Imperial Valley press., 1928-07-14

Men desire for their children an
education more comprehensive and
/ better in kind than they themselves
have secured. This wish is usually
broadened to include following
generations. and communities Joy
ouSly spend large sums for school
buildings, equipment, and trained
teachers. In this pursuit of an edu-
cation many young people reach
their majority and more before they
make any contribution to society.
In recent years a large number of
come to feel that to withdraw Il boy
from actual life conditions and let
him develop there until he is 22 or
older is unfair to him and to So
cicty. for it deprives him of actual
practice in meeting the problems
into which lie must soon plunge. 1t
also depriveS society of his service
during this period and frequently
leaves him a liability to society in
stead of an asset.
Henry Ford feels that even young
bows should produce things of value
rs Il part of their education. To
demonstrate this belief and to help
undcrprivilcged boys he founded the
Henry Ford Trade School in Oc-
tober, 1916. From a beginning
with six boys and one instructor it
has grown to an enrolment of 2300
bows and $50 instructors. True to
the purpose of its origin, needy boys
are given the preference. Orphan
boys constitute approximately 1870
and widows sons 1870 of the en-
roilment. Fully SOC of the boys
in attendance must help support
themselves. So strongly has the
school appealed to boys that there
is a constant waiting list of more
than 5000 local boys. For this rea-
son applications are not accepted
from other cities.
The school is incorporated under
Michigan statute to operate with
out profit. Boys between the ages
of u and IS are admitted. The
academic requirement is that the
candidate shall be in the school
grade for boys of his own age.
Upon entering, a cash scholarship
amounting to 500 per week is
awarded to each boy This is paid
him on the fifth and twentieth OF
each month throughout the entire
year. including a vacation of three
weeks in the summer and one week
at Christmas.
The school work is divided into
two departments. For one week the
boys attend academic work only and
during the following two weeks
they work in the. school shop.
Good Money Available
Each six weeks a report is made
covering the shop and class work.
On this report are also two marks
showing the estimate of his instruc-
tors on the boy s industry in both
departments. If both of these
marks are good the boy is given
an increase of 40c per week. When
the SO rate is reached the grade
received for the character of work
produced in the shop is also CON
sidered. AS long as the three
marks are good the boy receives an
automatic increase amounting to 40c
or more per week. A boy who ap-
plies himself should receive $3.50
and $40 per week at the end of his
second and third years.
BY the time the boy is Il years
old he should have a scholarship
rate of SIS per week, which is the
maximum for boy until he is IS,
when he completes the Junior
course.
In order to help the students dc,
velop the thrift habit 50 per month
in addition to his scholarship is
given each boy. This fund must be
deposited in some bank and kept
there as long as the boy remains
in school. The bank books are sub
mittcd to the school monthly for
examination.
Each noon hot lunch is furnish.
ei to all students This, with the
two cash gifts, makes a boy S mini
mum rate $3.50 per year and the
maximum $1,000
BOYS who wish to attend college
take history and foreign language
in some other school Many of the
boys are doing this.
- All boys come to school at 80
each morning for five days a week
and remain until $3.50 during their
two weeks in shop. The class work
ends at 3 O'Clock.
In order TO give them a better
appreciation of actual shop condi-
tions, boys who have had sufficient
training are placed in department.,
of the Ford Motor Company when
they reach the age Of 16.Thcy con
tinuc their class work every third