Learning to Be a Schoolmaster

by Thomas R. Cole

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:

1. How did you happen to enter the profession?

2. What are the advantages that you have experienced in your profession?

3. What are the disadvantages that you have experienced in your profession?

4. What is the remuneration in your profession?

5. If you were to attend high school again, to what subjects would you give special attention in order to make yourself better fitted for your profession?