The Wilmington morning star., 1941-02-23
School Program, Buildings
Are Expanded During 1910
New Courses Train Many
Workers For National
Defense Jobs Here

Progress comes through eouca-
tion and the New Hanover county
hoard of education seeing the prog
ross that was destined for VII
mington, during the past year car
Rcd ont a comprehensive program
~ expansion both in school struc-
+,,res and in the work lone In ue
schools proper.
Tn 1886. when the supplemental
school tax was voted by the people
of the county, there was no voca-
tional education in New Hanover
county. Many of the youngsters
who completed their schooling here
were not trained to do any par
ticular work and many OF them
found it necessary to 60 elsewhere
to secure a livelihood.
The effects of the depression
were still being felt here an
building trades we're not as actlve
as they had once been. And dur
ing that period few apprentices
were trained in any of the trades
practiced in Wilmington.
In four years tremendous strides
of progress have been made, much
of it being accomplished during
the past year.
Where, in 1886, there were no
vocational education teachers In
the New Hanover county school
system, there are now, including
national defense teachers, 81 such
teachers in the white and negro
high schools.
These instructors teach more
than 1900 pupils per year and IN
the defense training schools which
we're started July %, 1910, every
pupil who has finished a purse
and many who finished the major
portion of a course h been
placed in jobs where they T
making from $50 to S110 a week.
The majority of these youngsters
are making an average OF about
$50 a week greatly increasing the
purchasing power of workers IN
Wilmington.
Seeing the value of this training.
which brings much additional mon
ey in the way of wages into the
trade channels of Wilmington
in fact, an amount practically
equivalent to the total cost of op-
Grating the schools Of the county
the board of education is plan
ming to continue this type OF train
ing in the schools so long as the
present emergency, which calls
for ever-increasing numbers OF
skilled workers. lasts.
Subjects taught include ship car
pentry, cabinet making. form max
ing. general carpentry work, blue
print reading. drafting. mechanical
drawing. sheet metal work, cleo
trio welding. acetylene welding.
and BIZ blacksmith and forge work.
In addition to expanding the
fields in which work was done in
1870. the New Hanover county
board ct education also carried out
a comprehensive expansion pro-
gram in school buildings.
AT HllSlltSDOIO d SCSOl1Q 1AooA
was added to the school building,
improving the appearance of the
building tremendously, and a mod
ern heating plant was installed.
At the William Hooper school an
auditorium was built, fire towers
were installed for safety, and toilet
facilities, store rooms and a cafe
terra were added.
At the Washington Catlett school
everything but the foundation and
the front wall was torn out and four
rooms were added, as well as an
auditorium and library. The build
ing was m~odernized throughout and
a new roof was put overhead.
At New Hanover High school
construction was begun on a gym
nasium which is soon to be opened
for use in regular games a d
which is now in daily use in con-
nection with the physical educa-
ton program.
And beside the Isaac Bear school
a vocational education building
va begun. This building which,
when completed, will be used day
and night and for national defense
classes in addition, is being rushed