The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1917-03-03
WOMEN'S TRADE
UNION SCHOOL
Unique Course Of Training For
Labor Leadership
need OF The ENTERPRISE


Increasing Number of Women Enter.
Ing the Trades Prompted tho Move
/ ment--EdueationaI Policy of the In
stitution-Methods of Teaching and
Variety of the Subjects Taught.
The school for active workers In the
labor movement conducted by the Ma
tional Woman's Trade Union league
at Chicago grows apace. Opened in
January, 1914, with one student, 1t has
developed through nearly three years
Of experience unique course Of train
ing for leadership In women's trade un-
ion organizations. The ever increas-
ing number Of women entering every
trade and the successful social upris-
ings Of the workers In the sweated In
dustries emphasize the need Of this
training, which the league undertook
to provide at the initiative Of Mrs.
Raymond Robins, Its president.
Mrs. Robins furnished its convention
with the background for this action in
a report in which she effectively de-
tailed the movement In England to al
ford facilities for self culture and or
ganized educational advantages to
Wageworkers, beginning with the eff
forts of the Rochdale Cooperative Pho
neers and eliminating in the co-opera-
I ton between the Workers Education
al association and the universities or
England and Wales. Her recommen-
dations resulted not only in the estab-
lishment of this school, but in the
| adoption of an educational policy for
| the league.
Three classes Of students are re-
ceived into the school-those whom the
league asks to leave their trades to
take the training to fit them to become
organizers, those sent by their own
I unions or central labor bodies to i'm
prove their efficiency In working for
the organization and those who come
at their own initiative and on their
own responsibility.
The academic work covers -FOUR
months, the courses including, besides
English, public speaking and other
necessary preparatory work, the study
and analysis Of judicial decisions af-
fecting labor injunctions, boycotts, ETC.,
economic history and the history OF
organized labor, elementary economics
and modern radicalism. Some of these
courses, are taken~~at the Chicago
School Of Ciyics and Philanthropy and
the University of Chicago.
The eight months of field WORK In
clude the theory and practice OF or
SANITATION, attendance at meetings OF
unions and the Federation Of Labor
conferences with their men and WON
en- leaders, analysis Of trade agree
ments, writing for the press, study Of
police court methods and instruction
in suffrage and civic duties. Atten
ton is given to health, exercise in thu
gymnasium and regular recreation. Al
extension department offers CORE
spondence courses and public lectures
A group Of the students is in residenc
at Chicago Commons.
Mrs. Robins thus states the school
motive and enters its plea: "Our day
work is in the main directed to tn
!, immediate aspects and demands OF tn
struggle, but we cannot act wisely no
, fully understand the meaning OF tn
hour In which we live unless we kee
, in mind the underlying cause for thes
: conditions and the fundamental priI
ciples of justice Today, as yesterday
, where there is no vision, the peopl
PERISH and today, as yesterday, tn
spirit must be born to see the vision
to hold 1t, to live and die for 1t. L
release and set free this spirit, so tha
1t may achieve its purpose foretold
the hidden heart of man-to show til
path of freedom, to bring hope, faitl
courage, to those held in bondage an
crushed under the weight of wrong
v and to give them the message, TO yo'
too, has been given the dominion ovt
life'-this Is our task.
:, 1--WE therefore ask those who reco
nize in today's Industrial struggle tt
:, challenge of democracy and those wi
believe that the great heritage of IL
past In thought and act, In histor
science and poetry, belongs to all tt
y people, to help US work out the mo
, effective plan to meet the demands f
- further educational opportunity Of Il
= working women of America. "-Surve
It --