Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-04-18

| S"SFISA o'S soeN
| The world witnesses the approach
1 Of a new era The civilization OF ye:-
terday. educationally. indus:riaiiy
and politically has passed. The tran. :
| ition Is even more marked than from
the medieval to the modern. The fall
Of Granada and the discovery or
America may pale in significance be-
| side the conflict of world at arms
amid the triumphs OF accumulated
science. invention and thought. IN
| the continuance OF war; in shapirf,
civilization to meet the situation
when the battle flags are furled; In
meeting the needs of a new age ed
ucation must play leading role. A
new educational philosophy must be
discovered and new educa tional pro
! ceSScS must lie evolved. That new
eGucation must seek 10 eliminate the
insists. to clear away human wreck
age and TO conserve human abii!-
| ties and to direct them into channels
OF activity susceptible of producing
the highest satisfaction TO Individual
and to nation.
So important is this work that the
federal government is undert aking 10
cooperate with the states in making
such transition from old TO new
ideals. During the last year Congress
appropriated what will become in
1925 and annually there after $1,000
600 for Encouragement OF instruction
In the trades and industries in home
making and in agriculture. Federal
aid is designed
Cd To stimulate the states to nm
dertake new and needed form Of
service, that OF vocational education,
which is believed necessary to the
public welfare.
ca To cqualize. in part at least,
the inequalities of the burden among
the states in carrying on the service.
go To produce for the national
government a reasonable degree OF
participation in the carrying on OF
! this work in which the national gov
eminent is so deeply concerned.
| O To establish standards Of eff
cheney in vocational education and
to set up minimums below which
reimbursement in federal moneys is
desired. cannot he reduced.
The Smith-IIughes Act is the first
d rect act of the federal government
toward the naturalization of the
public school system. The states have
taken absolute and complete control
'of public educa ton in the past IN
practically all instances and have
supported the common schools by
means of direct taxes: the states
have borne the burden while the cit
izenship, represented in the prod
uct. has accrued to the nation. The
federal government has at length
recognized this and has undertaken
to share the responsibility with the
states.
] The United States government rec
ognizing the necessity of a larger
proportion of skilled workmen as n
necessary condition Of national Sc
curity passed the 23d day of Febru-
airy, 1911. measure known as the
Smith Hughes Act appropriating fed
eral money to be expended through
the system Of public schools for the
purpose Of affording the youth OF our
land opportunity for education in ag-
riculture, home economics and in the
trades and industries.
The session Of the legislature of
the State Of Maine for 1917 passed NJ
act formally accepting the conditions
~ the federal act and created n
state BOARD for Vocational Educa-
; tiun, consisting az the State superin-
tendent Of schools who should be en-
oftifiicio chairman and two addition
nj members appointed by the gove.-
, nor and approved by the council.
oil Lo Z
the State treasurer shall be custo-
, dian of the federal funds and pay out
the same on order Of the State Board
. for Vocational Education.
, The strength of the nation lies In
, the prosperity and contentment of its
citizens and efficiency of their labor
Each citizen is entitled to the four
great minimums; the minimum OF
labor. the minimum of leisure, the
minimum of education and the mini
mum OF comfort. The federal gov
eminent believes that these mini.
NUNS may be reached, and that two
great factors In reaching them are
vocational education and vocational
guidance
There are too many unskilled
workmen and too few skilled work
men in the country and too many
who are unable to connect with a
proper job: and too much shifting
for the good Of either citizens oil
Jobs. The schools of our country at
ford the most effective means for
reaching solution OF the vexing pro
hlem. II is ESTIMATED on reliable
authority that there are 5000 900 wage
earners idle one-third Of the time: OF
nm average OF 200O, 900 all Of the time
II Is estimated there is less than q
per cent OF efficiency in our enter.
rrises. and now while we are raising
on peace-time production to wartime
production there seems no improve
ment in percentages. One industrial
concern which needed 1900 men I,
operate II employed 22,OUo different
men In one year. Many concerns ad
vertisc for large number of mer
and select 10 per cent to 20 per cen
of those who look best TO them.
Perhaps the school can help by Of,
= fering courses Of instruction in ths
industries. 1t is not intended tina,
, any school offer instruction in a large
, number Of occupations but that eacl
4 school Will offer those courses which
|. are more directly connected with the
, industry which furnished employment
! TO the community in the largest de-
I gree. II Is not intended that voca-
tional education shall supplement the
more liberal form but that it will ap-
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