The New York herald., 1922-05-14


sen their handicap and start them in
The technical schools Of the higher
grade only carry this thought further
and train students in mind and hand
to do specific things requiring great
er skill. There is an ever increasing
demand for the services of graduates
of these schools. Those men who
can make watches, automobiles, in
dustrial machines and repair them
when they are out of order, survey
fields and build bridges add very
much to our comfort and joy in liv-
Ing. They are indeed useful. While
women who know how in an exter-
nal way to make a home through
cookery, sewing and general house
keeping contribute much to life, in
which we all share. No one of judg-
ment would minimize the Importance
of such training.
It is daily becoming a more neces.
sary factor in making life run smooth
My in the home, the factory and on the
farm. Indeed, without the skill which
comes through such special instruc-
ton, life would be very much less at.
| tractive.
Tendency to Exaggerate the
Practical Is Dying Out
1t is not to be wondered at that
young people seeing these advantages
of a practical education, which so
quickly brings needed results, hesitate
about spending term of years in ac-
quiring cultural education, which has
to do more with books, art, beauty and
literature and takes not only time and
severe study to acquire. but also not
little money. Yet, granting all this,
] am Of the opinion that while not
minimizing the Importance of voca-
tional training one gets more out of
life and gives more to life, in adj
dition, there is the broad foundation
OF general culture.
A few years ago there was a ten
dency to overemphasize the practical
to the exclusion of cultural courses
Experience has revealed the fact that
a man does not even make the best
specialist who confines himself to one
subject. 1t is only as he sees that
speciality related to many other things
in life which gives him broad view.
For this reason great industrial firms
which formerly unduly stressed voca-
tional education now prefer to have
those who manage their affairs first
secure an all around culture. These
men are given much of their specific
training after they enter the estab-
lishments of the company.
7 recently conferred with great in
ternational banker regarding the COM
parative value of high school and col
lege training for those who purpose to
become bankers. His reply in sub
stance was that the student imme-
diately out of high school might dur
ing the first year be more satisfactory,
but after that period the man who had
taken a college course would begin to
advance and would eventually surpass
the man of scant preparation.
The habit and discipline of study
gained through period of years, the
disposition to look on all sides of ques-
tions, to weigh evidence, consider prob
lens as they are related to other prob
lens, the ability to take the long look
and patiently continue through many
difficulties. keeping the more remote
end in view-thcse are a few OF the
things which make the wider training
desirable even in those business occu-
pations which seem to be only remotely
related to culture. The banker of broad
education is at ease with all conditions
of men; he knows books, has appre-
citation OF the fine arts and is able at
sight to recognize a good and efficient
man.