Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-10-28
HENRY J. GIDEON
HeIpjno the Child to Find Himself

A MORE extensive program which will IN
"A sure to every child in Philadelphia tne
opportunity to acquire a maximum OF school
training is the general thought guiding Eenry
]. Gideon, director of the Bureau OF C%oih %
pulsory Education, in his administrative
duties.
'"The functions of the bureau are mani
fold" says Mr.. Gideon, "and deal not only
with school attendance, but also with junior
employment, child welfare and the important
problem of child accounting The WORK Oh :
the bureau Is one of the most important M az
tiyities conducted by the Board OF iubne
Education, but unfortunately the scope ana
character of this work are not widely under
stood.
"Our most important business is helping
principals, teachers and parents to keep IN
school Philadelphia's great army OF more
than 300 900 children. Regularity OF attend
ance is attained largely through the sympa-
thptic work of Philadclphia's splendid corps
of teachers, supported by the civic forces OF
the community and an intense public interest
in education. Nevertheless, the problem Oh
dealing with absence from school Is stu
pendous one. Fully 25,0O0 children, or
nearly 10 per cent, Of philadelphia schooi
population, are absent from school daiiy.
To be sure, sickness and other unavoidaDie
causes account for BY far the sreater h"hpee tne
| bureau to seek out the unnecessary ana uh-
lawful absence and eliminate 1t.
.If our children had perfect homes and
perfcct parents our schools would have we'll
nigh perfect attendance. But. unfortunately,
such perfection does not exist Our business
Is to 10 out among the homes of the weak and
| induigent, the shiftless and careless, the ig-
norant and poor and even among the vicious
and depraved, and try to make them under
stand the Importance of sending their chill
| dren to school regularly. This missionary
| work must be undertaken by representatives
| Of the school who are not only sympathetic,
forccful and of high order Of intelligence,
| but who also have been trained in cduca-
| tional and social service and have full un-
derstanding Of the method and practice OF
| our schools.
Work Needs Trained Workers
| "Thc Board of Public Education has taken
q splendid step forward In the appointment
! OF co ordinating teachers in connection with
| three Of our largest continuation schools,
| The board now has under consideration a
recommendation for the appointment OF
| twenty one co -ordinating teachers to be EN- =
ployed in the elementary schools OF the city:
| II is to be hoped that the board will adopt
more fully it's new policy of employing
trained teachers for establishing closer re.
lationships between the home and the school
and will finally intrust most of its problems
of attendance to such corps OF trained
workers.
| 'Thc splendid results of sending especially
selected teachers into the homes of the chill
dren for the purpose Of bringing the homt
and the school into closer relationship viii
undoubtedly more than pay for whatever
additional costs are involved.
THE making of many good or bad citizens
begins right here, and l believe that II thu
| proper steps were taken practically all O
| those children who are now subjected Il
criminal influences and who drift toward thil
mode of life could be saved and made int
good citizens,
zone big thing that we ore trying to do nov
is to get the children right at the outset o
criminal or unwholesome tendencies. W,
co operate with the courts closely, particu
larly the juvenile courts, and do great dea
TO check evil influences.
"But this should be done on a far NOR
extensive scale. 1t should be possible /,
co operate more closely with the courts thar
we are able now 60 do. At the prelmnar r,
hearings in the House of Detention for in
stance, where some of the most importan
testimony comes out, we should be In q DO
sit!on to follow up more effectively than w
now are.
mo greater service Gun be rendered to an
community than that Of wisely guiding an
fitly preparing its youth for their life occu
nations. And it is generally recognized tina
there is no more serious menace to the wei
, | fare of society than that of unemployment
| or the kind of employment that affords n
, outlook or encouragement for the worker.
"It Is now generally conceded that, be
, | cause OF the complex and highly specialize
| conditions Of modern business and industry
! | both vocational training and vocational guild
| ance are essential before the life work can