Short Stories
of Science and Invention

A Collection of Radio Talks by
Charles F. Kettering

INDEX

6.  Hand and Mind


Study     The intense program required to educate our armed forces and mil­lions of new workers brought into sharp focus the fundamental differ­ence between basic education and intensive special training. This great program has produced a three-way cooperative system consisting of the armed forces, educational institu­tions and industry.


     Yesterday, in an incredibly short time, young men were taught to fly a bomber with 7,000 horse­power. Others were trained to maintain and service these great planes. Men were taught to com­mand PT boats and submarines; to become radar experts, and man ships crossing the seas. Our enemies' Blitz warfare was met by our" Blitz training."


     This supreme training effort was so successful that people quite nat­urally asked, "If we can do this in wartime, why not in peacetime?" I think we can apply some of our war­time experience to education. Just as it was possible for our knowledge of peacetime manufacture to supply the technique for war production, so our special training programs are the result of the seeds which have been sown by our educational insti­tutions over the past years. If we had not had this broad educational background, we could not have done this spectacular job.    


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