secure the particular lecturer
he sought.
Among those who have lectured before
the groups recently are Isaac Cans. DR..
William c. Woodward, James Lee Bost,
Superintendent E. L. Thurston, Prof
Dewitt C. Crossant of George WASH
inston Uniyersity; Il. o. sandbers. Dr..