NOTES ON EDUCATION

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 220, 10 June 1908, Page 15

NOTES ON EDUCATION

■[BV jisOCIUTES.] i

APPRENTICESHIP IN SWITZERLAND. Tho education of an apprentice ; has both V Ha industrial,and literary side., Whoro tho apprenticeship system lias signally, failed has beon in its inadequate provision for tho propor co-ordination of theso aspects, and its rule-of-thumb njethoiJ.of instruction. Scientific instruction in the principles of a trado 1 . 'means, i.npt.'oiily mechanical expertness in ■ tho craft, and tho.assimilation of the theories ■. appertaining-thereto, but tho development of an intelligent mind, which ought, ultimately, to bo Capable of applying principles to' prac- ' tice.,••jTfias|ls to say,"' tho apprentice should ; bo aoiiiothing more than an export craftsman' ;. —ho should bo an intellectual craftsman.' •: Up till tho .age of H, : eduoation in tho youthful mind, .is associated with mental drudgery. Tha full import of the preliminary process, at'.school is not recognised, and the Budden cessation from study is valued as a welcome, release from a long bondage. Books 'arc thrown aside, and in too many cases the • knowledge sown in school-years', aro left undeveloped, choked bv tho habits' engendered, by. the irresponsible freedom of youth. It is just at this; stage that continuation schools and trade classes would seem to havoiviiluo/ from 14 to,l7.the true value of education 'begins 'to_ dawn upon tho youth, who, at first rebelling at compulsion, soon . ; comes, to appreciate its benpficial rosults. The following' interesting articlo from _a Homo paper, throws some light'on is • being done with reMrd'to tko.appi'cijticoship question in Switzerland Within recent yesrs much attention lias been -paid to apprenticeship "in Switzerland., For' this,. three important/reasons can be ; assigned." "_ln ;the first,'place,'there is the ever-recurring which forces many of the "young Swiss to leave their na- . , .tive land in search of profitable employment. : Then there'..is the feeling that, with univer- - sal suffrage, "every "citizen should bo trained. in,his civic duties before reaching the ago. . / of: manhood. And, -lastly,. there istho' drift , of the I country population' to tho towns, .which threatens to incrcaso the ranks of tho unemployed. . To keep: the people on tho : land,, not, to'send towhsriien'back .to it, is . the aim of Swiss agrarian legislation, and for this purpose it is sought to give country ptu'- .• Buits a scientific interest-."' '■ v-.'y.'L"' .Theso. considerations .have been responsiblo : for. the growth of': .technical institutes; and • commercial "schools.:' But- there is-.a' feeling that-.these institutions do , not reach all classes, and (that the.y compare unfavourably with tho old-fashioned apprenticeship because : they fail to supply - the tutorial " care of- tho -- . master.-' ; If.this could'be assured there'.M'ould!' \ be no apprentices' question.. But the .growth', \ of large business houses, has eliminated tho \small master. • These largo ':.ho.uscs . cannot 1 . eJtaploy : apprentices; with profit - either.' to . tlnemselves or to their charges, -for division . . of\ labour is so, , extensive as . 'to', unfit 'them for! training- purposes. In .fact, evoryono wishes to get the well-trained assistant,. and •; no lone wishes to train him. In the adaptatiqn of (the old ideas to'the new .conditions, tho 1 Swijss \avo; taken'.counsel ..'of employers and •Trade"; Unions., They i-haye appointed .'Appren? ' .Acts relating , ■' ■to npprenticeshipl v As' most of the. latter, aro of (Cantonal origin, and' have .by,-laws relating" to ;the different trades,'they form, if numbers Only are considered;.'& volume of lnestim-.'i . ablje -'value ■to the-.soci'al,reformer:'- •: ; -,| . ■ t ,:G|he'- ; gbneral tendency 1 . in-; All:. thbse' 'Acta'. | is to make attendance 'at-trade scliqols com- . pufsory for all apprentices,- girls as well as opjs. ._. If . this/is not.|don's.; by,'.direct'legisla-/ ' tic®,. it: is': effected :,;by;;tlie : '-:'renuirern.'ent that • tht>., articles must he. approved"-by the Home ~ Department. / AccocclinrjO to ' the tradc/we: thus find, medical examination prescribed; or i v' the production of: sclipol: certificates' .demand-; ed ; m some cases'itr is: stihulated, that tho: y. . apprentice:may be called-"upon to. pass an examination inl schpplf/Vfat"±li4 end of his' articles..: .to'-, release his' apprentice .'during office .'hours to ". r-nable him to attend classes, and: tho ap-.,,-prentice is .bound-*to employ tlns v timo- and an/ additicfnal iamo"ilrit of his leisu'ro atithej " trade school.: To'-'iVendcr the Vworkv at tho 1 ' ' . latter efficient, instraction. usually'.ceases by' • 7/i>.m., ii 'and-the .'isyllabusi'.inciudeis -instruc-/' '. .. Tien in gymnastics and civics.' .- ;V-' vThese,- ; twd» scho.ols.;are:. l .underJ. : ,the;ihspec-; : tion of the ApprenticesV .Commissions ' (com- • posed of employer^,- ; membors of Trade Councils, ,and-~ public. officials),;.which visit 'ajpreiir l - ticos at- .-work to see 'that^thsy.rare properly -. • 4nd progressively 'taught',':^nd;bring to 1 their : notice trade societies. aM rcMbs* which . introduce • tho , young men "to ■; fcornoraib.'-life.' In - most eases, the. artiVles-j-equire.'thit/tho.'ar)-' • pront-ico shall jait,' tfio end'.of.-' ' ,; ■ his' iim'o, forexamination. re'epives a:' certificate-:,of- proficiency,';'ivitl]:,j : a., v, Govornment viso. he fail,:: often perniitted tp 'shorteii' .:tXo , ; :lehjth , ..,of articles as a. .reward i for/.difeonco >and pro- ;■ gress. v The maximum.'amount-'of. reduction, is six months. .' • .. • -r,'a-.-, ~ ' '..The .length :of articles" varies -with the- ' .trade; ' As a .rulo it does not excced four years,- and tho average may bo taken as . less than jhres. Tho. hours or work are limited to: a .maximum ;of "'sixty to sixty-six ; ner, week for: boys and -to sixty for girls, -and must-allow a period of nine hours for'. sleeri overj; day.- Oni.Siindaya and, holidays work is still further .restricted,', and; <rirls are further forbidden .to • undertake : night- work. These regulations apply; to. tho industries more Vespcmally. ■ In "commercial life -itvis found that-the training given-iii eommercial schools is quite '.sufficient to permit of t-lvi engagement of .the bpst piipils 'as. salaried assistants from the cpmmeifcement. Hero . tho co-operation: of. masters and the Chambers; of Commercois: assured, but in. the industries; the future of the apprentice is largely determined by the action' of the Trades Unions.' In. this respect Switzerland . can-givo a favourable-'reuort.' The master ' does not keep an apprentice standing in his ■ training, 'aiid tho ,Trade Union is ready, to recognise a reduction in the length of articles as a,reward for excellence of work, or as a natural result of gaining a special .'ccrtificato, Theso reductions do-; not affopt the relations ' between tho numbers of- workmen and' apprentices,. which are- fixed by - statute;' they do not abate tho ■ stringency of tho final examination, but they add' that element oi oncouragcment to tho life of an apprentice which stimulates his enterprise and quickens his imagination. : - : -

j MICRATION OF TEACHERS. ' FROM AMERICA TO EUROPE.Some 1000 teachers from the United States 'and.Canada are to visit Europe during the. ooming autumn and winter. They will come from all parts "of the , Americanvcoiitinent,. mainly, from elementary, secondary, and manual 'training schools, and will tour England,' Scotland, Ireland, and the Conti-'' iient on ari jnspcciien of schools and teaching mcthdris..: Mr. Alfred Mosely, who organised an expedition : of English teachers to the United States in 1006t7, will niako arrangements for the reception of the teachers and for their inspection of the schools to ho visited. Tho inspection will bo confined to schools of elementary, and secondary' grade, to manual training, industrial, and trado : schools,'and to institutions for tho training of teachers, and the visitors will bo selected from thoso engaged in similar ,work in tho United States. 'Tho teachers are (jxpected to arrive in a succession of small parties between September next and February, 1909, and will visit the principal citics and towns "of.tho United Kingdom. They will sco moot . - of tho great colleges and Universities, tho principal technical institutions and polytechnics, the great public schools such as' Eton, Rugby, "Winchester, and : tho preparatory schools in connection therewith; tho county schools, municipal secondary schools, colleges for girls, schools for co-education, training colleges, and schools of art. A certain number will also examine into special branches of education ouch a3 agricultural and mining colleges, reformatory school!?, schools for adults and defectives, and domestic economy schools', and: the investigations will bo mado under arrangements with the local county, and other authorities ooncerncd, and local committees aro being formed to help the visitors, who will number in all about ono thousand. Conferences will bo held between tlie American and English teachers for the. interchange of views. It is hoped that intercourse will assist in strengthening friendly relations between tho two : great JiiiglishBpeakilig countries.