The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1917-08-02
A GOOD BEGINNING.

DR. Augustus O. Thomas of Nebraska,
the new State superintendent of schools,
is now beginning a series of periodical
trips over Maine to acquaint himself with
the school conditions, particularly in the
rural sections. Dr. Thomas says: l am
going to try to make the High schools
more utilitarian institutions. In other
words, | want boy or girl who graduates
from the High school all equipped to earn
his or her living, if need be. 1t seems to
me that is what our public schools are for.
81 hope to bring this about by having
more of the vocational work included in
the High school curriculum. They should
become more of apprentice schools to
life work. Do you know that only about
e percent of the High school pupils, on
an average, 60 to college What is to be-
come of the other ga percent of High
school pupils? Many of them cannot
afford to go further and others even have
dependents at as early an age as this. To
make them useful and self-earning citi-
zens, the schools should help Times are
changing and educational history is fast
making and | believe there are certain
studies now in vogue that will, in meas
ure, have to make way for the bread-and-
butter education of the masses, particu-
larlY N the high schools.
Just another suggestion: Do you
know how many go from the grammar
schools to the High school? Only 90 per-
cent and scarcely 40 percent finish the
high school course. Perhaps, if the High
school courses meet the new conditions,
we may be able to gather in more nearly
the 100 percent of the grammar school
pupils.
Three generations ago, 'readin', writin'
and rifmatlc" were the beginning and
end of the curriculum in our schools 1t
must be admitted that in those days
practical knowledge of these three ''r's"
seemed to be about all that the boys and
girls would ever need. Those were the
days when nearly everyone had to work
early and late at manual labor, clearing
land, building roads and establishing
homes. Evolution ever busy, has brought
US down to the present when our schools
are vastly improved but by no means are
yet perfect We are, today, in the midst
offtremendous and portentious events and
even the wisest can only guess as to what
conditions we shall face when the war is
over One thing clearly proven in the
past and absolutely sure to meet the boys
and girls of today is the fact, that those
who can do good work in some chosen
vocation will be most likely to succeed,
whatever the future may have to bestow
upon personal endeavor. 1t is encourage
ing to know that in many of our schools
certain lines of vocational work has al
ready been undertaken. In the Augusta
High school excellent progress has been
made The girls are taught sewing and
garment making as regular part of
school work. Both boys and girls may
take course in stenography, typewrit-
ing and accounting. Last summer the
writer had for his stenographer a girl
only l6 years of age, who had been in
the High school but two years. The !
situation required speed and accuracy.
Her work was entirely satisfactory Last |
winter she was stenographer for the clerk |
day she has good position in State de-
partment. In the High school she was |
taught to earn her living and to do her
own plain sewing.
We have in mind man who many |
years ago took a short training in car
pentry in manual training school in this
city Today he has little kit of tools
and derives both pleasure and profit in
being able to make the minor repairs |
which are so often needed in and about
his house. These two instances serve to
show not only what has already been
done in some of the schools of the State,
but they suggest what may be done to
make school work more valuable. DR..
Thomas evidently understands the need
of practical instruction which will pre-
pare our pupils for the strenuous battle
of life