Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-08-13
TEXTILE WORKERS Of
SOUTH GATHER HERE
ON EDUCATION FUND
Conference Is Held Under Aus
piCeS of the Southern Com
merciaI Congress = Judge
Robt, Bingham Is Presiding

Leading textile manufacturers of the
south assembled at the Piedmont hotel
Monday morning for a two days con-
ference. The purpose of which is to pro
vide ways and means for the south's
getting the full benefit of federal funds
for vocational education which are now
available.
The conference is being held under
the auspices of the Southern CONNER
ciaI Congress. officers of which called it
at the official designation of the federal
board fer vocational education. The
Atlanta Chamber of Commerce coop
Grated in issuing the call.
Sessions will be held at 3 o'clock
Monday afternoon and at 10 o'clock
Tuesday morning and o'clock Tuesday
afternoon on the ninth floor of the
Piedmont. where the session Monday
morning was held. Judge Robert w.
Bingham, of Louisville, president of the
Southern Commercial Congress, is pre-
siding.
The opening address, stating the pur-
poses of the conference, was made Mon d.
day by Clarence J. Owens, managing di-
rector of the Southern Commercial Con-
gress The principal speaker at the
morning session was United States Sen
ator Hoke Smith.
Senator Smith outlined the Smith
Lever bill, of which he is the author
and which provides the funds for voca-
tiO1al education being considered by the
conference. Senator Smith introduced
q resolution in congress providing for
a commission of nine to frame this
meas sure and he was chairman of this
commission. His consequent familiarity
with the subject enabled him to give the
delegates a particularly clever outline
of the opportunities given for applying
the vocational educational funds in the
south.
Following Senator Smiths address,
the delegation went into a round-table
discussion. conducted by DR.. c. A. Pros
ser. director of the United States board
OF vocational education. Among the
subjects discussed were, the types of
schools which can receive federal aid
under the Smith-Hughes act: analysis of
textile occupations; methods of induct-
ing green help; promotions; courses in
textile engineering that can be given
secondary textile schools; scholarships !;
extension work; where and how schools
car be established. the hours for such
schools; length of courses, etc, and the
kind of courses to be adopted
II was suggested that competent
man be selected to so more fully into
the questions before the conference, I'M
der the direction of the government vo-
cational board. and that his findings be
published for the Information and guide
If textile employers.
Presiding over the discussion, DR.
Prosser stated that the vocational
schools in textile mills will be much on
the order of the officers training schools
for the army, giving textile workers
the opportunity to study and advance
which they would not otherwise have.
In the course of the discussion speech
es were made by J. NJ. Gamewell. gen
crs,l manager of the Erlanger mills, Of
S~>rvh Carolina: James F. MacEnroe. of
the Ware Shoals mills. South Carolina
q. C. Wainwright, of the Stonewan
mills, Mississippi: J. p. Young, man.
ager Of the mills at Bemis. Tenu.: Chas.
:. Doggett. director of the textile
department at Clemson college: I. L.
Arnold. of Atlanta, editor of Cotton -
and Alan F. Johnson, president of the
Exposition Cotton mills of Atlanta.
1t was the general sense of tn, dis
cussion that there is a real need for
vocational education in the textile in