The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-07-12
Pre- Vocational Institution To
Be Established in Topeka.
First of Its Kind in Kansas for
Free Public Instruction.
TO TAKE PUPILS FROM GRADES
Only Students Especially Adapt
ed Are To Be Entered.
Old Garfield Building at Thir-
teenth and Quincy for Work.

A pre-vocationaI school for girls
and boys of the fifth, sixth. seventh
and eighth grades, a new and pro-
greSsive type of school adopted by a
number of large cities, will be opened
in Topeka in September, and will be
the only one of its kind in Kansas.
The plan for the new school was
adopted unanimously at a recent
meeting of the board of education.
In the pre-vocational school half
the, school program Will be filled with
manual training and other industrial
work, with academic subjects taught
in the other half of the time, with
only essential studies emphasized. The
old Garfield school building, Thir-
teenth and Quincy streets, which has
equipped to accommodate the new
school.
Free Public Instruction.
The new school will be a part of the
public school system. just as are the
other grade schools. with no fees for
admission. Some time in August the
board Of education will announce the
school, 1t is the plan of the board to
admit to such school only those es-
pecially adapted to industrial work.
Buckles Behind 1t.
The plan for pre-vocational school
in Topeka originated with Prof. L. J.
Buckles. director of manual arts and
educational research of the public
schools.
I'VE believe that pre-vocational
school will be valuable to the public
school system" Professor Buckles said
today. Many boys and girls who are
doing. only fair work in school will i'm
prove if they have more to study along
in no sense a training place. for la
borers-merely a school were pupils
may be given practically the same
academic knowledge as in the other
schools with an added training along
vocational lines that may help them
in choosing occupations for later life.
No More ''Misfits.''
"The board feels that such a school
will prevent pupils becoming misfits
or unequipped citizens-when they
leave school because they lack def
mite motives and training" Professor
Buckles explained For the service
the school will render the board feels
for spending the money on the pro-
ject-"
Wood work of different forms for
the boys and cooking and sewing for
the girls will be the principal forms OF
/ the training to be offered. On finish
ing the. course at the pre-vocational
school pupils will be eligible to enter
high school,
at is hoped to interest many pu-
pills who would otherwise leave school
when about fifteen years of age thru
the industrial course offered, and en-
courage them to stay in school and
finish high, school," Professor Buckles
said. .aa
For Mechanically Inclined.
cit shouldn't be understood that 1t
will be a school for delinquents-for it
will not be in any sense" Professor
Buckles emphasized. TT is intended
for the mechanically minded pupils
who progress more rapidly If they are
given mechanical work to do in addi-
ton to their academic work. In many
places where such schools are con-
Quoted it is found that the pupils at
tending them are more willing to
study academic subjects if they may
have industrial work in connection
with them
Topeka needs pre-Vocational
school, it was decided by the board
Teachers who are experts will be en-
gagged for the new schools faculty.
The Garfield building is large, we'll
lighted, well ventilated and soiidly
constructed, so that the expense IN
instituting the school will lie in fur"
ushing equipment for carrying on the
industrial subjects.
mot more than s17,500 will pc
needed for installation of modern IN
dustriaI equipment for the school, Il
the salaries of teachers and Janltorv
Buckles said.
Mem bers of the board of education
feel that tho pre-vocational school IS
onlv paving the way for the time
when all. schools will become less aca-
demic and more vocational in nature.
Professor Buckles has gone to Den
yer where he will study the methods
of a successful pre-vocatlonal Schoo u
in that city.