Thames Star. TUESDAY, AUGUST 19, 1930 "CAREERS."

Thames Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 17969, 19 August 1930, Page 4

Thames Star.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 19, 1930 "CAREERS."

"With malic* towards non«; with charity for all; with firmness in ths right, as God givss us to ses ths right."—Lincoln.

Under this brief but catching title the Government have published a useful little book, which has just reached Thames. It contains 104 pages, it is full of material, it is furnished with an excellent index, and'finally it is very handsomely printed. The sub-title shows its aim. It describes it as dealing with "Vocational guidance, post-primary education and the choice of a career," and containing "Hints to parents on the choice of a career for their children." The idea of the publication is to place before the parent a bird's-eye view of the whole sphere of activities for which boys and girls may train. It aims at giving parents such help as shall enable them to place their children in such a way of life as shall give greatest scope for and be best adapted to their peculiar aptitude. The first part of the booklet concerns itself with the child in his transition from the primary school, and discusses the different scope and aims of the post-primary institutions, distinguishing between grammar schools and the various technical schools with their different lines of bias. Upon the various kinds of scholarships and free places sufficient information is given in a handy form to enable parents to guide their children in the directions in which their talents will find most encouragement. This portion of the book will fill a demand which has been calling for attention for years. For want of it in a handy form many children have missed opportunities which we're open to them, but of which neither they nor their parents were aware. The second part of the book occupies four-fifths of the whole, and deals in an interesting and comprehensive way with the momentous and difficult question: What shall the boy or girl do after leaving school"? Every kind of work is considered — professional and manual. The Department of Health contributes an interesting chapter upon physical disabilities and their influence in the choice of a, career. In this chapter there are discussed the openings for children afflicted or threatened with such troubles as defective sight, deafness, inferior physique, weak heart, lameness, i

tuberculosis and epilepsy. The information in the chapters which deal with the Government service is the fullest and most accurate, as we should naturally expect since it is composed of knowledge which comes to the writers at first-hand. Some twelve or more pages are devoted to this, whilst the much wider subject of Commerce is dismissed in three. These are the pages which seem to constitute the weakest part of the work. The chapter headed "Notes on Professions," on the other hand, will prove a helpful digest to many a harassed parent. Of no less help will be the detailed information given in the pages under the general heading, "Notes on Trades." In this last-mentioned chapter the information is set out in an inviting manner. The requirements, prospects, wages, etc., are tabulated in a similar style for each trade so that comparison is made easy. This information is set out under separate headings. We may take the trade of baker as a sample. The various headings under which the information supplies is grouped are: Suitable aptitudes and qualifications in the persons seeking training in the work. Technical i school courses available. Prospect of advancement. Special advantage the trade offers to its followers, cost of kit, wages of apprentices and journeymen in seventeen districts and the hours worked. The booklet is one of the most valuable and without exception the most generally useful, of the publications issuing from the Government printing office in recent times. "We understand it may be had free of cost on application to the pepartment of Education. We advise every parent with children of suitable age to get a copy.