The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-04-17
SCHOOL OF TRADES FOR WHITE BOYS
 GREATLY NEEDED
Watt Brown Tells of Aims and Purposes of Proposed State School for Voca-'
 tionaI Training

That there are numerous cases on record where white boys in Alabama had committed petty crimes in order to be sent to the Alabama Boys In- dustrial school at East Lake, where they could secure vocational training was the statement made yesterday by Watt T. Brown of Ragland, chair man of the board of trustees of the Alabama School of Trades and Indus tries.
 This situation, in the opinion of MT. Brown. is caused by the failure of the state in the past to provide an insttu- tion where white boys could receive vo- cational training. The fact that they were willing to be classed as incorrigibles merely to secure the kind of training they desired, indicates to MT. Brown the serious need for such an institution as the Alabama School of Trades and In dustries, which preparations are now be- ing made ito open for the first session in the fall.
 IT recently. received letter from a school teacher in south Alabama, who told me that two of her pupils had told her they were considering committing some kind of crime so they would be com mitted to the Alabama Boys Industrial school at East Lake," said Mir. Brown. ''She told me that these boys were in no sense of the word criminals nor even incorrigbles but that they had q keen desire to secure vocational training. They had tried to gain admittance into the . East Lake school, but as they had not been convicted of any offense, that was impossible
 TO LEARN TRADE
 They had keen dislike for attend ing the regular school, as they wanted to learn some trade or, occupation, and did not care to spend their time studying school books. Their desire to secure this training was SO great that they. were will- ing to fasten q stigma upon their Eanles through life in order to enter a voca- tional school.
 "Another case which shows the need for a vocational school such as we are planning to open at Ragland this tall occurred at Moulton, where young white boy was committed to the Ala bama Boys Industrial school merely be- cause he would not attend school regu- larly and refused to study. There was nothing morally wrong with this boy, but he simply did not desire literary edu- cation and wanted to learn some trade and go to work. The Alabama School of Trades and Industries, which the state is behind, will meet the need for just such situations as those 1 have men toned.
 Since the publication of the announce ment in The Age-Herald that the board of control was arranging to open the school this fall I have received let ter from MT. D. NJ. Weallley. superin- tendent of the Boys Industrial school at East Lake, warmly commenting our work and declaring that the success oi the school will mean as much to the state of Alabama as any institution within it's boundary. Mir. Weakley has been associated with boys for many years and has gained a wide reputation for his accomplishments in that work
 CERTIFIED WITH RESPONSE
 With the indorsement of the Alabama Bankers association, the Alabama Fed- eration of Labor, the state educational department and business men and farm- CTS throughout the state, the institution which the state will open this fall should meet with a great success. We are highly gratified at the response when we are receiving to our call for assist- ance to secure money to add to the ap- propriation which the state has made TOT the administration building. The state has given $90,000 for this purpose, but the building will cost s6o,OOo, and we must raise the balance of $@.oO0 Already the people of Ragland have raised more than S5.OO0 in cash and we are getting assur- ances from people over the state of theT help in getting it started
 .'The start is to be the hard thing, TOT the federal government has an appro- priation already available and we w.ii get part of this after the first year Then the next legislature is certain to add to it's initial appropriation of s3o.oW Tor buildings. for as soon as the members see the kind of work whichlthe school does. there will be nc one who, does not favor more liberality on the part of the Sfata ?