Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1914-12-11
Survey Committee of Indus
trial Education Society
Submits Report.
WOULD MAKE PLANT
VOCATIONAL CENTRE
Favors Merging Virginia Me-
chanics' Institute With Public
Schools of Richmond.
DAY CLASSES ARE NEEDED
dustrial Glasses Strongly
recommended.

At the meeting of the survey COM
mittee OF the National Society for the
Promotion of Industrial Education
yesterday afternoon it was recon-
mended that the Virginia Mechanics
Institute be merged with the public
school system of Richmond, In accord
ance with the following plan:
THAT the corporate name OF the Vir-
ginia Mechanics Institute shall he pre-
served. but that the ownership of it's
property shall be vested in the city
of Richmond.
That an ordinance he passed by the
City Council of Richmond which shall
provide that the immediate direction
of the affairs of the Mechanics Insti-
tute shall be under an advisory board
of five members. one member from each
city school district. and two members
at large: and that the management
of the institute shall be under the gen.
eral direction of the City School
Board, to be used for public school
purposes in connection with. both the
day and evening school work.
That the City School Board OF
Richmond shall agree to make this
plant the vocational centre of the pub
lie school system and open the insti-
tute in the daytime as soon as prac-
tica! after this merger shall have been
accomplished.
I'm the event that this merger can
be brought about in accordance with
the above plan. II will be possible to
make the Virginia Mechanics Institute
serve the public school system of the
entire city for both day and night
classes for practically the whole year.
and the institute would be eligible. as
an institution supported and controlled
by the public. to participate In the dis
tribution of the funds which will be
available in the. event ,of1the. granting
of State moneys for Industrial or com
mercia1 education to the local conirnu-
mites of Virginia. or in the event OF
the passage of the industrial education
bill now pending before the Congress
of the United States"
WANTS EVENING SCHOOLS
OF INDUSTRIAL. ORDER
1t was recommended that schools
and courses for boys and meE already
employed should find expression in Two
great groups: () evening schools of
industrial order and of general order:
f2) part-time schools. of like orders,
and that schools of the Industrial
order should take most decidedly the
trade extension aspect. 1t was also
recommended that steps be taken at
once by the Richmond school authori-
ties to establish part-time day schools
or classes for those industries and
plants where employers have expressed
n Willingness TO cooperate In this
way.
There is need, the report says, for
evening classes In salesmanship, and
need for department store and sales
manship training, through time
and continuation classes. A practical
arts course of more advanced and spe.
cialized character should be offered In
the regular high school for girls who
n dino tod fro, al
school or the Junior high school, and
entered the high school for more gem
eral training, and IL is recommended
that there be established schools or
classes In prevocational work for girls,
covering the period corresponding to
the last two years of the elementary
school, An outline of the studies to
be taught is given in the report. a
separate department is to be given to
the practical arts. the report stating
that opportunities are opening up in
Richmond for numerous wage earning
and salaried callings, which are based
upon a very practical, as well as scien-
tific, knowledge of home economies
NEED FOR PART TIME
OR C0NTlN UATION CLASSES
Because of the great need OF further
training for the large army of girls
under sixteen years OF age who become
before completing the
elementary schools, the school authori-
ties. the report says. should make a
special effort To induce employers to
cooperate voluntarily by giving their
young workers time to attend n part
time or continuation school or class for
at least four hours week
The survey shows that there is n de-
mand in Richmond for prevocationAl Al
training for children more than thir-
teen years of age and no demand at
present for any type of all-day indus
trial or trade school: and the commit
tee recommends. therefore, that the
Richmond schools develop as rapidly as
possible schools or classes In prevoca-
tional training, admitting boys who
have completed the work of the 5B
grade and who look forward to leav-
ing school at relatively early age in
order to go to work, and who need the
help Of the school in reaching n deci-
sion as to what lire of work they may
enter with the greatest prospect of suc-
cess. Prevocationa1 training, the re-
port says, should provide vocational di-
rection and guidance for children who
are likely to face the complexities of
modern Industrial and commercial life
1T must give them an experience and a
which Will serve as basis
upon which an intelligent choice OF a
life career may be made
LISTS FIVE AIMS TO
DE ACCOMPLISHED
The committee recommends the fol-
lowing five aims to be accomplished:
ITO encourage local communities to
give vocational education as a new and
needed kind of training. beneficial and
desirable in the interest of the State
as n whole.
"To aid local communities with their
varying resources to provide effective
training.
ITO secure for the State the right to
a reasonable participation or voice in
the development OF vocational educa-
tion In the state.
'To make 1t possible to secure N
\ ~ ilNa1,t lialInd isrl, -