The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-07-26
WILL AID STATES
TO TRAIN CHILD
Federal Grants for Vocational
Education Provided in Bill Pre-
pared by Commission.
REPORT Is EXHAUSTIVE ONE
Shows Need of Training Hands
as Well as Head Of Child, and
Offers Comprehensive Plan.
PART /,

The annual call for trained workers
i'll the United States is so enormous.
and, with the passing OF the appren-
tice system. the supply is so small that
thinkers have recognized for some
time that some means must he found
for reconciling the supply and the de-
mand To replace the loss by death
and approximation of our great army
OF workers alone requires 100000
young workers annually.
The one hope of meeting this great
demand is vocational education In the
public schools of the country, and
while more emphasis has been placed
upon Its value to the individual than
TO the great Industrial enterprises and
the country at large IT is the latter
after ALL that has justified State ac-
ton. Many OF the States have respond.
ed. and, In others, various cities and
counties have given vocational train
ing n place in their public schools
However, the need Is so great and tho
impossibility of attaining best resulta
by States working separately is no APP
parent that a demand for Federal par
tlcipa tion became consistent enough
last winter to bring about the appoint
ment by Congress of n commission to
study the question and to report on
the advisability of national aid to tho
ing it,
CHARACTER OF COMMISSION
WHICH STUDIED PROBLEM
The commission consists of United
States Senators, Representatives and
educational and social workers. and.
after extensive hearings and travels
and Investigations by subcommittccs,
a report advocating government grants
to the States has been submitted. Tho
report IL voluminous one, treating
the subject from every possible anglo
and outlining comprehensive plan
for rendering financial assistance and
supplying information through Fed
eral agencies. Accompanying the re-
port is n bill providing for creating
and putting into operation the propos-
ed plan.
Thu report deals with the needs of
vocational training, supporting all
findings with mass of figures and
opinions from competent authorities.
as we'll as school men. manufacturers
and labor leaders, the kinds OF train
ing desired, the results obtained In
various State and private schools, the
need for Federal aid. the Qualifications
for 1t. outlines n plan and gives tables
showing the proposed distribution of
funds. In fact, there is nothing omit
ted which has even the most remote
bearing on the subject under consid
Grafton.
Before entering into Il discussion OF
the commissions reasons for It's find
ings and the results of It's investiga
ton to the theoretical and pracu.
cal value of vocational training, II
might he better to reverse somewhat
the order of the report and give first
the commissions plan to systematizr
the training and to aid the States fin
ancially, to the end that the training
may take wider and more compre-
hensivc trend
The commission recommends.
|. That national grants be given 10
The States for the purpose of stimulat
ing vocational education IN agricul-
turc and In the trades and industries,
,. THAT grants be given in two
forms: (a) for the training of teach,
ers of AGRICULTURAL industrial and
home economics subjects. OBJ For n
paying of part of the salaries Of
teachers. supervisors and directors Of
agricultural subjects and Of teachers OF
trade and Industrial subject.
3. That appropriations be made to