The opening of the book presents the context in which Kerschensteiner developed his ideas, highlighting his inaugural lecture on January 12, 1908, where he first introduced the concept of the work school. He discusses the evolution of the term and critiques the numerous misconceptions surrounding it, particularly the frequent conflation of manual and intellectual work. Emphasizing the importance of clearly defining the concept, he outlines the three central tasks of public schools: preparing students for their future vocations, instilling ethical perspectives within these vocations, and contributing to the moral upliftment of the community. Through this foundational framework, Kerschensteiner sets the stage for a more effective and ethical educational system. (This is an automatically generated summary.)