Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-01
Continued from First Page }

Continued from First Page)
wanted. Some would try one thing
after another and quit. Often they
didn't realize their own tastes and lin1i-
tations. The Government experts
could only advise. They couldn't die
tate. The man must be the n1older OF
his own destiny. Otherwise much oil
the value of the work, SO far as pro-
noting human happiness was concern
ed, would be lost.
All men with 10 per cent disability OF
more were eligible TO vocational train
ing. In some cases. of course, the ma
ture of the disability partially deter
mined the vocation. The veterans dis
cussed THEN cases with professional edu-
Gators familiar with human capabilities
and limitations as well as the require
ments of different lines OF work. But
always the final choice rested with the
man himself~-provided his ideas were
not too fantastic and impossible.
A blind man, 1t would appear, would
be rather limited in his possible choices.
He would hardly have been encouraged
to take training at the Government
expense as an auto mechanic. The ex-
perts would have argued against II ano
urged him to take up poultry raising
Yet IL the blind man had argued strong
Iy enough, he probably could have OBJ
tanned training as an auto repair man
II his heart was set on that work, that
was the thing for him.
Determination Has Won.
don't suppose this particular case
ever came up. But there is fellow
who lost one arm overseas who VIII
receive diploma as an auto me-
chanic tomorrow He has insisted on
this training, received II and stuck to
IL. There Is every indication that lie
will be an excellent workman despite
his disability better, probably than
the average auto mechanic with Two
arms. It has required an almost super
human effort for this man to overcome
his disability~--and the type OF fellow
who would make such an effort must
be first-class man.
Sometimes there we're humorous an
giles to the cases asking for vocational
training but this counted for very
little In the face Of sincerity and per-
severance.
There was, for instance, A colored cot
ton picker In one OF the Southern
States. He was illlterate and In poor
health He put his case before the vo-
cationaI training experts and won MS
contention.
Only the other day. bursting with
pride, he sent to the Veterans Bureau
d photograph OF his establishment. lie
is the leading undertaken ana EN-
balmer in his community He oonsid-
ers his rise a remarkable example oil
| the triumph of mind and VIII over al
| verse circumstances. The photograph
| is proudly captioned From Cotton
| Picker 10 Embalmer."
Conspicuous Successes.
Several hundred occupations are
| represented among the trainees. Oon'
| spicuous among those who have COM
| pleted unusual courses are Catholic
priest a Methodist minister, NazA'
| iene minister. pipe organist and a
| veteran. One. trained In an art school
| recently won the coveted prix de Rome
| for an original painting. The veterans
| Bureau had given this man CONNER
| cial art course. 1t was rather skcptica
| Of the ability OF trainee TO make
| living by portrait or landscape painting
| But his abilities and ambition lay be"
! yOnd commercial art.
Another trainee was the author oil
one OF the six best sellers" of few
years ago Still another won Pulitzer
! nrize in journalism. Another has se'
| cured the appointment as assistant
state banking commissioners with bu'
| reau course In bookkeeping and ac'
eountaney Ms a foundation. One OF the
leading 0steopathic physicians In Wash,
ington Ia trainee. Successful lawyers
| and physicians are numerous among
| them.
The call Of the land has been par
| ticnlarly strong for many OF the ais
ahled veterans. They have heen at
traoted both by the health~restorint
] promise and the independence OF agfi,
culture. Thousands OF vocational