The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1928-11-29
KNOWLEDGES FLOWERY
PATH, BOSSES THORN
by a Worker Correspondent

by q Worker Correspondent
The experience of Beatrice Git
Ter in her effort to obtain an edu-
cation, as recited in the Daily of
November 9, aroused me to give my
own experience of such a venture.
The patriots claim, and the liberals
and even many workers believe, that
education is free in the United
States and that every worker can
become educated and become a pro-
fessional. To me this statement is
a proven lie. Is education free?
Does worker have an opportunity
to become educated? My answer is
emphatically no!
l came to New York June, 1927,
after being absent for about six
years. Like most unskilled work
ers in the United States, I had been
compelled to do many things, but
nothing which l could call a trade,
Naturally my position was very in
secure economically. Most of my
friends, or rather circle of acquain-
tances whom l knew in New York
formerly, had gone in various direc-
tions, and l was out of touch with
them all, so that l had severed all
connections and had to begin at the
very foundation.
Fur Shop.
/ After trying to get into the cleo
trical trade, in which l had some
experience, and finding it impossi-
bic because of the conditions i'm
posed by the Electrical Workers
Union, which included a medieval
apprenticeship of four years, I fl
nally became an operator in a fur
shop. This was the period when
the right wing was on its strike
breaking rampage, and, needless to
say, this was an open shop, which
l had secured through some family
connection. After wasting the usual
number of weeks in the shop with
out pay, l finally began to receive
SIS week.
Meanwhile the summer was pass
ing. During this time I was a fire.
quent attendant at the Stadium con-
certs, visited old haunts, and
tramped in city parks, but with the
coming of the autumn there was
the problem of what to do with the
evenings. The past few years l had
passed in passive vegetation and in.
activity; I had accumulated energy
and was bubbling over with it. The
! Sacco-Vanzetti case also stirred me.
so l wanted work, real hard work.
For reasons which need not be
stated here, I thought it wiser for
me to abstain from radical labor &C
Invites, and, besides, 1 did not know
how to get into them. Those radi-
Gals that l had a chance to meet
were only going to meetings. lee
lures, and entertainments, and this
did not appeal to me. And educa-
ton leased and lured me; so l de-
cided on the latter, and threw my
self into it with the avidity of a
Martin Eden.
The Sieve.
To be accepted as a student in a
capitalist institution of higher
learning, one must present examin-
ations in subjects totaling Is study
units. l have found by experience,
and anyone can easily find this by
examining the facts, that this is a
good sitting method, an effective
process which eliminates most OF
the proletarian element, and only a
few who are fortunate and those
who are economically well-to-do are
| permitted to squeeze through. Ir
city high schools, the preparatory
period is ordinarily a course of four
years study, but in private schools
one can be prepared in a much
shorter period. l had read widely
and was we'll acquainted with Eng
| fish literature, history, and some
theories Of political economy, and
evolution. l calculated, therefore
that | could finish the preparatory
course in one year, studying only
elementary sciences, mathematics
and foreign language, and to re.
view the other subjects for myself
when occasion offered itself. Ir
fact, the few compositions which
submitted to the teacher were cas-,
lily the best Of the fourth year Eng.
fish class, and he told me that
could pass examinations without
further study. AS an explanation
for the lack of balance in my edu,
cational baggage, / should add thai
! was an immigrant of seven year!
standing, having come to the coun
try during the latter half of 1920
and that / had mastered the rudi
ments of the English language with
out the benefit of the schoo
teacher.
Ny labors of the fall term were
rewarded with credits of five units
one-third of the necessary Is units
and in subjects new to me, so j
was evident that | had not over