with a thorough understanding and careful consideration of existing conditions, needs, and opportunities in localities where such schools are to be established. A knowledge of the processes of the trade, the possibilities of cooperation between school and industry, the natural ability of the children and what they can do in the schools and in the factory, is necessary to enlightened policy. Interest on the part of the community as well as close cooperation with those who control the industrial situation is essential to success. I. THE METHOD OF INVESTIGATION. A brief survey of the methods and sources of information used in the study of a single city with a view to discovering the need of and opportunity for industrial training is presented as showing the validity of the study, and as suggestive for future study for similar purposes. THE SCHEDULES. Two schedules were used-one for the interview with the individual and one for the interview with the employer. (A) The individual schedule was drawn up by the deputy commissioner of education and was "designed to be used by schools for the primary purpose of ascertaining the probable number and identity of the girls who may become pupils in a free public trade school if one should be organized in the future." This schedule was planned to cover three types of pupils: (1) the pupil who has left school within the past school year; (2) The pupil over 14 who is still in school, and (3) the pupil between 13 and 14 who is still in school. (See accompanying blank.) INDIVIDUAL SCHEdule. (City or town.) ...School Bldg. Pupil who has left school.... Pupil over 14 who is still in school.... Pupil between 13 and 14 who is still in school.... (Indicate by the mark (X) which of the above describes the pupil named below.) (Blank for use in investigating the need for the industrial training of girls.) 9. Health and strength: (1) Do you regard her as normal or below normal in health and strength?..... (2) Is she mature or young for her years?....... 10. Has she displayed skill or interest in practical work of any kind?.. 11. Do you think she will be more successful in trade work or in other kinds of work? (Use the expressions "in trade work" and "not in trade work.") 12. Which of the following things does the girl and which do the parents wish to do? PARENT. 1. Withdraw her from school.... 2. Place her in a local free public trade school if offered... 3. Retain her in regular public school work........... (Write the word "Yes" on the appropriate line and in the appropriate column.) GIRL. 13. If given an opportunity would she probably attend a local free public trade (Write the word "Yes" after permanent, seasonal or, temporary.) Occupation of other members of family. Illness in family.. (Use terms "educated," "intelligent," "ignorant.") 15. Are her parents able to send her to a one-year course in a local free public trade school?..... A two-year course?. 16. What are her home conditions?.. (Use the terms "comfortable," "lacking in comfort," and "poor.") 17. Where, if anywhere, has she been employed?.... (Give places, if possible.) 18. What wages did she first receive?.. 19. What is present wage received?.. These schedules were distributed through the public schools with instructions to the teachers for filling out questions 1 to 11 from the public school records. It was hoped that the teachers might also answer in part at least, from their general knowledge of the pupils, items 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16, with respect to pupils still in school. The schedules were then turned over to special investigators, who followed to their homes a large proportion of the pupils who had left school in the past year, in order to complete the information required by questions 11 to 19. Experience has shown the advantage of some changes in method of attack and plan of schedule in any future study. The original plan provided for an investigation of two distinct types of childrenthose out of school and those in school. The results obtained through the investigation seem to indicate the advisability of making each group the subject of a distinct and separate study. The statistical and intensive study of the children who have left school might best. 82453°-13- -3 be turned over to expert investigators, and the study of the children still in school left to persons connected with the schools. After the survey was completed, therefore, the directors of the investigation drew up a schedule designed for the pupil who has left school during any one year to be presented to the board of education as a working schedule. They feel, however, that the study of children still in school should be for the purpose of vocational guidance, and should be conducted on a distinctly different basis. No schedule is therefore suggested for this purpose. The directors would urge that this schedule be filled for all girls who have left school in the year preceding the study. The proposed schedule would consist of two separate sheets, one dealing with the school history of the child and one with the economic situation. The first sheet, covering items 1-10, would be filled in by the teacher as before; items 1-6 from the school records; and 7-10 by the teacher, with the aid of the investigator. The second sheet would be filled in by the investigator through visits to the homes of these girls. (See following blanks.) (1) Do you regard her as normal or below normal in health and strength?. (2) Is she mature or young for her years?. 7. In what subjects is she deficient?.. In what subjects does she excel?.. 8. In what practical work, if any, has she displayed skill or interest?. 9. What is the reason she left school?......... 10. If given an opportunity would she probably attend a local free public trade school?. (For Character of occupation, use terms Permanent or Temporary; for Regularity of occupation, use terms Members not at work 2. Home conditions.. Seasonal or Regular.) .... Grade of family.. (Use terms or describe as to degrees. For Home conditions use terms Comfortable, Lacking in comfort, Poor.) 3. Rent paid.............. 4. Educational status of family.. (Use terms Educated, Intelligent, Ignorant.) Illness in family... 5. Extent of parents' interest in trade school...... (Based on parent's statement.) 6. Are parents able to send girl to local free public trade school?... (Based on investigator's impressions.) 7. Reason why girl left school..... 8. In what practical work if any does she excel?.. 9. Supplementary schooling: (1) Has girl attended any other than regular day school?...... (B) The firm schedule was designed for a study of the industry, and was drawn up by the directors of the investigation. The investigation has shown that item 1, "Conditions of industry," is unnecessary, as no industry has yet been discovered which does not show fluctuation or seasonal aspect. This conclusion is borne out by the Twelfth United States Census tables of numbers of wage earners employed by months. "Change in" is also unnecessary. On Schedule II, an additional column under "Number employed" for "Girls" (including girls over 14 and under 16) should be inserted. The study of the children who had left school in the preceding year inspired the desire to know if the conditions discovered for this single group of girls were representative. A small card with 6 questions was accordingly drawn up, and with the cooperation of firms and forewomen put into the hands of the workers of some of the |