Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-08-21
Opportunity Free
Charge.
By Frederic j. Haskin.

definitely captured and confined within
the d,nov hut valiant brick walls OF an
old school building, from which ~ - sup
piled I'm generous quantities 70 an "bp
apply~-.to the Denver Opportunity school
This school, now four years oin, fePi1
sents the most progressive step ye, nin'.
in American, or, for that rna,,sr, any
other kind Of education No puDiic schoyi
anywhere else can compare WIN y,
though attempts TO copy ~ are now oIns a
made in various cities, lncluding sueh i@
off neiyhbors as London and Antwerp /
DESCRIPTIONS Of it's activities have alrepny
been widely published, but in9sfnuch 40
the principal Of the school ~ stlll receiVlhe 1
letters every day from other cities ASKING /
for the details of operation, there appeals
TO be good excuse for one more artleie On /
the subject. -
The chief departure Of the Denver
Opportunity School from the genera run
Of public schools is this: II does no, az
tempt 10 fit pupils to definite curr,cuiuii, .a
but instead stretches and rernooels 10
curriculum TO ft the needs OF lts pupiis.
The idea is to equip people ior me hot ~
accordance with our pretty theories as to
what life ought to be, but as II mas 70 Oe
lived by various individuals.
No SPECIAL HOURS FOR CLASSES.
It's doors open at 80 in the morning
and do not close until 0.15 at night, our
ing which time thousands OF students paso
in and out Of its class rooms. There are DO
particular hours for classes. You may
drop in whenever you like, and spend
whatever time you can spare IN pursuit
of the particular knowledge you require.
IL the curriculum does not include the
subject YOU want, and 20 other students
also auplv for il. the school will establish
such course, provided il ls practical ana
can be turned to advantage IN earning
living.
The school docs notgo in for higher culture
however. IT does not teach Latin or SculI'-
| ture or philosophy or English Literature.
Rut when there was q demand for Spanish
| speaking statesmen IN the commerclai
/ world, not long ago, II immediately intro
| duced course in Spanish, and wheh I'M
/ principal discovered that Denver "aS
sending away for aeetylene welders, a
course in acetylene welding was quickly
organized. sa
| In the same wav, when it was found
| that MANY night students were desperately
in need Of nourishment they could nor
afford. the school opened soup kitcnei.
About 200 bowls Of soup are served Oy
this kitchen every night during the schooi
term to pupils who cannot spare the time
or money TO 20 home for dinner. The soup
Is free the same as every other course.
There are practically no entrance,
qualifications. The school receives and
faithfully instructs people OF all classes
and of all ages, without asking any en-
barrassing questions. Emily OrItiith, the
principal, refuses TO recognize the exist
ence Of any age over 80. ne WoIieI
students are merely required 70 sta',
whether they are or are not past tne age y
2I "For. saws Miss Griffith, age IS az
attitude of mind. Some people iet u Inelil III
selves grow old at 30, and others at 20 ar
INST beginning to get their second anC
better wind.
STUDENTS OF ALL AGES.
! owe get small children sent to US iron
: other schools that have given them Up a
: homeless. and we get people from 90 TO o
: wears old who are just beginning 70 iet
the need Of education, or VINO SUDDEN
decide that they want TO tackle soIiietilLu
] new. We have had the bishop slste
! studying tvpewriting for relief work i
/ one class. and her cook taking Engilsn
/ another. We have had prominent bushes
4 men come here for the automobile me
q chanics class in ordrr 20 understand 70
mechanism of their high-prIced cars, an
al the same time their office boys wei
1 here taking bookkeeping and mecnaaic'
| drawing. One old blind man we taugi
| broom-making. and several returned 81
| diers deaf from shell shock or some otn
| cause we have taught hp-readlng. :
II cietv girls, hotel maids, business woIn'
and practical nurses patronlze our dlete
: les class, while persons from every Oco
r patton and environment are eager
study radio telegraphy.
z This last occupation now pays Ve
we'll Here Is a letter, If you care 70 zee
n from young man who came 10 US, raee
and unkempt, having been SIX mont
at without A lob. He was rather frlvoio
and unable to concentrate at hTst, Ddt
II kept telling him how easily he could
along if he would only Try, and at last I
work seized his fancy. This letter -
a. that he is now making $3.50 month, Q
or that's not the most cheerful thing IN
of You see. it also says that he Is gong
STUDYING, which means that he IS reachi
ct up for the next Tung on the LADDER
OF Miss Griffith paused, her blue ey
which exactly matched the sapphire ne'
lace she wore, gazing dreamlly out OF
window at the class room. snpp'
o. some people would SLY We were VISIONS
or sentimental she continued at leng
is but it S really only matter OF comm
sense. L ne cOfnefStOalS uA IiAA> eNA.SS
Fit encouragement 1t is making people
r. leve in themselves, 10 their ability TO
TO things, and in emphasizing their g
e.. points. Some boys come TO us from OF
at schools and from the juvenile court W
Ter villainous records, and the first thing
an do is to tell them to tear the reports
gi- Then we apply the subtle art OF HATTIE
and watch it work--mlracleS.
or TEACHERS co TO THE JOBS.
- The same thing applies to adults,
n. graduate of one of our courses ialis
~ make good on job, we send teac
ao az down to help him out. Often there
' nothing the matter with the man exc
lack of confidence. The work is new,
- surroundings are strange, and he sudd
!. ~ becomes panicky and makes mlstai
- The presence of the teacher restores
'I 'sIs courage. and after that he usually
. ;s along all right.
We are always sending teachers
r;s - with shaky, young stenographers, too,
i,S for the first day that they attempt 70 st'
tha the business world.
~ An informal employment office IS
az in connection with the OpportuI
81; School, with a very close tollow-up
tenn. In the front hall on the tirst
..or there is a bulletin board, upon which
> ~ ployers with jobs TO offer tack not
=