The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1918-03-23
VOCATIONAL EDUCATION.
w. It. WHIIt.
Department Of Vocational Education,
Lincoln High School, Kansas
CITY. Missouri.

Lincoln High School, Kansas
City, Missouri.
"Self.reliance and self-denial will
teach a man to drink out of his own
cistern, and eat his own sweet bread,
and to learn and labor truly to get his
own living, and carefully to save and
expend the good things committed to
his trust" To become self-reliant one
must appropriate unto himself that for
which there is demand and acquire
ability to dispense that which has
been appropriated to advantage.
Educators who have dared to advo-
cate vocational activities in connection
with general academic education have
met with dynamic opposition. By
many they have been styled as mad
men at large, spreading a dogma that
would prove as dangerous to the re-
cipient as the poisonous hemlock was
to the ancient Greek philosopher So
crates.
To declare yourself in favor of any
industrial propaganda, fostered by
public funds, as a part of the country's
great educational system, has been by
many styled a grave lack of wisdom.
Read history with your hearts and not
with your prejudice and it will be
found that a very large percent of the
worlds population must eat its bread
through industrial activities. How
necessary it is them, that preparation
be made to meet the conditions that
surrounds us. Those who work in the
industries have a right to a training
that will fit them for, their task. The
time has passed when the issue can be
evaded. think we as we may concern
ing forms of education.
Had industrial training been as gen
eral in the past as it promises TO be
in the future, many of the perplexing
problems now confronting us would
not exist. There is a call at this time
for carpenters, masons, machinists,
etc, that cannot be filled because of
inquiry is made concerning the posi-
bility of securing men, skilled in the
trades, to fill places that pay well.
I How long shall we sit in lethargy and
let the progressive procession pass un-
needed?
Industrial education has been advo-
Gated by the National Society for the
Promotion of Industrial education for
many years. This society has not any
time, had in mind the inflicting OF
vocational training on any people be-
cause of race Identification or affilia-
ton. In fact the question of race has
not been involved. Only moral, ply
steal and intellectual qualifications are
demanded.
The National Vocational Act provid-
es that Federal Grants shall be made
for the purpose of cooperating with
the states in the promotion of Voca-
tional Education. This Act went into
effect July 1st, 1917. The total apprC,
priation for all states that qualify in
1917 and 1918 is ST. zoo, 900. This fund
increases automatically until 1925 and
1926 when the annual appropriation
will be $7,200,000.
The great war now in progress over
the major portion of the civilized
world, is taking away from all GUN
tries concerned, many of the best me-
chanics and artisans. Many years will
be required to replace what this great
catastrophe has wrought. A true pic
ture of the real condition cannot at
this time be drawn. We are safe in
} saying, however, that the demand for
skilled artisans to take the places OF
those whose fate will have been sealed
when this great turmoil has been con
Guided, will be large.
Let no man sit idly by waiting for
the opportunity to come before he pre-
pares himself for the task that is
: surely to be his. Many are advised tc
: steer clear of any tread of training
that prepares the recipient to serve
in the industrial world, but the adyis
ors seldom if ever give their clients
4 tangible solution with which to solve
the problems that are sure to be met
That vocational education is to pla,
an important part in many publ
e school curr1culums in the future i
without question. Not what we sa,
e but what we do will count in this grea
e onward march of progress. "Th
S world will little note what we say her
but it can never forget what we d
here"
Ie Much has been said about prepare
ton for life. Education for citizenshi
is the prime purpose which underlie
every public school system. Trainin
for these two conditions means tn
Y. same thing. For after all, citizeDshi
h is only the expression of the life of tn
r. citizen.
1t is the fond hope of every pup
S who enters the public school, to evel
e. tually earn a living. That he shoul
is receive training, as nearly as possibl
that will fit him for his future pu
n. suit, is at least logical. Fourteen yea1