Evening star., 1940-02-25
Vocational Truininq
Problem Discussed
By Frederic J. Hdskin.

group of educators in the Capital City
has come forth with stitch in time"
argument on behalf Of better schools,
adapted to 1910 needs.
The Educational Policies Commission
is an organization created by the Ma
tional Education Association to guide
schools, school boards and teachers in
these confusing times. It's chairman is
Alexander j. Stoddard, superintendent of
schools in Philadelphia.
Some of the commissions published
reports to date are: Social Services and
the Schools" Federal Activities in Edu-
cation" "The Purposes of Education in
American Democracy" THE Unique
Function OF Education in American
Democracy"
Its latest report timed fdf release dur
ing the convention of the National Edu-
cation Association in st. Louis this week,
has the resounding title: Education and
Economic Well-Being in American De-
mocracy."
1t goes directly into the idea that what
| We want to do in this country is to in
| crease the earned incomes of all wage
| earning groups. 1t says that one way
| to do this is to recast our public school
| education in such manner that every boy
| and girl, at the time of leaving school,
| will be ready to enter definite job.
Vocational education is not new idea
| in this country, but it is doubtless true
| that few teachers or pupils are satisfied
| with the vocational information, advice
and training which is today available.
In the argument for the streamlining
OF schools to train boys and girls for
definite semi-skilled and skilled occupa-
tions, the educators would appear to
have made point on which there will
| be little dissension. Just how the schools
| and teachers are going to know which
| occupations offer the greatest chance is
| moot question. In this connection,
the commission approves the recon-
mendation of the Advisory Committee
on Education which reported to Presi-
dent Roosevelt two years ago that con-
tinuous occupation surveys should be
| made in this country. This committee
| believed that the Bureau of Labor Sta
tistics might be assigned this task, act
| ing as a subdivision of the Central Sta
tistical Board, and cooperating with all
other governmental agencies which
| might be of service.
l paf+ {ro 30, -
them and considerable new equipment
might be needed for putting schools in
| line to send forth all students equipped
to enter some technical or semi-technical
work, The United States has not hesi-
tated IN the past 10 years to put millions
of dollars into school buildings, as part
of the public works program. Every
parent knows that buildings are but
part Of the story of good education.
The policies commission may run into
| opposition when it says that every State
ought to raise its minimum years of
compulsory education to 10, and try to
| keep at least one-half of all our children
at their desks and in the school training
| shops until they have finished junior COL
| 1CSCs IL IlllS 10 dl1 W UC lice tuuSdllUll,
and this is what the policies commission
means, there is undoubtedly going to be
a call for more money for public educa-
I ton than is provided at present.
The educators get down to basic eco
nomic principles in their argument that
wealth is created by labor; that machines
have enabled us to step up production.
but have made it imperative that our
laborers know how to use machines
They argue that high standards Of gen.
eral intelligence are necessary if the
Nation is to climb out of the depression
and increase its productivity.
If We concentrate our efforts on boys
and girls when they are still of school
age, say the educator economists, aver
age productivity will rise tremendously in
this country, likewise the average in
come. The commission does not say.
although it is presumably implied, that
1t might be better to spend money on
training people when they are young
than be forced to give relief to these
same persons when they are much older,
much more discouraged and disillusioned.
Long ago there was philosopher who
never could make up his mind as to
which came first-the chicken or the egg.
A similar argument goes on today be-
tween those who say that demand comes
first and those who assert that produc-
ton must be foremost The educators
recognize this puzzle, but declare that
almost all economists are agreed that
efficient production must precede wide
distribution and consumption.
| The Educational Policies Commission,
Of course, is concerned with the public
education of large numbers of American
boys and girls In its latest book it makes
no comment regarding the liberal arts
education ideas so dear to the hearts Of
DR.. Robert M Hutchins of the University
| of Chicago and his co-worker, String
fellow Barr, who heads the classical four
| year st. Johns College at Annapolis, Md.
| It has often indicated, however, that 1t
would like to see as many persons as
| possible familiar with the best literature
| and thought Of the ages. But in this
newest report it is primarily concerned
| with education which will enable q man
| to earn his bread and butter.
The commission is realistic regarding
the social, economic and business set-ups