The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-08-02
EDUCATORS FAVOR
AID FOR STATES
Great Problem of Vocational
Education Is for Solution Of
Federal Government.
WORK OF ONE BIG SCHOOL
Report of United States Investi-
gators Shows Value to Boys
Of Beverly.
WORK OF ONE BIG SCHOOL


PART H.
That this tremendous problem Of voca-
tioual education can bc attacked sue
cessfully only by The Federal govern
ineut Is the belief of the vast majority
Of representative individuals aud or
SauizationS whose opinion WA" sought
ny the conversational commission
named 10 study the subject only one
Of the for; y-four state superintendent
Of public instruction oppuscd the idea
OF Federal grants. ana of the city su-
permit cndcnts. labor ORGANIZATIONS.
manufacturers and many great national
organizations interviewed the great
majority gave - favorable opinion.
Tho problem is So large and complies.
according to these men. that the State
cannot handle II properly and with
due regard to its national character
and tho national interests involved.
Only the whole nation can handle il.
Moreover. the Federal bureau agencies
VIII be able tn secure expert informa-
ton through scientifically conducted
Investigations. The States too. arc al
ready heavily burdcned with the nee
essity OF conducting their public
school systems. and the aid proposed to
be rendered by the Federal government
viii enable them to make the voca-
tional feature OF their educational sys-
tens more efficient.
TIE BUGBENR OF STATES
RIGHTS Is SIiOuED AWAY
busbear of States rights was con-
sderation that could by no means he
ignored. and. unless il could be shown
that no danger existed OF trespaes
upon these rights, and unless doubts
OF the rights OF the Federal govern
ment could be removed. their recon-
lnendatiors would be open to serious
objection and would probably he de-
feated.
The citation of preccdcnts Is sur-
n..tA Il.
states is no new question. and has been
acceptable i'll the past. Forty-two
acts performing services to the states
OF national character for the benefit
of education have been enacted by
Congress, and many have been enact
ed for other purposes than education.
The proposed plan is justified too.
on the ground of the Interstate char
acter of the problem Of vocational cdu-
cation. Because OF its extreme mo
hiltty' says the report, labor. par
ticularly that which is skilled ana is.
therefore. in great demand. has taken
on national character. y man may
be porn III indiana. trained as IL worker
IN Massachusetts. and spend his days
as machinist in California. i state
cannot be expected TO devote large
sums from her public revenues to the
making OF good workmen for the bonc-
nj OF other states. Only out of n com
mon fund. like the national Treasure
can the burden be euualized and al
Justcd so that each State may i'm ius
ticc he expected TO meet the ohlira-
ton resting upon it's schools"
RULE THAT INITIATIVE
MUST COME FROM STATE.
Tho initiative must come from the
STATE through the state Vocational
Board. which must first be created Tho
state Viii be left free 10 work on,
its own peculiar problems subject ONLY
TO The limitations which tive statute.
proposes. for it is recognized that II
would be impraCticable 10 uttcmpt t.
impose the same kind of vocational
schools and methods uron all The
states.
should conditions arise which make
II advisable FOR a State to centre uoon
one kind Of vocational trainiug-nrri-
curtlro. for instance-instcud of an
other kind, the way is left open for
the State 10 avail itself of tho bemo-
hts OF any one OF the grants and meet
the conditions of thai grant without
being compelled to accept the other.
To sum up the Justification for Fed
eral aid:
National grants for AGRICULTURAL and
trade and Industrial education AR" .us
tined: % by the urgency OF Inc dc.
mand for the effective training Of our
workers, which the States cannot meet
~ time without Federal encourage
ment and aid: CD by the Interstate and
HStlonal character OF the problem. due
10 It's nation wide interest and import
ance; S) by abundant prcccder, In
appropriations by Congress through
out our entire history for educational
purposes and in cooperation between
the Federal government ana the sta -cs.
where team play was necessary to
handling matters that could not bc as
well handled by the States alone: 90
by Tie successful results Of the ma
ton as well as to the states of urc-
rious grants for educational purposes
ilOW RI ttiS WORI<ED
N NiSS\ti!t >ETTS SCHOOL
Among Tie most Interesting of the
NeFeral appendices OF the report OF the
commission is that giving an account
of he work done by the part time
school of Beverly Mass II tx .-ivcu
here TO Illustrate the economic value of
vocational training .ud as evidence OF
the great good which wH! be done
the workers and Industries OF the couu-
Try should the bill propos .d by the
commission be adopted AND Federal aid
bc made available 10 help u The or
gnliZaton Of similar work IN the pub
lic schools 90 the country
This school WAS opened ou August
.. 1900. for the instruction of youths
fourteen 10 iwruty-oae years OF age
.n the macniuistS or other Industrial
tr8des. Candidates must Do, uhysicall,.