The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1916-08-08
VOCATIONAL TRAINING
Bill Which Senator Page Has Long
Worked For


Washington, Aug.4-The vocation
al education bill which passed the
senate the other day without debate
or notice of any kind, is to be pressed
upon the house in an eleventh hour
attempt to secure enactment before
the adjournment of Congress. II had
been thought that the senate calendar
vas too crowded to allow room for
this bill at this time, and the plan had
been to postpone the enactment OF this
legislation till the December session.
Favorable reports on the bill were
made some weeks ago by both the
committees which handled It.
According TO advocates OF legisla-
tion OF this character there is tre-
mendous wastage Of youth in the
United States. With very few ex-
ceptions it may be said that American
boys and girls leave school at the age
of II years, or earlier, and go to work.
At least 100000 boys and girls be-
tween the ages of IA and l6 are
working for wages in this couptry. 1t
is pointed out that they are mskiiled
at that age and unfit for responsible
ity Each year 100000 young people
are required simply to maintain the
ranks of the American working popu-
lation. There are 24.0OO.00O persons IS
years and over in this country engaged
in farming. mining, manufacturing,
and mechanical pursuits trade and
transportation. of the l4,250.00O EN-
gagged in manufacturing and mechan-
ical pursuits not one per cent have
had or at the present time have any
chance TO obtain adequate Industrial
training.
"lf we assume said Congressman
| Hughes, of Georgia, chairman OF the
house committee on education and
one of the authors of the bill. that
a system OF vocational education pur.
sued through years ot the past would
| have increased the wage earning cap.
acity OF one million of our youth to
the extent of ten cents day. this
would have made an increase of
wages for this group of S2.50O.00 a
day S750O00,00O year with all that
this would mean to the wealth and
life of the nation. This Is n very mod.
crate estimate and the facts would
probably show a difference between
the earning power OF the yocationally
trained and the vocationally unframed
of % cents a day. This would Indicate
a waste of wages through lack OF
training of S6.250O0O every day or
SLS15,O00 for the year. This Is
difficult for us to conceive and be-
lievc, but these figures are true"
The bill as reported to both bran.
ches of Congress and rs passed by the
senate provides:
First. National grants TO be given
to the states for stimulating voca
tional education in agriculture and in
the trades and industries.
The term "agricultusal education
MS used In this bill includes cduca
tion for the form home as well as
for the farm itself Homes. hom,
economies, as far as Il relates To th,
farm home, is included In the grant
for instruction IN agriculture.
Second. The grants to be giyel
are IN two forms.
ta) For the training of teachers q
: agricultural, trade, industrials. an,
, home economies subjects.
Oh For the paying of PARTS OF sal
aries of teachers. supervisors. and di
rcctors of agricultural subjects. am
OF teachers of trade and inductria
| subjects.
, Third. Appropriations are to h
, made to federal board for maxim
, studies and investigations which shal
, be of use In vocational schools. Thes
4 studies cover the subjects of agricu
! turo and home economies. trades. an
r industries, commerce and commorca
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