The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1923-06-14
Boys

PortschAch, Austria. Is your boy
in or headed for that group, compos-
ing three-quarters of the worlds work
ers with hands and brains, who are
misfits or ill-trained? What is being
done and should be done 70 meet this
and related problems is dealt with in
report that was prepared for presen-
tation to the Second Worlds Confer
ence of Y. M. c. A. Workers with Boys
by an international vocational commits
sion.
A section of the report dealing with
the vocational status of boyhood in the
United States was prepared by G. c..
Robinson of New York City, author
of vocational books and secretary of
the international Committee, Y NJ c..
A, for work with employed boys His
report is based in part on a series of
special hearings, the participants in
which included college and university
professors, school teachers, editors,
business and industrial managers, Labor
leaders, specialists in mental hygienR2
and representatives of the church, nS4
CAVudl oOC4SC1Co anu government Duh
reaus. .
The largest hearing, Mr.. Robinson
reports, both in numbers and variety of,
representation, was at San Franciscan
where the junior high school and the
private school for teaching trades came
in for strong commentator. Labor
representatives favored continuation
schools, and spoke strongly against.
working boys trying to attend school
at night.
Approximately 100000 boys, IA to.
20 years of age, are gainfully employed
in the United States, the report points
out. In addition at least half as MANY
more attend school and work part time.
This is particularly true of ambitious
high school boys even from what are
called good families, and many boys
from poorer homes also work part time
while they are in the grade schools.
In most sections of the country state
laws prevent boys from working ear
lier than IA years of age and there is a
tendency on the part of social workers
to push this age to 16 years. In most
states boys who work between ID and
Is do SO upon work-certifcates and are
obliged to continue some educational
work. Twenty-one states have formed
continuation schools for this purpose
increasingly, the report states, effort
is being made by educators, the more
enlightened employers, and welfare
agencies Of all kinds to provide for all
boys, rich and poor, vocational guild
ance and vocational education. The
whole matter of vocational guidance,
wisely done, is directed toward saving
boys from disaster.
Rapid advance has been made by
public schools in vocational help in the
past decade. Private trade schools
have made valuable contributions in
pioneering in various types of educa-
tion. The new plan Of the Junior Divi-
sion of the u. S. Employment Service
is hopeful step.
Studies conducted by Mr.. Robinson
among 1873 boys as to their ambitions
compared with their fathers occupa-
tons show definite tendency to move
up in the social scale. None of the
group chose to be day laborers, and
few are seeking small commercial posi-
tions, most of the boys whose fathers
are in such work expressing eagerness
to enter the professions or higher com
merical occupations. However, nearly
as many boys as have fathers in skilled
trades desire to take up similar work,
the high pay being the attraction.
A fveyear occupational study of
hundreds of high school pupils, both
boys and girls, revealed that the boys
of comparatively low intelligence chose
vacations far beyond their powers,
only per cent being engaged, at the
end of five years, in occupations as
favorable as was their original prefer
ence. either the girls chose more
wisely as to fitness" says the report,
"or else they were more moderate in
their ambitions. Even in cases of
higher intelligence, the girls seem to
have a much better percentage than
the boys. Doubtless this situation will
improve in time, some Of the boys
Eaaehiug positions more favorably COM !