Tabor City tribune., 1963-05-29
THE THREE US
BY Paul &. Tullier,
Senior Editor,
World Book Year Book
Part w

Part Nv
School counse ing and
guidance services are now
trying to keep finger on
the pulses of faltering stu
dents. Primarily, counselors
help youngsters choose a vc-
cation and work out the high
school program that will best
prepare them for il. They
give them pointers on where
to look for job and how to
apply for il.
The trouble is that a gap
exists between the ideal ratio
of guidance personnel To stu
dents. The national average
now stands al slightly less
than one to 600. But The ideal
is considered one to 300. The
gap is being narrowed. how
ever, largely through funds
made available To the state
guidance systems via the Ma
tional Defense Education Act
of 1858. More than 1000 new
counSel0rS have been added
since the NDEA was passed.
Many schools are switching
counSclCrS into the lower
grades as well as in the uSu-
al llth and 18th grades. Too
many students quit in the
10th grade. before the coun-
SelorS can reach them.
These are not merely hold
ing actions limited to lust
the nine-month academic
term. Many pupils decide
during vacation that they
Will drop out of school. To
plug this loopholc. school
dropout programs are spill
ing over into the summer
months.
In ST. Louis. Mo. a city
youth commission. several
civic groups. and the Mis-
souri, Employment Service
have pooled their knowledge
and efforts to obtain sum-
mer jobs for selected high
school students. who. teach
erS suspect, won't return.
The kids get jobs: the Jobs
raise ambitions: the ambi-
tionS send them back 10
school, eager to carry on.
Encouraging Higher Goals
The trade schools are TAX
ing a new, more dOwn-to-
earth look at the courses they
offer aud the way they teach
them. This is an area that
has often been under fire
both inside and outside the
school system.
1t exists in a kind Of
fairyland that hasn't much
relation to the real world of
work. says Mrs. Mary Con-
way Kohler. Mrs. Kohler. a
retired judge from the San
Francisco Juvenile Court. re-
Gently completed an 49,
month study of youth en-
ploymcnt for the Taconic
Foundation of New York
City, Frequently" she says.
there is no relationship be-
tween the Skills the trade
schools teach. and the actual
requirements for job entry"
In answer to such criti-
CiSmS, many trade schools
are overhauling their systems
and clearing out the dead
wood. Wood High School in
indianapolis. Ind, for cx-
ample. pioneered in setting
up courses in barbering. dry
cleaning. beauty shop work.
and autU-body cleaning: Jobs
that are realistically gearcd
to the community'S job open
ings. Other schools are now
following suit.
But we are badly mistak-
en- If we think the schools
can solve this problem oy
themselves" says Edwin II.
Friedrich, director of curri-
culum services for the public
schools in New Orleans. cts
a time bomb we all have 20
take a hand in defusing -
businessmen, union leaders.
church leaders. state commits
sions, federal agencies. par
ents, teachers, social work.
erS."
Such views are getting the
green light in many places.
More and more. unions arc
facing the fact that an ap-
premiership is one Of the
few bridges by which tccn-
ayers can cross the gulf sep
arating school from work.
The Communications Work.
erS of America is one such
pace setter. II works hand
in-glove with the Bell sys-
tenn. for example. in recruit
ing and training telephone
operators and equipment
workers 20 replace The norm
q! loss among Bells $4,000