The Evening Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1917-1920, 1918-11-11
DISABLED SOLDIERS
GET FREE EDUCATION
Federal Board TO Care for
Those Unfit to Return to
Former Work.
UNIVERSITIES USED
Dependents Are Supported
bv Government While Men
Get Training.

1.-The Federal Reserve Board for Vo-
cational Education will be expanded
so that the work of rehabilitation will
extend to every man in the country
who has been discharged from the
military or naval service for physical
disability" This announcement was
made in an interview this week by
T. l.. johnson. head of the division of
the Federal Board for Vocational Ed
ucation, which opened in st. Louis
last week
The board is charged with the res
toraticn of any man discharged from
caused by service, and applies not
only to those who have been wounded
in France, but also to men discharged
from environments who are unable to
return to their former occupations.
The division in st. Louis Will care for
all cases in the states of Kansas, Ne
braska. Iowa and Missouri.
Explains Work of Board.
The work of the board and its ne
cessity was explained by Mr.. Johnson,
who strenuously objected to the use
of the word cripple" in connection
with the work of the board
''Of the coo cases now under the
consideration of our board" he stat
ed, the majority are men discharged
from cantonments for heart trouble
tuberculosis or rheumatism, and who
are unable to return to their former
occupations. The War Department
puts us in touch with these men be-
fore they are discharged.
Our work is to educate them so
that they will be fitted to support
themselves in ways best suited to
them, not to segregate men with GER
tain defects and teach them all a GER
tain trade
Shops and Universities Open.
"No special institutions will be fav-
ored in doing this type of work. Each
man will be sent to a place of train
ing which is best adapted to his
needs. Perhaps in the case of one
man it will be a university, and then
again in the case of another it will
mean some shop or factory. One
young man discharged for deafness
is now taking a special course in lip
reading, and under private tutelage
is studying to be a bacteriologist This
is just to show that each man is
dealt with separately.
Then our works not only extends
to the helping of a man to find just
what his line is. and the placing of
the man in training. but also includes
the trying of the man for a probation
airy period in that occupation, and the
final work of getting him a permanent
position After that there is the fol-
low-up work of seeing that he is max
ing good
I'm the meantime he is free from
all worry, and his tuition. board and
clothing are paid for by the govern
ment. If he has any dependents, they
are also supported.
All Cases Are Recorded.
1.-The men who installed the work
in Canada are helping us here. The
District Case Board passes on the
placement of every man. and then
sends a record to Washington, where
it is reviewed. and if satisfactory the
man is put in training at once
1t is not an easy matter to pass on
some of these cases, but We are reas-
Onably sure that our judgment is cor
rect, as we have on the board beside
our staff, one medical man, a repre-
sentative employer. a representative
employee, and a district vocational
officer who looks after the training
facilities of schools and industries.
Then the wish of the man himself
is always considered.
"Tbe pH.icy of the board is to use
existing institutions in training the
men. and here will be no schools
with ready made lists of vOcations to
which men with certain disabilities
can be ass gned rs matter of rou-
tine"
There are nov 1t Cfh5ers of the
Federal Board fer Vocational Educa-
ton in the United States