Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-06-12
WILLIAM n. WELSH
Continuation Schools


TNlIE continuation schools OF Philadelphia
L offer an excellent opportunity to those
children Of ambition who desire to so on with
their studies after necessity has compelled
them to enter industry. and thus 10 nj thcm-
selves for the time when the chance for
bcttermcnt arrives. says William II. Welsh,
Director of School Extension.
.'rhc continuation schools, sald Mr.
Welsh. "originated under the 'hild l,anor
Inv which requires the regular attendance
~ schools for eight hours each week OF en-
Moved children between the ages OF fourteen
and sixteen years. The original purpose OF
the school was to gather the children 70.
gether and to conserve the educatloh Win WIN
had been received up to that tlme' eHtehulns
il and in the limited time possible 10 pre-
mare the child for it's civic obligations. we
have centralized them in thre" SCHOOLS. Ihe
IIollngsworh. which is entirety ior SIrlS'
the Mccall whi"I Is for boys ana me Iinr', mr.
which is a mixed school. Besides these
| there are other smaller schools i'll the more
| remote portions OF the city.
Sessions Held in Daytime
"Thc classes are held during the day be-
| tween the hours of 8 a. NJ. and . l.. NJ.
| and as a rule the child comes to the school
| two days each week for sessions OF four
hours each. The employers have generally
| co-Operated we'll with the schools. The law
| provides that the child may stop attending
at the age of sixteen years, but there have
been many instances where the employer has
| seen what the school has meant to the chiid
and permitted those in his employ to remain
until the end of the term in which their
| sixteenth birthday occurred was reached.
'The continuation school is the v"stibule
| of life, tho steu between the home and the
| home school and that life where the youth,
| no longer child assumes the responsible
ties of manhood. For this reason the prob
| lem of the continuation school is plain. 1t
| must conserve the elementary education the
| child has received and extend 1t provide Il
| wide range of pre- vocational experience
proyide further for social and rccrea tional
opportunities that guidance may be given in
the wise spending of leisure hours; and
through all and above all, the continuation
school must guide its pupils to a better un-
derstandng of their civic responsibilities.
The School, the Home and the Job
"To make the work more effective also,
every teacher should be allowed time for
follow-up work. The home, the school and
the lob should be brought into the closest
possible relation. The teacher should have
an opportunity TO study at first hand the
can meet as closely as possible these needs.
Tbe human touch Is very important In all
fields of education, but with this class OF
boys and girls there can be no success with
out It; son,. .. .ho oon,,n,,,,o. ..,..,.
il assured because before any child between
The ages Of fourteen and sixteen can 20 "a
work there must be certificate issued by
MIR. Gideon, chief of the Bureau of Com
pulsory Education, who. in doing directs
The child to report to the continuation school
nearest his place of employment. Unless the
child reports back as having enrolled, til,
school reports that 1t has not done So an,
the matter is then taken up to ascertain
ihe reason. But usually the employers hav.
the child go directly to the school and make
arrangements as to the days upon which h,
will attend. 1t Is impossible for a child II
enter industry and avoid the school. Ther,
are now in Philadelphia about 1900 children
taking the courses In the continuation
| schools.
Attitude Of the Children
"Thc schools were opened in Januarv
1915, and in the beginning there were seri
Gus objections on the part of the cbildrs,
to attending. This, however, has worn of
with time, and they now accept il ~ y,
matter of course.
Various letters written by the childre,
themselves confirm this attitude One eir
, said that she learned both TO sew and :,
cook ut the school; another found that be
, forte was bookkeeping, Of which she hnd ~,
idea when she left the grammar school: sev
eral have been promoted since attendnp tb
school and attribute the promotion 10 wha
they learned there; another learned thrift
) another Joined a savings fund society nm
, other learned not to use powder and paint;
D. designer Of dresses; and innumerabi