Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-28
John B. COLPOYS
HEADS VOCATIONAL
ADVISORY GROUP
Labor Editor Named as
Chairman, With Lusk
as Secretary.
DR.. BALL0U Is ASKED
TO FURNISH STATEMENT
Data on Trade Schools Sought for
Presentation at Next
Meeting.

john -. COlpoyS, editor OF Labor"
and spokesman for the Washington
Central Labor Union, was elected chair
man Of the advisory committee on Vo-
cational Training for the District of
Columbia at It's organization meeting
in the Franklin Administration Building
yesterday. Rufus S. Lusk, representa-
tive of the Operative Builders Associa-
ton, was named secretary OF the group.
Committees Initial Meeting.
The meeting, which was the first
assemblage of the committee of l3
members appointed by DR.. Charles F.
Carusi, president Of the Board of Edu-
cation, was marked by q full at
tendance with the exception OF one
substitution, and general discussion
or the problems confronting the COM
mittee.
It was the consensus of opinion at
the meeting that because of the great
divergence of opinion on vocational
training much time in the immediate
future must be spent in cleaning data
upon which will be predicated the or
ganizations study OF the program it is
assigned to frame.
Queries Addressed TO DIR. BaIlou.
Toward this end the advisory COM
mittee requested DR.. Ballou to furnish
statement at its next meeting to be
held on January 10, on the following
propositions:
What are the graduates of WASH
ington's present trade schools doing
now?
What are the courses of study now
offered In the trade schools?
What vocational opportunities are
provided in the night schools?
The committee also asked DR.. Ballou
Tor any information contained in his
own reports or those of his official
stan pertaining to vocational education.
Round Table Discussion.
In the round table discussion which
marked yesterdays session the various
propositions of vocational education in
the District were discussed, including
the supply and demand for Young
people educated in the trades. the ex-
tent to which subnormal children are
allowed to study in the trade schools
and the general subject of pupil coun-
selling In regard to the various trades.
charles H. LIE Fevre, representing the
washington Chamber of Commerce. de-
clared that the committee first should
determine exactly what the detectives
OF vocational education are and that
the committees Efforts be directed along
that course
Herbert S. Woods. president Of the
District of Columbia Public School
ASSOCIATION, who attended the meeting
IN the absence Of Mrs. Fred T. Dubois.
the associations regular representative
on the committee, pointed out that
despite the fact that suggestions had
been made at previous meetings of the
Board OF Education that subnormal
children SHOULD not be shunted into
trade schools, they must be trained to
make living. If skilled trades are
not suitable for them, he said, 1t was
the responsibility of the District and of
the committee to provide some other
training for them.
Employers Aid Needed.
Mr.. Colpoys declared that the COM
mittee In its studies will be Obliged To
counsel with employers in their efforts
to frame a vocational training pro-
gram.
In comprehensive statement to the
committee, DR.. Ballou reminded the
group that vocational education is can
education" and must, therefore, be made
available just as any other phase OF
public school education is offered to
pupils.
Commenting upon the general dis
cussion of supply and demand, the
superintendent of schools declared that
the framing OF the vocational educa-
Glonal program must not be based upon
any sucn limitation because the inter-
estS and abilities ~bf individual pupils
must be considered as well as the pos
Sioie fluctuations in labor conditions by
the Tune the pupils are graduated from
the trade schools.
Besides requesting statements from
the superintendent. the advisory COM
mlttee also decided to visit personally
Lne tcur trade schools already in the
The meeting was called to order bv
DR.. Ballou, who presided until the
election of a permanent Chairman. e.
=. Graham f1rst was proposed, but when
ne explained the probability of pro-
longed absence from the city during
the study period, his name was with
orawn. subsequently James j. Yaden,
representing the Federation of Citizens
associations and Colpoys were proposed.
OOlpoys was elected by 7-to-5 vote.
Members in Attendance.
TnoSe who attended included also
FRANK j. Coleman, representing or
ganized labor in the District; Mai. Gen.
anton stephan of the Merchants and
Manufacturers Association, Mrs. Giles
Scott Rafter of the D. c. Congress of
Parents and Teachers, A. S. Pinkett of
the National Association for the Adj
vancement Of Colored People, A. I.
Cassell, an architect of the Howard
University faculty; Capt. John e.
Smith, representing the printing trades.
and j. A. G. LuValle of the Federation
of Civic Associations.