Never before in the history of America has the public school been such
an important factor in the life of the child. In fact, to some extent it
has become too great a factor and the home has permitted or even forced
the school to take over certain responsibilities that cannot well be
delegated.
The high school enrollment is gaining at a tremendous pace and with the
rapid growth comes the problem of greater diversity of student ability
to serve. Twenty years ago the best of the students in the elementary
schools continued their education in the high school. This made a much
simpler problem in the providing of courses of study and equipment.
To-day, however, many of the children who enter the high schools are
able to pursue only such subjects as will fit them for industrial or
commercial occupations. Unless a reasonable amount of such work is
provided, these pupils soon drop out of school and add to the large army
of untrained workers.
The adjusting of boys and girls to proper vocations is one of the big
problems confronting the home and the school. The patron often fails to
understand what the school has to offer and the pupil, with little or no
definite knowledge as to what he is best fitted to do, struggles along
hoping that through the aid of the school he may find himself. In fact,
this country's future depends to a considerable degree upon the
educational adjustment that can be made for its boys and girls during
the upper grade and high school period of their lives. It is no wonder,
then, that vocational guidance departments, trade schools, part-time
schools, and continuation schools have come into prominence during the
last decade.
One of the first things to be done in any community is to study the
industrial and commercial conditions in that locality and then attempt
to offer such special subjects as the district can afford. The students
must be encouraged to learn what the requirements are for certain
vocations. Some schools have provided special courses of study along
vocational lines, while others use student club organizations as a means
of giving information to the pupils.
A good example of the club organization was worked out recently in one
of our high schools. The eight hundred high school boys in attendance
were divided into three groups. One group consisted of those interested
in the study of opportunities offered by the different professions; the
second group, those interested in commercial work; and the third group,
those who wished to enter the industrial and engineering field. One of
these groups met each week on Tuesday morning, forty-five minutes before
the opening of school. An outside speaker, actually engaged in one of
the vocations, would address the meeting and answer questions. Special
provision was made to see that the speaker gave the information needed,
and he was asked to answer the following questions: