of books, or the printing of newspapers? The answer is that the field is open in one sense. Anybody who wishes to is free to write a scenario, take the pictures, make the film, and exhibit it. But the expense of production and advertising is too great to make it profitable. The tendency of. the times is for all big ventures to be handled by large and powerful combinations and syndicates. Of course, the expense of producing a film is not usually so great as it is advertised to be, nor are such costly settings and properties often necessary, nor are the players paid the high salaries that are ordinarily claimed for them. But the big companies will continue to produce most of the elaborate pictures at any rate.

Doubtless if a strong censorship were established and maintained, the producers would soon begin to turn out pictures free from objections.

The subject-matter of the pictures is the source of most of the evil, and the root of the whole trouble. And, admittedly, it is much easier to criticize than to do; it is no easy matter to find good material for pictures in the quantities that are necessary in order to supply the demand. When the industry was young, the public was satisfied to see almost anything, just for the novelty of seeing the motion. The more motion, the better the picture. One example of the film of the early days was the chase picture, in which everybody joined in chasing the unhappy victim-and usually there was a fat woman, or crippled man, who was last to get over the fence. Then the demand came for plot. It was easy to get that literature.of all kinds was dragged out and dramatized. Shakespeare was resurrected, though unsuccessfully— he was after a while allowed to go back to his grave in peace. Just at that time there was a flood of scenarios turned loose upon the picture makers. So little did these raw products conform to the technical needs, and so worthless were the majority of them, that the producers finally discouraged all contributions except from a few sources, and adopted the plan of employing their own editorial staffs and play-writers. But, as might be expected, these finally ran out of material. Just about that time the glorious dis

covery was made that the public would go wild over sex pictures and pictures displaying female flesh, and would stand for anything, regardless of how vulgar and obscene. So their troubles were over. Today, all that is necessary is to get together an assortment of beautiful women, undress them, carry them through some suggestive experiences, and the public is satisfied. Hence the picture of today.

During the war, the War Camp Community Work was begun, and it filled such a need that now that the war is over it is being extended to hundreds of towns and cities all over the country. It is quite likely that the outcome will be that this work will be modified, placed in the hands of the trained leaders that are being developed, and that it will be carried on very largely in the school buildings, especially during the winter months. During the summer the parks make ideal places for this work. Just as now, the moving picture will be a prominent feature of this work. The films will be shown free of charge to the public. This method, in connection with a national censorship, will afford the effective means of correcting the evils of the business.

The remark has been made that even the free exhibition of pictures would not prevent the young people from going to the shows where bad pictures were being displayed. That is true, to some extent, but there would be a gradual process of education going on that would finally make the public turn away from the other kind. Furthermore, the out-door conditions are so much more pleasant in summer, to say nothing of the proposed advances in the admission charges at the theatres, which will drive away a great part of their patronage.

No doubt it is by one of these suggested methods that the moving pictures will most likely be freed from the conditions that have been enumerated.

Are the movies a bane, or a blessing?

As they are, they are both; as they should be, they are capable of being one of the very greatest blessings ever given to humanity.

The Vocational Counselor and His Work

H. E. STONE, BOYS' COUNSELOR, CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL,

D

ERIE, PA.

URING the past decade, a new specialist has appeared in the world of education. He is known as the Vocational Guide or Counselor, and his business is to aid boys and girls in selecting an occupation, preparing for it, securing employment in it, and developing through it to highest efficiency in life. Although the work of guidance was not looked upon as a separate calling until very recent years, there are now several hundred cities where teachers specialize in this work. In Boston, Cincinnati, Philadelphia, Pittsburg, Chicago, Erie and other cities there are specialists hired by the schools or employed through private endowments to devote all their time to the work of guidance, placement, research and follow-up. The work of the Boston Vocational Bureau, the Cincinnati Bureau and the Brooklyn Vocational Guidance Association are too well known to need special mention. In the State of Pennsylvania fifty-one schools are listed by the U. S. Bureau of Education (Bulletin No. 24, 1918) as having Vocation Bureaus. In Philadelphia, Pittsburg and Erie specialists devote all of their time to the work of guidance.

The age of efficient entrance into this calling is from 25 to 35 for women and from 30 to 35 for men. Counselors should increase in efficiency until at least 60 years of age. The qualities demanded are sympathy with youth, occupational experiences, a social spirit; and strong character, patience, tact and an analytical mind are also good assets. Counselors should have a college education, or at least a good Normal School training. In addition, advanced courses in educational theory and practice, courses in the methods of vocational guidance, statistics, graphs and the making of surveys, educational measurements and the biology of the adolescent should be taken. A special background of knowledge in economics, sociology and psychology will be recognized as essential. The Counselor must know the social and economic aspects of labor problems and must be familiar with the requirements, duties and rewards of many vocations. Experience in business, if varied, will help greatly.

It is not strange, when we consider the above requirements, that the salary of expert vocational advisers should be higher than that of departmental teachers. Not every departmental teacher will succeed in guidance work. On the other hand, no one who has failed in dealing with boys and girls in the classroom can hope for success in the field of personal, educational and vocational guidance. Those who succeed as vocational counselors in public school systems may reasonably look for an income varying from $1,500 to $5,000 per year, varying with sex, size of city, length of service and success in the work.

Besides the work of directing the Central Guidance Bureau there are various special fields into which one may go after special training. One who has studied modern tests and measurements may enter the Research Department of a large city school system as a worker in the psychological laboratory. Other specialists enter the work as teachers of Life Career classes, directors of placement bureaus, counselors for boys, counselors for girls, secretaries of follow-up bureaus, etc. It will be seen that just as medicine is no longer just medicine, but Allopathy, Homeopathy, Osteopathy, or specialist in eye, ear, nose, throat or what not, so Guidance has broken up into many special vocations.

While the schools close as a rule during the summer, the vocational counselor may well be retained during the entire year. The Vocation Bureau should never close. Its services are always needed. As is the case with other fields of education and public service, there is no union or other organization to insure high wages. There is however a national Vocational Guidance Association. It grew out of the National Conference on Vocational Guidance held in Boston, New York and Grand Rapids, from 1910 to 1913. The first meeting of the National Association was held in Richmond in 1914. This association is interested mainly in the progress of the movement and the improvement of the service offered to the boys and girls of America everywhere,

Heretofore many have entered upon the work of guidance with only pick-up education. Needless to say such a preparation is neither economic nor effective from the standpoint of community employers or the workers themselves. Harvard, Columbia and

Boston Universities now offer special summer courses for those who wish to enter upon this work. The growth of the movement will without doubt result in its receiving attention from colleges and progressive normal schools. Only in this way can an adequate supply of safe counselors for our boys and girls be secured. Where the pick-up system of preparation for guidance prevails, special institutes, lectures, correspondence and night school extensior. courses will improve conditions. Pre-vocational technical education may well include college or normal courses in psychology, economics, etc.

A basic school of guidance might well extend over a period of a year or more. Courses in statistical method, surveys, measurements, occupations and adolescent biology should be given. Arrangements should be made for part-time work by the student in a guidance bureau. Any large city having such a bureau would be suitable for such a basic school. Projects in the way of visits to manufacturing plants and business offices might well be undertaken by all students. These projects would involve a study of health conditions, hours of employment, moral and recreational conditions. Visits to cities that have made signal success in some phase of guidance could be made by some members of the school.

The work of guidance presupposes a high development of social, cultural and health appreciations, knowledge and ideals. Every counselor, however, should take advantage of every opportunity to hear good lectures, attend musical concerts, and mix generally in the best social life of the community.

There will always be opportunities for extension training for those who can attend one of the various summer schools. Night classes and correspondence extension work will also be used as a means of growth.

In conclusion, it may be said that no vocation offers greater opportunities for unselfish service to the youth of our land. No young man can be a good citizen who is not self-supporting, and good citizens are essential if democracy is to endure. It therefore devolves upon the public schools of America to extend the work of Human Engineering, to the end that there may be a better utilization of human resources and a more enlightened citizenship.