Department of Vocations and Industries: About Higher Education

Department of Vocations and Industries

X — About Higher Education

Dear Friend Howard: Your second letter pertaining to this matter of vocations is at hand. We appreciate the interest you are taking in this department of Mutual Work, and are glad to know that you concur in the view that there is in this day un- mistakable need for our young men to specialize, and that you agree with us as to the high possibilities of the western boy.

It is a satisfaction for us to know that you value a general education so highly, and to hear that you have decided to finish high school before adopting a vocation, and perhaps even before making your final selection of one. Evidently you are aware of the fact that nowadays a high school education is only the equiv- alent relatively of aji eighth-grade schooling' a dozen years ago, and that in a decade from now the college gradute may be as common among us as the high school man is today. And just as the eighth-grade person finds great difficulty in competing with the high-school man, now so common, so the high-school man is likely to encounter the same great difficulty in keeping alongside of the college graduate who is almost certain to be the average profes- sional man of tomorrow.

Tn this connection, and apparently somewhat at variance with the idea just expressed, you may have seen some of your friends or acquaintances who, by choice or otherwise, quit school early and entered upon their practical careers. Sufficient success to attract the envy or admiration of you who remained at school may have attended the efforts of at least some of these persons. Now and then you may have thought that it was poor business for you to spend your time and money with teachers, classmates and books. when you might be managing your own campaign in practical life instead, and receiving money for doing it. At times, no doubt. you have even thought that you would be progressing faster and getting a firmer start in life, if you were spending the same time and effort out of school. The situation for awhile, even for a number of years, may seem to warrant this opinion. But wait a few years more, and we are certain that you will draw a different conclusion.

A local educator has estimated that every day a student spends in high school or college is worth ten dollars to him. The esti- mate is probably low enough. In the great marketplace of life a higher price is paid for the specialist than for the general work-

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man, and among specialists the highest value is almost always placed upon the man with the highest education.

It is the final outcome that should concern us most. Many a midway station has been reached first by him who has fallen far behind at the final goal. Does it not seem reasonable to you that by remaining in school you are preparing a larger and firmer foundation upon which you can build a larger and finer structure? Certainly your laying the foundation of success for a success- ful end nine times out of ten is the result of a thorough and logical beginning, and this kind of beginning is usually the longest and most difficult. It may at times be very discouraging, but never- theless it is conducive to the best results. To illustrate : Have you ever had experience in the growing of ornamental shade trees? If so, have you not observed that the hardwood varieties are very slow and difficult to get started as compared with the soft wood trees? But, when once in a good growing condition, do they mot soon become finer and more handsome and of far greater value than it would be possible for their neighbors, the soft wood varie- ties, to become? Are we not safe in saying that — thorough prep- aration at the beginning followed by steady, gradual development is best and safest and certain to bring the best ultimate results, and that it is the final outcome of a young man that counts for the most?

In speaking of young men and education we have in mind here the young men who receive their general education in school and college, and do not refer to the rare exceptions who are able to pick up the equivalent outside. There are among us a number of these self-made men, but amid the easy opportunities for going to school they are becoming fewer every day.

The college graduate is excepted, of course, to continue his learning after he obtains his degree. In fact the great majority of the practical things he learns will be collected during his prac- tical career.

Your school and college days are essentially clays for train- ing; to teach you how to observe, to think, to classify, to study, to learn and to draw fine distinctions between one course and an- other, weighing the arguments in favor and those against, and to help you to make a wise decision, deciding the right thing to do next.

Some of the subjects in school and college curricula may have little or no direct practical bearing upon one's career, ex- cept as they train the mind to think accurately, developing capa- city to study a problem in real life, for example the problem of choosing a vocation, with power to draw correct final conclusions and to render clear and forceful expression to the same if occa- sion requires. In other words, high school and college will place

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into your hands valuable tools for later use in the great work- shop of life. And while we would not attempt to defend our present educational system in its entirety, yet we are firmly con- vinced that there can be no improvised system half so good for the training and development of a young man who is making his start in life.

Along with this schooling, though, there must come the prac- tical experience necessary to digest and assimilate the theoret- ical. To obtain the best results, these two essentials must be mixed in right proportion.

In regard to this practical experience, from what you have said in your letters, we consider that you are extremely fortun- ate in that you have had to work for the money to keep you in school. This has been beneficial to you in at least three ways, namely :

1st. You have gained actual practical experience.

2nd. This earning of money by steady and regular effort has taught you the value of the dollar. Many men with splendid earning ability fail to become successful in their own financial affairs because they lack an appreciation of the value of a dollar and consequently of the thing that it helps them to acquire.

3rd. And more important still the necessity for earning money has given you the habit and ability to work. And regular intelligent work is the common ground upon which all useful and successful people stand.

Referring again to this matter of schooling, we do not mean to say that you will not obtain valuable information in school life. While training is, in our opinion, the chief benefit, yet, there comes direct information that will enlighten you and serve you well in your later career. So far as information is concerned, however, the greatest advantage will likely result from giving vou a pleasant and systematic acquaintance with each of the dif- ferent branches of knowledge, which even though elementary in its nature, may be increased and developed later, with comparative ease and success, because of the introduction to that subject in earlier years at school.

This acquaintance with the various subjects taught in school will broaden you by giving a comprehensive insight into the various departments of learning, so that, when you choose your own vocation and begin to specialize, you will understand other fields of activity and their relation to the one you select. This will help you to correlate your work, and will make of you a better- balanced man.

Your education is only just fairly begun when you are grad- uated, even with a college degree, but yet, you will have made a splendid commencement inasmuch as you have had some excel- lent training and gained some valuable information. This gen-

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eral education will furnish you firm ground upon which to stand while specializing and in following your life's work.

In conclusion we wish to say : School and college are places of training and enlightment. A college education is a splendid thing for those who can digest it.

These institutions of learning will teach you how to learn, and so fit you to go on with your education.

Education is a constant growth toward God, and does not end with college. It is a matter of continuous progress.

Life itself is the great school, and when you leave college you simply move to another department, perhaps to the open hallway of the great school of life, and in so doing you enter a larger world.

We wish you success in obtaining a good, general education before specializing, and desire to remain sincerely your friends, The Committee on Vocations and Industries.

By Claude Richards.

Going Home

When all the tasks are done, the work complete, And from the Homeland we the summons hear,

Thrice blest are we if, like the little children, We fall asleep without a thought of fear.

For oft into the mind a dimming nucleus Of doubt there comes to mar the glorious light,

Then, going Home is robbed of all its beauty, Is fraught with awful visions of the night.

And wherefore ? As from tiny sleep-wrapped seedling. The living blossoms come forth fair and bright,

Immortal spirit, through death's shadowy portal, Ascends to higher realms of life and light.

Ah, yes ! When all tasks have been completed,

May we as tired children fall asleep, With perfect faith that body shall awaken,

To energy of life from slumber deep.

Grace Ingles Frost.