The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1920-12-16
~. S. Army Voeationa, institution
Will Will be Started Then, Ac-
cording to Plans Made by
Government,
TAKE OVER BUILDING
sisters viii Have to Find Place to
House Their Boys School When
Government Begins Its
Work.

the Soalding institute building here
for the purpose Of opening a yoca-
tional school therein for disabled SOL
diers created widespread interest We
are able to give more details today.
The government has leased the
Spalding building, and the building
known as the white House, the
old State bank building, the new
priests residence" and the academy
power house and steam laundry. The
lease was made from Chicago inter
ests who own them and is for one
year. The Spalding school will vacate
the large building by January lst
when the government lease goes into
effect. The Sisters are not yet ready
to make a statement as to what they
expect to do with their boys school.
Nauvoo certainly would dislike to lose
this school, and it is to be hoped they
can find other suitable quarters. We
understand there are about forty
boys attending the school at present.
The government expects to have
the training school started by the
first Of January. One hundred and
fifty soldiers will be placed here.
They will have dormitory room for
lust that many. Later on arrange
1nents may be made to accommodate
more. These soldiers are all ex-
service men who have recovered from
pulmonary disease or have had the
disease arrested, and will in no way
endanger the health of the general
public here If suitable residences
can be found some may move their
families here. In time they may be-
come residents, and it is possible
that some would buy homes. They
will come from the eighth district
Illinois, Wisconsin and Michigan.
What Training Will Be.
! The vocational training will con-
sist of work in elementary subjects;
work in academic subjects for men
who wish to prepare for college;
commercial courses for those VINO
| have been previously engaged in
such work and wish to take addi-
tionai work in that line. Five or six
distinct trades will be taught, per
haps more later on if room can be
found. Men will be given a tryout
| in pre-vocatfonal training to find
their aptitude for certain trades, The
trades that will be taught win be
| light work and will likely include the
electrical end of the automobile
game, jewelry manufacturing and
watch repairing, tailoring and de-
signing, drafting, northumberland
growing, gardening and poultry.
The Spalding is an admira BILE
! building for such school, havir
all modern improvements, including
swimming pool and plenty OF room
in the basement for a gymnasium.
Besides the dorrnitory on the upper
floor a room will be set aside for a
sick room, with a medical officer in
charge and about three nurses en-
ployed.
The white House" will be ovHr-
hauled and will be occupied by com
urissary officers as a residence. The
! old bank building will be the ad-
ministration or Office building and
the building north Of the Catholic
church will probably be occupied by
staff Off cers as residence.
| Last for Years.
1t is very likely that this school
will be here for some years, as it is
expected that the work OF rehabili
tating ex-service men will not be
| finished for ten years. At present
there are 5000 exservice men tax
ing training in the United States,
The training course ranges from
| three or four weeks to four years.
| Pulmonary cases are pledged for two
years training. Even after the train
ing work has been finished some,
thing else Is likely to follow, per
hans industrial training by govern
! rnert or state. So we can look FOR
some sort OF school as a permanent
! institution, though the governments
present lease is for only one year
The owners of the property probably
were glad to get the government in
terested for that length of time. feel
ing that the government would not
go to the trouble and expense OF
opening school here just for one
wear. and later would want longer
lease, and this seems reasonable.
/ The exservice men Will receive
from 500 to $50 per month, which
means that they viii receive in
checks here at least $4,000 every
month. besides what the help re-
ceives and for money expended in
the comnflssary and other depart
ments. It means the bringing OF
much money to town, at least some
of which will be expended here. The
school ought to be a big help to the
town
w. n. Whitney, training officer OF
Washington, D. c., and W. H. White
assistant training officer of Chicago
have been in the city this week or,
ganizing the work. They are acting
under the federal board for voca
tional training, division of rehabili
tation Washington, D. c. The school
here will be operated under the fed
eral board in cooperation with the
Chicago Office.