Evening journal., 1921-03-22
DON'T DRIFT
INTOV0CATION
Delaware College Director
Advises Youth How to
Chose Wisely
SAYS CONDITIONS
SHOULD BE STUDIED
Special to The Evening Journal.

Spccldl 10 me Evening journal.
NEWARK. March %. - r. w.
Helm. director of vocational educa-
ton for Delaware. has written for
an educational journal an interest
ing article on Choosing a Noca-
ton" which contains some excellent
suggestions for the boys and girls in
Delaware high schools. The article
follows:
zone Of the most important steps
in a human life is choosing the
trade or profession one Is TO follow
throughout life. Until very regent
times, no one could secure any as
sistance In making a selection, so a
great many mistakes were made.
within the last few years, vocation
bureaus have been established In
many Of our large cities and have
gathered great stores OF information
about the opportunities and re-
muneration in the various kinds OF
work.
Many choose a vocation with the
most superficial and haphazard mo-
tives. without any acquaintance
with the deeper structure of call
ing, the boy or girl is attracted by
EUMAt 1AAaAIG ANtAAA CO eAAAA SUI AaNN
Appearances More often IL is not
even any trait OF the calling itself.
but only a chance opportunity.
Sometimes mere laziness decides
the selection. in order TO avoid every
effort to survey the opportunities.
The average girl puts more thought
on her clothes than on selecting her
life work.
'In selecting a vocation do no.
drift into IT, DO not take Il because
Il is near at hand. without any re-
gard for your fitness for It. Drifting
Il the easiest way to get into ones
life work, but II probably leads 10
Rs much unhappiness as any other
rause. Do not choose a vocation be-
cause some one person has made
money in Il. II may have been mere
chance that brought 1t TO one, but,
no matter how hard you tried, you
could not succeed Many choose an
occupation for non-essential reasons
such as an opportunity to wear good
clothes. or short hours, or easy
work. II the work does not interest
you enough TO make some sacrifice
for Il, then Il win in time become
a drudgery.
The first thing 20 be considered
Is your ability 10 do the work. II
YOU can do the work better than the
average person, It is an indication
that it is somewhat along your line
You should learn whether you have
skill OF hand. or eve. or excel In
memory. executive ability, duicknesl
of decision or reasoning power. The
work in school usually points the dl
rection Of ones abilities, but It is no
an invariable guide. There are man'
occupations open to a boy WITH
manual skill. while a man with eN
ecutive ability has endless opportu
mites
sIn addition TO natural liking an'
ability. there must be considered IN
number Of places TO be filled in you
particular line. Some lines OF worl
are increasing, and some are de
creasine. For example, the manu-
facture OF autos has greatly de
creased the need for horses an'
wagons. The railroads have almos
eliminated the stage coaches Th'
reaner. the tractor and hay loader
have decreased the number OF farm
iaborers. but greatly increased IN
number employed In the factorie
where those machines are made.
AN important element In ever
Industry is the wages paid Nhll
.,,erv workman should ever keep u
bis mind the hope that he will SOM
dav own a business, In starting ~
must figure on working for wage.
Nanv enter occupations where higl
wages are paid. but for which he
not especially adapted. so he make
. a failure OF i. Another enters a lin
where there is no chance 10 suceee'
financially. no matter no" Wen az ~
works and often. late IN ne
changes 10 something else, where n
usually makes a failure It is neces
saw TO become proficient in any lin
In youthful days, as it is next to I'm I'm
possible to acquire skill after on
passes middle life. 80
'sThe conditions under Wnlcn 70