The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1929-07-11
THE SCHOOLS REACH OUT
BEYOND COMMENCEMENT
BY GEORGE C. DORSCH
Sunday Sum

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For generations, until very recent
ly the graduates of the public schools
of Baltimore each June were given
saccharine advice by elderly orators,
were tremendously presented diplo-
mas and allowed to go their individ-
ual ways, which, in most instances,
meant routes to work.
Except for their families or their
friends, the majority of whom were
uninfuential, the graduates were for
ced to find their own employment, fire.
quently wandering from one industry
to another, from Office to store, before
they found vacancy. Often the pros
pective employers declined to add
them to payrolls because of made
hquacies unknown even to the appli-
cant.
The same held true for the student
seeking summer employment as a
means to continuing his education and
more important still for the child who,
either because of economic reasons or
the desire to leave school and start
career of his own, discontinued his
education at an early date.
Thrown Into Chaos
There was no guiding hand in the
school system to place him in a posi-
ton, none to direct him into that
channel where his qualifications would
fit the job, none to coordinate his
temperament and character with en-
ployment. He had been placed in
school when very young, had followed
through numbers of classes with var
ying degrees of diligence and conclud-
ing his education at a point selected
by himself, his parents or guardians,
left the orderly school behind and
played with the chaos outside.
1t was inevitable, therefore, that
there should enter into the schools a
system of counselors whose duty
should be to watch the individual pu-
pill, to study his eccentricities, his tai
ent, his habits as far as ascertainable
and his scholastic progress. Tables
are kept indicating the mental and
physical growth of the child each year
and as he natures the counselors con-
fer with him, seeking his viewpoint,
| learning his ambitions.
They indicate but never command
the course the child should take, bas-
ing their action on the results of their
study. In many instances they know
the child with a greater preclseness
than the parent, realizing his qualifi-
cations and his adaptabiity. They have
reviewed his record for attendance
and promptness, the state of his
health and his mental qualifications
learned from intelligence tests given
periodically. They know whether the
the child should continue his studies
after he has reached the age required
by law before he can enter the bust
ness world, but theirs is not bust
ness of telling a student when he
should stop or continue his scholastic
labors. This is the prerogative of the
parent only.
Bureau Created
Extension of the counsellor system
was unavoidable. With the data be-
fore them the school authorities had
to go forward or stand still. The re-
suit was the founding of placement
bureau last September, with Miss Lee
ona C. Buchwald, supervisor of voca-
tional and educational guidance, in
charge. At the outset she summoned
Miss Mildred Belt and Irwin D. Med
niger, both versed in employment tao
tics, and appointed them placement
counselors, new positions in the sys-
tenn of schools.
Theirs is the work of finding en-
ployment for the student graduating
from school, leaving before he has
completed his course or wishes en-
ployment during the Christmas, Eas-
ter and summer holidays. More i'm
portant, they have the difficult task
of placing the student where his
qualifications will best meet the de-
mands of the job and vice versa.
The bureau has no set rules. When
organized it's authorities decided to
learn as they progressed in the new
work and in the elasticity of their
work has been much of it's effective
ness.
Record Is Studied
The student, whether a graduate OF
one leaving school either permanent
ly or for a short period, cannot APP
ply directly to the bureau for posi-
ton placement The application has
to be made to the students school
counselor, the person who has been in
close contact with the student during
his entire scholastic course. A record
of the applicants work at the school
and other intimate details then are
forwarded to the bureau which, using
this record as a basis for action, gets
busy.
Each application is an individual
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