community. This plan I believe to be feasible and sensible and the most important educational problem before us today.

The arguments against such vocational training in our public schools are first that it is undemocratic and secondly, that it is too expensive. It is said by those who oppose the introduction Arguments of any kind of vocational training into the public schools that for Work. our schools do not exist to train for any special line of work, that their purpose is entirely general, and that when special trades are taught we are aiding in the stratification of society and are therefore imitating the old world and not living up to the ideals of the republic. It may be said in answer to the first objection that we all admit that our schools exist to prepare for life and for complete living, that anything which helps to make a man or woman independent in life, to give him a means of supporting himself, must tend to increase the sum of human happiness. It is false to the best interests of the community and of our civilization to let boys between the ages of 14 and 18 drift about from one occupation to another with no definite aim in view. Our school teachers are familiar with the boy who tires of what he considers the grind of school and at the first opportunity of evading the truant officer, leaves school and takes the first chance job he can find, say that of driving the grocer's delivery wagon. Having worked at this a few weeks, he tires of it, quits his job, hangs around in idleness until what little money he has is spent, and then seeks another job of the same kind. Many boys lead this sort of life for three or four years and then settle down more or less steadily to enter occupations for which they have had no specific training and which will lead them nowhere beyond their present condition. Driving the grocer's delivery wagon is of course an honorable occupation, but the boy who enters upon this work ought to give the matter careful consideration and enter upon it because he has determined to become a grocer, because he wishes to take up this occupation for his life work. We can do nothing better for the state than to provide ways in which these years of a young man's life, between fourteen and eighteen, can be made serviceable in fitting him for his future work. Good citizenship is the highest aim of our schools, we say, but a hungry citizen can never be a good citizen and a man without a trade or without a definite occupation is liable to become a hungry citizen. It is said again that America means opportunity and that the glory of our school system and our high schools is that they offer the same opportunity to the rich and poor alike, and that with the early specialization implied in vocational instruction country will tend to become like the countries of the old world, where children follow the occupations of their parents with no thought of change or of improving their conditions. But I do not believe this objection to have great weight. In theory it may seem to have force, but as a matter of fact I believe it will fade away upon careful scrutiny. It cannot be denied that men are of varying abilities. It will always be true that some men will be tradesmen, mechanics, laborers. What the state ought to do is to plan such a system of education and training as will give these classes in the community as good an opportunity to become proficient in their occupations as it does other classes, lawyers, physicians, engineers, journalists. The state should plan to induce its

our

tradesmen, mechanics and laborers to live as full and complete lives as possible. Here is the kernel of the question. Does our present scheme of education, eight years of book work, together with four years more of book work, for those who can take the four additional years and followed by immediate entry into the ranks of the wage-earners for those who cannot go to the high school, does this scheme lead the tradesmen, mechanics, and laborers of our country into as full enjoyment of life as would the plan suggested above and now in actual operation in a number of places? For myself, I believe that the plan outlined in this paper will not only make better tradesmen, mechanics and laborers, but that it will make better citizens, that it will lead to a larger and better view of life, that it will give these men a taste for higher things, which they do not now get. I shall not enter into the realm of statistics and take up the moot question of what percentage of our pupils ever attend the high school. Suffice it to say, what is well known to everyone present here today, that many boys and girls never go to the high school for one of two reasons, either their financial circumstances will not permit it, or their mental power is not sufficient to justify them in doing so. There are many who must become wage-earners at the earliest possible moment. In most states, pupils are allowed to do this at the age of fourteen, but in this state it is sixteen, except under special circumstances. The Massachusetts Commission of 1905 found as a result of their investigations that 76 per cent of those who went to work at fourteen could have remained in school as far as finances were concerned had the school work been profitable to them. But for those who did leave school to become wage-earners against their will and desire, our country affords many opportunities for continuing their education in the way of correspondence schools, night schools, etc. Boys and girls in this class who are really possessed of ambition have more opportunities for gratifying that ambition in this country than in any other in the world and as the years go on these opportunities are bound to increase rather than diminish. Therefore, I cannot see that any person is to be deprived of the opportunity of pursuing his studies into the higher realms on account of the proposed vocational courses. The same opportunities are here in the high school as before and the American spirit of pluck and ambition so characteristic of this new country will secure a high school education for those fitted for it. The vocational course of training is rather for that other class whose natural endowments do not justify them in endeavoring to pursue the academic course of study in our present high schools. To inspire in these students an ambition and pride in the work which they must pursue in life, to show them that the state cares for them and is interested in their progress, to lead them to make themselves as proficient as possible in the work they are to do, is the purpose of vocational training. These ideas, inspired in the minds and hearts of our prospective tradesmen, mechanics and laborers will, it seems to me, lead them to take a deeper interest in life itself, will introduce them to the conception of higher things and will thus make them better men and women as well as better workmen, and from this argument, it seems to me, there is no escape.

The objection that additional and special schools or courses are too

expensive is not so easily met as the one just discussed. It is true that our school tax at present constitutes from one-fourth to one-third of all the taxes to be raised and that we must move cautiously in recommending an increase in taxation. It is our duty as educators to show our communities the value to be received from improvements in the course of study and in this particular instance we should co-operate with the manufacturers and business men. Manufacturers and business men, it will be found, appreciate the need of better prepared employees. If they have not thought out the matter far enough to have planned a solution of the present difficulties encountered in securing competent workmen, it should be our duty to co-operate with them in showing them what the schools can do for them. One of the most evident characteristics of our present-day American civilization is the great interest in education everywhere in this country. I am convinced that no community will long or seriously object to any taxation for educational purposes for which value received is given. If our communities are making serious trouble for the school officers on account of the size of the school tax, it is because the schools are inefficient. Therefore, when we have shown our communities that industrial schools will pay them as a business proposition, I believe they will support industrial and Vocational training. The states of Massachusetts and New York regard this sort of education as so important that they have arranged for state aid for industrial schools, as I have already described. The state of Michigan is certainly rich enough to pursue a similar plan.

I am not sure whether public opinion is well enough in- Duty of formed on the subject of industrial education to induce her Michigan. legislature to do this at the present time or not. I believe, however, that no more far-reaching action could be taken by the legis lature of 1909 than to provide for the appointment of a commission on industrial education similar to the Douglas Commission in Massachusetts, whose duty it would be to study this subject for the next two years and report to the legislature of 1911 a plan for state aid to industrial education in this state. This suggestion I leave with you for your consideration.

THE SAGINAW TRADE SCHOOL.

The Saginaw trade school was opened in connection with the East Side Manual Training School January 5, 1910. The history of the organization of the school is as follows. The Hon. W. R. Burt, to whom Saginaw was already indebted for contributing $175,000.00 toward the erection of the East Side Manual Training School, had long been interested in trade education. On October 30, 1909, he addressed a letter to the Superintendent of Schools, saying that he would furnish the sum of $2,000.00 to pay the expenses of starting a trade school. This letter was turned over to the Board of Education and a special meeting of the Board was called for November 3. At this meeting a petition was presented to the Board of Education, signed by fifty-six machinists of

the city, protesting against the establishment of a trade school on the ground that it would put "on the market a lot of inexperienced men and be a detriment to the trade." The matter was thereupon referred to a special committee of the Board of Education. This committee met representatives of the machinists of the city, November 5, and a long discussion ensued on the subject of trade schools. Meanwhile the feeling grew that the matter ought to be put before the people of the city and accordingly at a special meeting of the Board of Education held November 10, it was decided to call a public mass meeting at the Auditorium, Sunday afternoon, November 14. This meeting was addressed by differ ent persons, and, after a general discussion, it was voted to recommend to the Board of Education the acceptance of Mr. Burt's gift, and the establishment of the Trade School. At the regular meeting of the Board of Education held November 17, 1909, this action was accordingly taken. The Trade School was opened January 5, 1910.

Announcement was made through the different public schools and in the daily papers that the Trade School was to be opened and any boy over 14 years old who desired to learn a trade was invited to send in his application. In all, 89 names were received. The Superintendent visited the schools, as most of the applicants were pupils in the public schools, talked with the boys in regard to their wishes and learned what trade each boy desired to learn. It was found that some of the boys had no definite idea as to any trade to be learned, while others were fully decided. The following trades were named by the applicantsmachinist, electrician, plumber, carpenter. As by far the largest number wished to learn the machinist's trade, this was selected as the trade to be taught. Next, the parents of the applicants were asked to call at the superintendent's office and express their desires in the matter. There was now a falling off in the number of applicants, but still 45 appeared with their parents. As it had been planned to begin with one class, it became necessary to refuse admission to some of the applicants. The final decision was to take only those boys who were over 15 years of age. Of these there were 28 so that the school opened with this number belonging.

It is hoped to continue this school for two or three years in its present form and then to put the boys in the shops of the city under the co-operative plan, such as is in force in the Fitchburg, Mass., high school and Lewis Institute, Chicago. Under this plan the boy spends one week in the school and the next week in the shop or factory. In this way the boys get as much practical training as theoretical and as much. theoretical as practical. It cannot be definitely determined just what shape the Saginaw Trade School will assume in the coming years but it is hoped to carry out the plan here outlined.

The tentative course of study laid out for three years is as follows:

The second and third years' work cannot be definitely outlined in advance, but it will probably be something as follows:

The iron work for the first year has been in the forge shóp, including the common forging operations and the making of tools for the machine shop. Machine shop work was taken up the last of the first year and will be continued through the two years following.

WOOD WORK.

The work in the wood shop is for the purpose of developing skill in the use of tools and care in laying out and construction.

MECHANICAL DRAWING.

Drawing will comprise a thorough course in the use of instruments and the making and reading of such drawings as the machinists will

use.

ARITHMETIC.

After a review and drill in common and decimal fractions, mensuration will be thoroughly taught and the students will be made proficient in the use of shop formulae.

CIVICS.

Dunn's "The Community and the Citizen" (D. C. Heath & Co.) has been put in the hands of the boys, the purpose being to develop in them a feeling of their responsibilities as members of the community.

LIBRARY.

A library of reference and reading books has been provided, treating of iron and steel, handy mechanics, science, trade and commerce, history and civics, stories of adventure, biography and poetry. The titles of these books are as follows: