The Bemidji daily pioneer., 1921-05-09
TRAINING CENTERS ARE
NOW BEING ESTABLISHED
Federal Board for Vocational
Education Forms Centers
in District No. 10

I Education Forms Centers
! in District No. 10
The federal board for vocatlona
education discovered early in it's work
of rehabilitating the disabled ex-serv'
ice men that it's obligations were
many and greatly diversified, for. IN
+ addition to those disabled men eligible
and able to take training, there are
other ex-service men eligible but phys
ically unable to take either institu-
tional or placement training as GUS
tomarily provided, the latter being
divided into two groups - namely
those eligible for training but who
are still patients in hospitals. and
those eligible but physically unable
to take the training, although they
may be at home or drifting about the
country, These groups comprise
principally tuberculous and mental
cases. It is the duty of the federal
board, insofar as possible, to "sal-
wage" these men, not only because
the rehabilitation act requires it, but
because society and economic condi-
tions render it imperative. .
The organizers of the rehabilitation
division early visualized this problem
and worked out program which was
eventually to make provision for these
two types of ex-service men-the ones
who could not, because in hospitals,
and the ones who did not, for vari-
ETY. of reasons, some to the federal
board. z
In the earlier work of rehabilitating
the disabled veterans Of the World
war. the federal board made use Of
schools Of all kinds that were already
established; also Of shops, mills and
factories Soon these were filled to
capacity. It was also found that there
were types of men who could not be
taught to the best advantage in any
existing schools, which were estab-
lished and being conducted along
lines suitable to normal men, and
mostly young men, They were not
adapted to men Of mature years, to
men with mental disturbances, to
men afflicted with tuberculosis. to
men able to devote only part time to
study, to men with little or no educa-
tion, and to other special classes. But
all these must be given the benefits Of
the rehabilitation act. z"aa@s' j..
Therefore, about year ago, the
federal board began to establish it's
own schools or training centers to
better. meet the needs Of the men
m nnf oh
not intended to compete with any ex-
isting training facilities, but rather
to supplement them.
AS matter of administration, each
Of the IA districts into which the
United States is divided for rehabili-
tatlon purposes has special officer
known as the supervisor of federal
board training centers, whose duty it
is to organize, equip, and supervise
the work Of these special centers. He
IS always a man Of experience as an
educator and organizer, with a knowl-
edge of the vocational lines that are
in demand at the present time. IL
Centers are established in hospitals
so that men undergoing treatment
may, as soon as they are able, devote
part of their time to study. In this
way they begin their training and al
so find out what line of work they are
most interested in. .r. y III.
AS a matter of experience. it has
been proven that only an hour may
be devoted on the first day of this
training work, but if the mans health
improves, the time which he may be
able to spend upon his work may be
i creased. Experience has also prov
en- that the work which he is able to
do has a beneficial result in the i'm
provement of his health, and is, there
fore. welcomed by the hospital au-
Another fact should not be over
looked. Men entering the hospitals
who have not, as yet, been approved
for training are assisted in making
out the necessary papers in order that
an eligibility rating may be made. If
rated eligible, and they are to remain
in the hospitals for some time, they
will then be able to take up their
training in the hospital school. If
they are soon to leave the hospital,
they will be able to step directly. from
the hospital, into regular vocational
training. ~-1
Much of the work in the hospitals
is pre-vocational in nature, consisting
of English, spelling, letter-writing,
arithmetic and penmanship. This is
especially valuable for men Of foreign
birth or those who have little educa-
tion and might easily be considered a
L. necessity to men of all classes in all
trades and industries. Considerable
vocational work is also done along the
lines Of typewriting, stenography,
bookkeeping, mechanical and archi-
tectural drawing, commercial art ill
lustrating). business law and sign
painting. In few instances work Of
a mechanical nature like watch-mak-
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