Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-07-26
SCHOOLS, CITIZENSHIP AND TaAIHsHa.

Vocational training is to be doubled
in Iowa next year by decision of the
state board under the Smith Hughes
law. This vocational training will be
mainly agricultural Men will be sent TO
teach yocationally. Short courses will
be offered in educational Centers and
effort will be put forth tc find boys
and men who are willing to go from
the farms to vocational training and
schooling in the winter months.
Sooner or later-and the sooner the
better-we shall put actual vocational
and Industrial training into our COM
mon schools In the larger towns and
cities effectively. We are coming to
understand that the youth who does
not go on to college is entitled to the
best We can give him and her to fit
them for the future years and that the
elemental requisite Of citizenship is the
ability to earn a decent living. Per-
haps, some day we shall teach trades
as now we teach bookkeeping in the
public schools, or at least afford the
foundation of trades which will open
the way to decent job when the STU
dent leaves school for the actual COM
petition Of living in the world.
So far we have made our training
largely agricultural because this is an
agricultural state and because agri-
culture is the fundamental aVocation
of all mankind; but we shall need TO
go mueh farther along the lines Of
vocational training. We shall some
day understand that the good mech
auic is as necessary and valuable un-
der our system of divided labor as the
farmer, that one needs and must have
the other to create the complement Of
usefulness. And perhaps We shall real
| ize, some day, that skilled trade or
avocation Is as much entitled to re-
spect and honor as any profession.
rem who enter the grades compared
| with the number of those who are
graduated from the high schools show
an alarming latitude between the two
II the youth might acquire the basis
| of trade and part Of the manual dex-
| terity needed In its pursuit the mum
| Der of high school graduates would
| probably treble.
The University of Cincinnati boasts
that 1t has never turned out a failure
1t has a system Of two weeks in the
| laboratory and two weeks in the shoL
at actual wages. Thus two students
make one factory hand at wages. They
get an actual try out. If one has Sc
lected the wrong trade he is early ad.
Vised to change TO another where he
will be successful. And when he come!
| out Of the school he is fitted not only
theoretically but practically for tn,
work he has chosen. The plan cor.
| E1ObOQdLSS LhS dSSeIl lOIl tlldI ILLS
| versity turns out no failures.
Getting back to the first principles
Of citizenship it is automatic that tn,
man who can not and does not earl
a good living for himself and his fam
lily lacks the primary essential of goo,
] citizen ship. IT liz not vital whctsc- -,
lack Is in the man himself or in de
ficiency of training. The fact stands
It Is g. question Of plain usefulness t
himself and the community.
| Arguing from that standpoint tn
public school training should includ
that first essential of citizenship
training to earn a good living. w
agree that every man and woma
should have a trade in self protection
Then why not give every child
chance at the fundamental knowledg
and understanding OF a skilled voca
ton?
----------------
Il Mrs Braye-Ta1k In chean