least, there are a great number of children who must
leave school at fourteen, whether they have completed the grammar grades
or not. With them, the problem of education shapes itself into this
question: "Shall they be well or badly prepared for their work?" The
boys enter the shops and mills; the girls marry and make homes. Are they
to be efficient workers and housekeepers? The answer rests largely with
the schools.

Ohio has provided, for the solution of the problem, a continuation
school law, modeled on the more extensive plans of the German
Continuation School system. The law reads: "In case the board of
education of any school district establishes part-time day schools for
the instruction of youths over fourteen years of age who are engaged in
regular employment, such board of education is authorized to require all
youths who have not satisfactorily completed the eighth grade of the
elementary schools to continue their schooling until they are sixteen
years of age; provided, however, that such youths, if they have been
granted Age and Schooling Certificates and are regularly employed, shall
be required to attend school not to exceed eight hours a week between
the hours of 8:00 A. M. to 5:00 P. M. during the school term."

Cleveland and Cincinnati, acting under this authority, have established
continuation schools. In Cleveland they are voluntary; in Cincinnati
they are compulsory. In both cities, children between fourteen and
sixteen may attend school, during factory time, for four hours each
week.

Little enough, you protest. Yes, but it is a beginning.

The child in such a continuation school may choose between academic
work, art, drawing and designing, shop-work, millinery, dressmaking and
domestic science. In some cases a continuation course is possible. Thus
far the system has worked admirably.

Equally significant are the Massachusetts Vocational Schools, which are
intended to provide a technical training for the boys who wish to pass
directly from the grammar school into industry.

Under the Massachusetts law, the state pays half of the running expenses
of any vocational school which is organized with the approval of the
State Director of Vocational Training. The Springfield school, under
the supervision of E. E. MacNary, is housed on one floor of a factory
building. The boys may not come at an earlier age than fourteen and Mr.
MacNary insists, where possible, that they complete the regular seventh
g