Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-11-07
OPPORTUNITIES FOR AAIERI-
CAN BOYS
ID LAanIouiA-I HALL

Dy EEtuSFlc o. IldSiAAn
WASHINGTON, Nov. Indus
tries of the United States will need
400, 600 more men for positions of
executive and engineering RESPONSE
bility in 1890 than they used in
1920. This is in addition to the re-
placements that will be necessary.
At present the enrolment in the
technical schools of the country is
only slightly in excess of $4,000 as
against an enrolment of $1,000 in
1920. These schools are now turn
ing out graduates at the rate of
about 5000 a year, but in industry
at present less than 20 per cent of
those who plan and administer the
productive work of the nation are
graduates of any college.
This evidence of the business D
p%ortunities that await American
boys of today is the result of a sur
vey that is being made by a commit
tee of captains of industry that was
organized by the National Industrial
Conference Board, the super organi-
cation of the industrial interests of
the country. 1t is revealed in q pre-
liminary report that has just been
made public and will be supplement
ted from time to time as the work
is carried to a conclusion.
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The committee is known as the
joint committee on engineering edu-
cation and includes in it's member
ship Howard e. Coffin, vice presi-
dent of the Hudson Motor Car Co.,
of Detroit; Col. T. C. Dickson, COM
mandant of the United States arse
nal at Watertown; S. p. Bush, presi-
dent of the Buckeye Steel Castings
Co., of Columbus; Howard Elliott,
chairman of the Northern Pacific
railroad, of New York; f. M. Herr,
president of the Westinghouse Elec-
trio and Manufacturing Co., of Pitts
burgh; William III. Nichols, chair
man of the Allied Chemical and Dye
Corporation, of New York; Henry d.
Sharpe. of the Brown d Sharp Man
ufacturing Co.. of Providence; A. H.
Rogers, of Rogers, Mayer & Ball, of
New York; and Prof. r. H. Fernald,
of the University of Pennsylvania.
The fact that big business in the
United States needs more trained
young men to direct it than the tech
meal schools are now supplying led
to the creation of this committee.
Youths who are being graduated
from college every June may think
that their talents and services are
not sought after as they should be,
but the truth of the matter is that
if they had the right kind of train
ing and are not afraid of work, they
can command better jobs, with bet
ter pay, and better prospects, than
have been available in the nations
history.
This is indicative not only of the
growth in American industry and of
the strides that are to be made
within the next few years, but also
of changed methods and conditions
of production. The creation of
great industrial establishments and
systems, the increasing use of ma
chinery, power and other labor-sav-
ing devices, and the development OF
methods of control of production
and distribution are all important
factors in the situation. Mass pro-
duction adds greatly to the amount
of product per worker, and it like
wise requires a relatively larger in
crease in the proportion of planners
and administrators.
The committee says that the facts
and figures it has gathered demon
strate that both the normal progress
in industrial methods and the APP
preaching new competitive condi-
tons will call for a nor decided
change than ever before in the quail.
ty and number of trained experts
and leaders.
The big problem, according to the
report, is to adapt the education oil
| thOCn who n fn r. njrpnf industry r.
the ev-er-changing conditions of in
dustry itself. The needs of the mex
generation must be considered in the
educational plans of today.
The committee may be said to be
sounding a warning, as we'll az
broadcasting a message of opportun.
ity to young America. But through
it the leaders of industry are also
serving notice on their competitor!
throughout the world that in thu
coming decades struggle for indus,
trial and commercial supremacy the
United States will marshal The
necessary army of 400, 900 trained
youths. The way will be found Il
increase the nations facilities fol
technical education, and no effor
will be spared to impress boys of tn,
proper age with the idea that theil
big chance in life may be found il
industry.
y = = y
In its preliminary consideration O.
the matter the joint committee ha!
reached eight conclusions which i
desires to have widely disseminated
and discussed. They are, in sum
mary:
There is a rapidly growing neet
for administrative and technica
ability in virtually all lines of ac.
tivity, especially in manufacturing
and mechanical industries.
There is an increasing demand TO
graduates Of engineering schools t
enter upon work that will fit then
for positions of administrative a
well as technical responsibility.
h demand for young men will
capacity for becoming administrative
or technical leaders is far greater
than the number of such men nov
being graduated from engineering
schools.
1t is equally as important that /;
greater proportion of the graduates
of engineering schools be young mel
of high quality as that the tota
number of graduates be increased
Therefore admission to these schools
should be based on selective tests.
The preparatory schools can per
form a great service to industry al
we'll as to the student by evaluatini
the advantages of an engineering
course and guiding toward the en-
gineering schools boys who have al
interest in producing things.
There is a growing opinion tina
the engineering schools should pro
vide a thorough grounding in fun