he goal differ not
only in length but in kind. The work in mathematics for the future
civil engineer, for example, must conform to college entrance
standards and involves an amount of study that is quite unnecessary
for the boy whose aim is to become a carpenter or machinist. The first
needs a thorough course in algebra, geometry, and trigonometry; the
second needs industrial arithmetic, with only such applications of
higher mathematics as may be of use to him in his trade. The same
principle holds with respect to other subjects.
What boys who expect to enter industrial occupations most need at this
period is instruction that will be of practical value to them for
future wage earning. It is doubtful whether high school courses which
have been formulated in the first instance to prepare pupils for a
college course can furnish such instruction and it is still more
doubtful whether the trade training required by the future mechanic
and the broader preparation required for the professions can be given
effectively in the same school.
A TWO-YEAR TRADE COURSE
It is the opinion of the Survey Staff that a separate school in which
direct training for the industrial trades is emphasized would result
in more profitable use of the pupils' time and probably induce many of
them to remain in school up to the apprentice entering age. Such a
school, with a curriculum embracing vocational training for all the
principal trades, would easily command an enrollment sufficient to
justify the installation of a good shop equipment and the employment
of a corps of teachers qualified by special training and experience
for this kind of work. Even if only one-half the number who enter the
skilled trades each year attended the school, the enrollment would
reach at least 800 boys.
A trade school of this kind would relieve the first and second year
classes of many pupils that the technical high schools do not want and
cannot adequately provide for. The minimum entering age should be not
less than 14, and no requirement other than age should be imposed.
This would draw part of the over-age pupils from the grades and take
from the junior high school a certain number of boys who could profit
by the greater amount of time given to shop work in the trade school.
A good many will stay only one year, and every effort should be made
at the time of entrance to learn the intentions of the pupil. If it
seems fairly certain that he will not remain lon
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