The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-03-15
SCHOOLING
SYsTEM
FAILS
Many High School Graduates
Unfitted for Any Work,
Says Miss Smith.
BY GEORGE FRANKLIN.
Trade training for every school

j. Il
Trade training for every school
boy!
This is the slogan suggested
by Miss Katherine Smith, director
of the District of Columbia United
States Employment Service office,
after months Of experience in fit
ting workers and jobs together.
There is something wrong
with the high school system when
It turns out graduates who have
nothing to sell in the industrial
world, said Miss Smith today
in reviewing the work Of her
office since January 4.
Unified for Work.
The most difficult class OF appli-
Giants to find work for are the high
school graduates who come here
seeking employment. They are
acadeImicaIIy educated, but that is
as far as their education has been
carried Unfortunately, they leave
school without having been given
any special training which insures
them a livelihood. Certainly this is
q situation which deserves serious
consideration by educational aI-
thorities, for there must be a way
to avert such results"
According to Miss Smith, q COM
plete reversal has taken place in
the industrial world within q few
short years. Today there is a wide.
spread demand for skilled labor. and
q job for every man or woman who
n willing To work at such work rs
can be given them. But the supply
of skilled labor is limited. Many
men who rate themselves as skilled
mechanics because Of positions filled
by them during the war fail to
chanical standards fixed under
peace conditions They are handy
men, but In no sense to be in
clllded in the skilled corps.
Manual Training Help.
Fl am not competent to judge OF
the value or the manual training
courses established in connection
with high school activities, said
Miss Smith. ...but it Isl unquestion-
ably true that they are of value II
only as a. preparatory course I'M
trade training Neither do i know.
what II being aecOFnpl ished by the
manual training schools. e, Butt ULeJ
thing LIDO know, Our edllcati onai.
$500 9 - u A.. =, .,.,s,S
sgstsh ~ Il1hsAgn niils nul,iAts wy E
allqi IS 9le -
Ease lIl WorlA Fs4uiIIn8 sktlis. 1870 1870
tne aeghcIusl q lnsst sOIIlsW XII tlsrs
y q. Gnanee Tor a9eiilsAIiese III sLne sys-s
ZEN I when VIII .ktvs .IhecIlallaeal e
lTalnlHs .llilul II
an1 II sIs 8 - - uu =;
49, "a ~ W u .. ~. 80
tIdtsS Win ldu ci,dilcS ~ eeli Iiiii6
enough 70 SUPPORT In fl..3as
In reviewing the WORK OF the
pasf three n1ontns MISS sInath as
Certained that a large percentage
Of the unskilled laborers are men
between eighteen and twenty eight
years Of age, She pointed to this
as indicating the tcomings or
public educat10 nal systems. Among
this class OF uIlsifitted "a DOR. st1e
stated, an appreclanle NUMBER are
high school boys graduating within
the last few years
Sfes,0rrarSIlers IN Demand.
49, :. .i-,i,ad iaI,ar a. da,,,.rd
.' !. 80 60. 49,
q empowers - ior eliicisis steiioS-
IapnerS:
There Is always a position TOT
competent stenogfa pfer who is
canaIle of attending m off;ca de-
fails . said Miss Smith The tro,I-
hIe seems To he thai many stenop.
raDhers. who take shorthand and do
executives ana OFFICE managers