Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-02-02
SOME THOUGHTS ABOUT
VOCATIONAL TRAINING
By Professor G. Herman Goetz Principal of the Cam
eron School Building, Being Paper Read Before
the Principals Club of Harrisburg

or use of this kind of instruction, he
assumes n wrong attitude toward So
ciety and is likely to become a selfish,
self-centered or obstreperous member
of our social organization. These peo-
pie become the pullbacks, the ones who
place barriers in the way of progress,
the disturbers of the comforts of the
community, the transgressors of liberty
and property, the parasites who de-
mand place in the world without Civ
! ing recompense, all who are out of
! tune.
Making For Stability
History reveals to us that high liter
ary, attainments and noble moral senti-
ments have not kept ancient peoples
from decay or national degradation, not
even when associated with either the
pagan or Christian teaching. 1t lacked
the something that makes for stability,
namely the training for usefulness,
the serviceableness to his fellowman.
The mechanical and vocational train
ing is objective, not merely theoretical
in It's teaching; it radiates from the in
dividual to wider surroundings. 1t is
not self-centered, but is intended to
benefit the race. The accomplishments
| of the trained hand when directed by
an intelligent mind, benefits some other
! person or persons and starts a reflex
moral influence of an accomplished al
truism that acts upon the mind of the
benefactor. 1t becomes not a passive,
but vital force for morality, for JUS
tice. This training insists upon hon
esty, integrity. faithfulness. since these
must necessarily be the guiding princi-
pies possessed by those who have re-
ceived this vocational and cultured edu-
cation to any degree of efficiency or
| proficiency.
Double Training Necessity
This double training or the educa-
tion of the practical minded girl or boy
| is no longer mere demonstration of a
theory, but n vital force and power a
! dynamo of energy that is prepared and
| primed to produce that which it is
capable of producing for the use of
any who may desire such an output
The complex population OF a city
compels the energizing of all the capa-
| BILE activities of the mind and the body
The tendency of people to move to the
centers of population has been occur
ring for several decades and is at pres
ent increasing in momentum, hence the
responsibilities of these enlarged COM
munities have become correspondingly
greater.
The complexities Of government the
well organized social relations, the in
creasing demand for honesty and pro-
| bity in public places, the necessity the
whole social fabric be made service
able, admonishes that we extend this
two-fold education to all before they,
who require it, are thrown as a charge
upon society that they could be made
| to serve.
Idea Rooted and Grounded
! Society has been trained to see the
necessity of schools of this kind and
| since the time of their first introduction
into the United States in 1877 by Dr..
John ID. Runkle, the vocational schools
have been increasing in numbers and
have been enlarging their courses of
study until nearly all kinds of hand
work, whether it be such work as is
done in the home or in the shop, is now
offered to the girls and boys. These are
some of the trades receiving attention
in such schools carpentry, joinery.
wood turning, pattern making, mold
ing. forging, welding, tempering, SOL
dering, brazing, filling. operating ma
chinery, various phases of sewing, a
number of branches of household arts.
stenoSraphy, typewriting, gardening,
electricity, bookkeeping, drawing and
its applications of useful occupations.
and many other forms of activities.
While the aim in such schools can
not be to make finished workmen, these
years of technical training will give
a definite knowledge of the crafts and
enable him really and truly to find
himself.
Must Come Here
Plans are making to establish such
schools in our city. They must of nee
essity be a part of the growth and de-
velopment of progressive Harrisburg
They are needed to bridge the gulf be-
tween the purely mental education and
the desire for training for practical
work on the part of the girls and boys
We should all support them and hail
them with joy as the training they Of
fer, will make of the boys and girls
who are in our buildings now, the op-
lportunity to become better men and
more lovable women and our city a
better place in which to live.