The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1917-01-19
NEED OF TIE ENTERPRISE

increasing Number of Women Enter
ing the Trades Prompted the Move
ment-Educational Policy of the In
Observation-Disclosures of Teaching and
Variety of the Subjects Taught.
The school for active workers in the
labor movement conducted by the Ma
honal Womans 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 c1 rain
ing for leadership in women's tf.,de 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
report in which she effectively de-
tailed the movement in England to af-
ford facilities for self culture and or
ganized educational advantages to
wagewoTkers, beginning with the eff
forts Of the Rochdaie Cooperative Pio-
neers and eliminating in the co-opera-
ton between the Workers Education
al association and the universities Of
England and Wales Her Iecommen-
dations resulted not only i'll 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
unions or central labor bodies to inn
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 injuncdons, 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
4ha ITnivprSifv of 'hica1O
The eight months OF field work in
clude the theory aud practice Of or
ganization, attendance at meetings OF
unions and the Federation Of Labor
conferences with their men and wom
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 the
gymnasium and regular recreation. An
extension department offers CORE
spondence courses and public lectures
A group Of the students is In residence
at Chicago Commons.
Mrs. Robins thus states the schools
motive and enters its plea Our day
work is in the main directed 70 the
immediate aspects and demands OF the
struggle, but we cannot act wisely noi
fully understand the meaning OF the
hour In which we 1--we unless we keeI
in mind the underlying cause for these
conditions and the fundamental prin
ciples OF Justice Today, as yesterday
where there is no vision, the people
perish and today, as yesterday. the
spirit must be born to see the vision
to hold it, to live and die for it. Tc
release and set free this spirit, so thai
it may achieve its purpose foretold IL
the hidden heart of man-to show the
path of freedom, to bring hope, faith
courage. TO those held in bondage ano
crushed under the weight Of wrong
and to give them the message, TO you
too, has been given the dominion over
life'-this is our task.
ave therefore ask those who recog
nize in today's Industrial struggle the
challenge OF democracy and those who
believe that the great heritage of the
past in thought and act, in history
science and poetry, belongs to all the
people, to help us work out the mos
effective plan to meet the demands fol
further educational opportunity of The
working women Of America Survey
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