Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-02-07


handled a keen.edged knife, or
/ one who has viewed the in
tricate movements of a type
setting machine. Washington has only
recently fallen in line with scores of
other cities scattered over the land
voted solely to teaching the youth OF
the city trades in which they may
find their life work.
The boy who has not had the pleas
ure of possessing sharp knife, the
lad who has not handled the aWeso1ne
tools used In the plumbing trade, or
the workmanlike instruments Of the
ttnsmith has missed big part OF his
youthful experience. And the lad who
has viewed the beautifully edged prod
uct of a high-class print shop has felt
the universal thrill of admiration at
what can be accomplished with few
pieces Of type, some ink and piece OF
Taper.
Until last September Washington
tad no public school In which the
rlanual hunger OF the youth Of the
city could be satisfed-the urge to
play with tools IN q practical way,
atisfying ambition to work with the
hands and at the same time laying
the foundation for possible life work.
When the schools opened last Sep
renlber Toy the first time in Wash
ington, an opportunity was opened for
The boys Of the city to study useful
frades In a school devoted solely to
trade and vocational education. The
!Gbott School, for years one Of the
landmarks Of the city, In the triangle
pounded by Fifth and Sixth streets,
New York avenue and X street. be-
,anle almost overnight the vocational
headquarters of 81 public school sys-
tem which up to that time had offered
-v1Iy i{r>>tx Tod troj yNyv
hat largely in the clerical end. For
he great army of boys who had the
urge TO work with their hands in
metal or wood there was no outlet in
school, and they plodded through the
ally round of academic learning with
out the stimulus that IS now possible
IN the manual labor channel that is
effered them.
RACK of the movement for voca-
tional training OF the Washington
schoolboy initiated at the Abbott
School is a firm foundation that will
lay the groundwork for many Wash.
Ington boys future, for Washington
employers and the trade union locals
here have joined in cooperative
organization to aid the school, and
nave agreed to place the graduates of
this new vocational venture in which
the school system has embarked. In
June, 1927. the first group Of boys
the real pioneers in the new move.
Inent-wilI graduate from the Abbott
School. Then will be known, or at
any rate within a few years there
after, the practical results Of this in
uovation In aShingtor-Something
entirely new to the Capital but an old
and well established institution in some
municipalities much smaller than the
Capital City. For cities not one
sourth the size of Washington long
Ego learned the true value of teach
ing the youth of the land to use his
hands in some way that would give
him concrete foundation for his
'uture-something more practical
than the academic book learning
which the youngster forgets all too
often, once tho doors of the public
school have closed on him forever.
There always has been something
about an edged tool that appeals to
the normal youngster of 10 to 20
years, something that finds express
sion frequently in the possession of a
'toadsticker'' Knife, and that only
within the last four years has made
Of many youngsters considerably short
OF maturity expert radio technicians.
For in no vocation Is keenness or
technical ability so important as in
radio construction work. The new
vocational school has not yet a radio
course, but the future may bring that
also.
1t has. however. even in these its
infant days, courses In printing. me-
hanical drawing, sheet metal work
ing, painting. woodworking and
plumbing The last two are really
new-only within the last three days
lave they been opened up and they
ere expected to be the most popular
Of the trade courses at the Abbott.
s. X K
THE Abbott Vocational School is by
no means an institution where
boys go who could not get ahead in
academic work. On the other hand,
II is a school Of instruction for the
serious minded lads who, knowing the
white collar professions are over
crowded and will doubtless remain so,
"hoose themselves. or with their par
ents' guidance. a vocation In which
hey will work with their hands.
w. +. Smith. the careful principal
nj the school. who Is most enthusiastic
bout the progress of the work and
predicts a great future for vocational
schools In the Capital. says this mat
ter of getting the youth of the land
to give UP the white collar" idea is