The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1920-05-21
Vocational Training.

Vocational Training.
The speech made by Mr.. Wood
ward at the school building last
Friday night on the subject of voca-
tional training was very strong
appeal to the schools of Tennessee,
or rather to those who support the
schools, to sustain and continue to
maintain the work at any cost.
AS everyone knows, the high cost
of living, which has practically af-
fected every vocation, has been Civ
ing the school teacher great deal
of trouble. He is dependent upon
the public taxes and the tax increase
hasn't been commensurate with the
H. c. L. In fact in Tennessee there
has been no tax increase and the
school teacher is behind the other
vocations in his compensation.
Now, the maintenance of the pub
lie schools of Tennessee is problem
for the taxpayer. The maintenance
of the city schools is problem for
the taxpayer in the city. The trades
unions everywhere have boosted
wages up to an increase of one hun
dred percent and over, but the
school teachers pay has been in
creased so far only a small percent
age, which places them at very
great disadvantage in the scheme of
living, and hence they are deserving
the schoolroom.
Therefore the problem.
So Mr.. Woodward and the State
Normal Schools are busy Emporium
ing the school authorities in the in
terest of vocational training. They
are growing uneasy lest the recon-
struction and the enormously in
creased cost of living cause an
abridgement or a suspension of vo-
cational training in the schools of
the State. 1t seems to be on their
minds to, the extent that they are
comparing the work as a matter of
Importance equal to the academic
work.
AS an example, it takes a salary
for the instructor in manual train
ing equal in many instances to the
principal of the high school. One
may have normal course in manual
training, while the other is required
to have college degree. Therefore
the vocational work comes compare
lively higher than the academic
work.
Now this is statement of the
case. Is it then fact that the vo-
cational work is of the same impor-
lance as the academic departments?
Suppose this question is left to
majority of educators everywhere
what would be the answer? Suppose
the taxpayers are to answer.
We take it that no one will min
imize the value of vocational train
ing, but the question is, if it costs
comparatively more to maintain the
work should any subject in the
academic department be neglected to
save vocational training?
1t will be absolutely necessary,
whether we have vocational training
or not, to raise the city school tax.
That is without question. Shall we
make the city school tax double
what it is at present and then add
fifty per cent more to maintain vo-
cational training. That is the ques-
ton for the taxpayers to decide.
The school tax of the city of I'm
ion City is Acc on the hundred. We
are figuring on the past assessment.
The revenue from that is $500.
Now if the county tax collections re-
main practically the same tit is
figured they will be) the school tax
to be paid by the people of Union |
City will have to be two and one
half times what it is at present. !
We mean the amount to be collected, |
not the rate of taxation fixed by the
new law. 1t will take all this to |
maintain the city schools as they
are now conducted with vocational
training. Estimating only small
increase for other municipal ex-
pense. the taxes will be double what
they have been heretofore. Don't |
get this confused with the new as