The Manhattan Trade School for Girls in New York city is a short:time all-day prepar atory trade school. It trains for slcilled trade work. It is a pioneer school in this class of education and was begun in 1902 under private control, passing into the public school system in 1910. The aim is to shorten the period of apprenticeship of those girls who leave the public schools to go to worlc, and to create in them an'appreciation of the rneaning and value of their trade and its relation to the work of the world. The school is open throughout the year, students may enter at any time, are on probation for a time, and each is advanced according to her ability, hence there is no definite length of course; experience has shown that it may be anywhere between six months and two years. The trades offered are: (1) Those which centre about the needle, sudi as dressrnaking and millinery; (2) those that use foot-power and electric-power machines, including such machines as those for embroid ery, hemstitching and buttonholes; (3) those that depend on the expert use of paste or glue. such as labeling, sample mounting, pocket-book and card-casemaking, library outfits, blank book covers, and novelty boxmaking. Practical aca demic work, as well as drawing and color; are also taught, but always with an eye single to their bearing on the needs of each trade. A cer tificate is given only after a girl has been tested in a position and has shown her proficiency and also a good spirit in the workroom. The tui tion is free, and in especially deserving cases some financial aid may be given to pupils. The school has the cordial support of some of the foremost philanthropists. trade unionists, social workers and employers of labor of New York city. The Boston Trade School follows closely the plan of the Manhattan Trade School for Girls. It was begun in 1904 and taken over by the city in 1908. Similar trade schools for girls adapted to their communities are found in other cities, Worcester, Massachusetts and Milwau kee, Wisconsin, being especially notable.
Schools for specific trades are to be found all over the United States. The Brewers' Schools of New York, Chicago and Milwaukee; the Schools of Watchmaking and Repairing in Waltham, Mass., and at the Bradley Polytchnic in Peoria, Ill., and the Barbers' Schools in Nebraska and other States are instances. Ship building, photography, linotype and many other trades are taught in this class of school.
Business enterprises have also opened trade schools. Many of the institutes for dress making, so numerous in the large cities, were organized by some firm to teach a special sys tem of drafting patterns.
The Apprenticeship or Corporation School is also found, being represented by such instruc tion as is given their workmen by the school of Messrs. R. Hoe and Company, manufacturers of printing presses, and the Carriage Builders' National Association (both in New York city), the Ladies' Home Journal, Philadelphia, the General Electric Company, at West Lynn, Mass., and great railroads, such as the New York Central and the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe.
Night classes for teaching trades are to be found in connection with the work of social and religious bodies. The Saint George's Trade School of New York city belongs to this class. The Catholic Protectory, near New York city, is teaching numerous trades for both sexes as a part of its scheme of reformation, and simi lar work is done in other institutions of this character.
Trade or technical teaching in institu tions with other educational aims is found fre quently. The pressure to introduce this work has been so great that trade classes have been offered in a variety of places, some of them receiving State or Federal aid. Much of the instruction is of a supplementary character, to take the place of apprenticeship. The technical features are usually more prominent than the special shop practice. Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, offers classes which resemble those of the trade continuation schools. The fundamental aim of the institute is for "industrial and technical in struction? but it has responded to the call for trade training and has opened night classes to fit boys for carpentering, machine work, plumb ing and fresco painting. Trade classes for girls are also given. The technical classes are justly noted, but they do not aim to prepare ap prentices for the trade. The Drexel and Spring Garden institutes in Philadelphia, the Me chanics Institute in Rochester, the Hebrew Technical institutes for both sexes and the Clara de Hirsch Home in New York city and the Christian associations are instances of in stitutions with other aims giving attention to trade instruction.
The great schools for the colored people and Indians have been foremost in inaugurating trade education as an adjunct to their academic or normal aims. The Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute in Virginia, the Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute and the Agri cultural and Mechanics College in Greensboro, N. C., are examples of these schools. They have developed for both sexes almost all of the leading trades. The work is given in the most practical manner, as the shops are for produc tive industries and not alone for theoretical instruction. Trade teaching in these schools has been placed on a high ground and the re sults have justified the wisdom of the methods chosen.
Continuation, co-operative and part-time classes are increasing in number, Massachusetts, New York, Wisconsin and Indiana have been fcremost in enacting laws to further vocational education and have organized various forms of trade classes to help their working people. Other States are following rapidly. Depart ment stores are using the continuation schools for training their sales-people and are also organizing part-time classes in their own build ings. In Massachusetts the trade schools in Beverly and Fitchburg have begun an inter relation with the industries in their towns and the school in part-time instruction. Prevo cational work in the later grades of the school is increasing and serves to guide young workers into suited to their ability, thus preparing them for entering trade or tak ing further training at a school.
The passing of the Federal bill for voca tional education gave a great impetus to train ing boys and girls below college grade for trades and industries. The aim of the meas ure, stated tersely, is to promote training in agriculture, trades, industries and home eco nomics, and also to train teachers for voca tional positions. The Federal board is also au thorized to make investigations and to send out reports. It supervises and controls the work it assists, and works in connection with the State boards — the Federal and State boards acting as an agent. During the European War (by spe cial legislation) it prepared men for various branches of war work and is still giving train ing to disabled soldiers, sailors and marines.
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