The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-03-03
WOMEN
 AND THINGS

best to make him drop it.
 I was led to write the above in thinking of Senator Watt T. Brown. who quite a few years back realized that there was gap in our educational system which required filling in order to make it possible for many of our boys to get a chance in life.
 
 remember the hue and cry in cer- tain educational circles about the ad- vent of what was called vocational training. and am not going to take up any cudgel against the cIassicists, but I am going to speak good word for a man who has given much time and thought to providing a way whereby boys who will never have a chance at college may at least get some manual training.
 do not believe that every boy should be put into the same mold and turned out perfect pattern from our higher finishing schools. Now, do not misun- derstand me, for I am in deepest sym pathy with the work being done at the University of Alabama and at the Au- burn Tech but the fact remains that only the elect get an opportunity to spend four years within their halls.
 
 l am thinking of the hundreds, yes, of the thousands who fall by the way, 8 large majority only finishing the grammar grades, while a small percen- tage go on through the high schools, the agricultural schools, or the normal schools. Just now I am engfossed with the disinherited ones who will never get glimpse of the bigger educational life unless another link is added to our educational chain in Alabama believe that every boy is entitled to be educated and trained in the line of his occupat tion, and not to meet this need is to discriminate in our educa- tional system. This is why am an ad- vocate of tbe Alabama School of Trades | and Industry, for which my friend Watt. Brown has fought so long and so hard. and lat last is on the eve of seeing his dream come true, for it has been taken out of the region of debate and by the action of the last legislature is now within the realm of practicality. The need is so patent that it seems strange to me that any educators could have seen fit to oppose 1t, and vet we know that it comes at last into being in the face of an opposition which was stilled, but which I fear still is un friendly to its success. But there is no use dragging up the past, for we must look to the future and see to it that the school Is not handicapped but given . fair trial.
 wish that every boy might have the privilege of graduating from some first class institution, but this being out of the question, let's see to it that we do something for those who have not the time or the money to put into colle- glate education. I believe that we can not make the standards too high in the professions and l have always favored the efforts to require those entering upon their professional studies to first have had the proper foundation laid in college or university.
 But there is no use blinking at the fact that thousands of our boys who have an aptitude for the trades and in dustries cannot take the long route. and, like 1t or not we will not be treat ing them fair unless we provide shorter and more practical courses to fit their. requirements so that they can step into their occupations, to do more valuable and efficient service, just because a way was found to instruct them along practical lines.
 It is but a truism that we have learned that it is as necessary to train privates for duty as to train officers Tor command. The late war brought this vividly to our knowledge, and some educational theories which were held in high regard in military circles went to pot, and Germany's calculation that her armies would win because better of AASSi Su' anu lioiii tiie Iurtner 1act that her enemies did not have time to fit men for service. was found false. The way America not only got her privates in shape but her officers in condition for leadership was one of the greatest surprises that the Hun got
 
 If we need trained privates as well as trained officers on the battlefield. it is equally true that in the commer- cial, agricultural and industrial world there is demand for skilled workers just as there is for captains of indus try. Now. know the argument that many of the trades and industries call for men of the highest special training, but. on the other hand, there Is g con tinual cry for laborers who have at least had chance to get the practical benefits of service or apprenticeship in their chosen occupations.
 This is what is sought to be done by those behind the Alabama School of Trades and Industries The bill as drawn provides for giving the laborer in his trade a special education to fit his needs as is being done for those who are preparing for the learned pro- fessions. This applies to the boy whether he is to be a bricklayer, car penter, blacksmith. farmer. or what