The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1919-01-17
SQUARE DEAL FOR EVERY BOY AND
GIRL IN VOCATIONAL EDUCATION

of Washinston accepted the provis-
ions of ffffa Federal act and made
small appropriation to make it
possible that its provisions be ap-
piled in this state. The present
Legislature will probably provide
the legislation needed to put the
state squarely in line for a progress
sive policy in vocational education.
The State Board for Vocational
Education will present to the Legis-
lature of the State of Washington
this winter, a bill to provide the
establishment of so-called part-time
schools for the benefit of employed
boys and girls This program will
also include stimulation encourage
ment, financial and otherwise, for
day courses and evening courses in
agriculture, the trades, and voca
tional home making. All of these
courses must meet the Government
standards which insure real voca-
! tional education quite in advance of
aynthing heretofore attempted.
So far, twelve districts have TAX
en- advantage of the agricultural
program offered by the Federal and
State Governments by establishing
all-day courses. Seven schools have
taken advantage of the Day Trade
and Industrial program offered,
and five schools the vocational
home making. There would be
may more on the list were 1t not
that the funds would go no farther.
The Federal funds increase each
year. For instance, last year the
Federal funds available amounted
to $1S,S25.00, and for the present
year, $27, 7,614.00. The amount avail
able from the Federal funds for the
next biennium 1922 is $S0,350.-
90, and the Legislature will be ask
ed to at least match the Federal
appropriation besides providing for
administrative expenses. If this is
done, one-half of the teacher-cost
for vocational courses, day, evening
and part-time, will come out of
Federal and state funds, and the
balance out of local funds. Every
boy and girl to have their chance.
In the matter of substituting vo-
cational education most of the
states, like Washington, have begun
at the top and have been support
ing schools of law, schools of phar-
macy, schools of engineering and
other professional and vocational
schools on college basis. These
are highly valuable and important
and should not be dispensed with,
but they reach only a small per-
centage of the whole people. Here
tofore the boys and girls who were
not going into an occupation requir-
ing college education have had no
public provision made for their tech
nical training. They have had to
take chances on finding opportun-
ity to learn a skilled occupation or
trade. Should not every boy and
girl who wants to acquire a skilled
occupation have chance to do so?
Should not the Government and the
state cooperate with the local
school districts providing this op-
portunity to those who want it?
Will anything less than this be a
square deal?
The plans have been we'll worked
out, the machinery has been set in
motion, all that is left is for the
state to act and for the districts to
get in line and help carry out a
program such as will meet their
local needs.
There is of course a double rea-
son for spending public money on
professional schools. They benefit
the individuals who attend them,
and they also provide competent.
well-trained engineers, pharmacists
and lawyers. Even so with the vo-
cational classes of less than college
grade. They not only benefit the
individuals who attend them, but
they contribute to our prosperity
and happiness as a people by pro-
viding competent, well-trained and
efficient farmers, mechanics and
home makers. From whatever angle
we view it, the public gets the ben
efit