The people's voice., 1959-01-02

gram OF prison trade schools and
industries.
Canneries, auto-repair shops, fur
niture factories, clothing plants and
print shops sprang up in the prisons.
Today, for example, at the Deuel.
Vocational Institution, inmates re-
ceive instruction in some 20 trades,
including dry cleaning, meat cut
ting, aircraft-engine mechanics, sheet
metal works, shoe repair.
McGee should have been satisfied.
Most Of his, prisoners were construc-
lively occupied and they were learn
ing a trade. "But for what?" he wor-
ried. The only jobs usually available
to ex-convicts were dishwashing, fruit
picking and other menial and migra-
tory occupations. Expecting a man
who had become craftsman to be
satisfied with such jobs was asking
for trouble Somehow real opportuni-
ties had to be found for the men.
eve can't do it alone" McGee ac-
knowledged. Labor unions and en-
ployers would have to help.
In 1915 Omar E. McNally. business
of Lodge 238, Inter
national Association of Machinists of
San Rafael, conferred with San Quen-
tins famous warden Clinton T. Duffy
about the possibility of setting up
training program in the
prison. With the approval of the local
union, Joint Apprenticeship Com
mittee was formed to draw up train
ing standards.
Ignoring the protests of the State
Apprenticeship Council against pris-
on training, McNally went to the Cali
fornia Conference of Machinists. an
composed of other Ma
;hinists locals, and secured their sup
port. His international officers in
also approved. In short
order, full-fledged union-accredited
apprenticeship program was instituted
or machinists at San Quentin. Bay
lrea employers, represented by the
California Metal Trades Association,
ook look, approved and assigned
taft member to work with the pro-
ram.
Almost overnight San Quentin's
Morale scared; hundreds of inmates
to work in the machine
hops. A year later District "a of the
1achinists Union, Los Angeles. to-
ether with some employer groups,
ct up similar program specializing
n aviation mechanics training at
)euel. The Civil Aeronautics Admin
stration co-operated, voting to count
training time toward an
ircraft-repair license.
Encouraged, M C G authorized
ther wardens to set up similar labor
Management groups. He travelled up
nd down the state, speaking to union !
nd industry conclaves. Everywhere
ne message was the same: "Most of '
1ese men and women are going to
ONE back from prison. Are they COM {
lg as criminals or craftsmen?"
The response to McGee's appeal 9
as the launching of the Trade Ad-
isory Committees. Wesley o. Ash, t
Decial assistant to McGee, is in G
narge of this program. The TAG Q
roups, representing almost every 0
'ade in California, meet regularly C
the prisons to discuss projects and
It work standards. They provide in o
ruction in new industrial techniques P
I'd interview prisoners about to be S
aroled. Many employers have au- a
orized their representatives to offer n
lbs on the spot. 5
Folsom has five advisory commit II
es; San Quentin has eight; Chino p
even. Most are organized around a
Irticular trade. Employer-members
we been generous in other than ad- el
sorry ways. At Chino, the Ford rep re
sentative on TAG provided a new IL
tomobile for automotive trainees to IN
ork on. At Soledad, automotive COM pl
nies have provided training films L
d parts. The Pomona Tile Co. con- as
buted one million square feet of ia
e for Chino training building pro- pi
am. lie
Several years ago, some trade ad-
ers helped set up cotton textile We
II at San Quentin-the first in this at
state. The mill, with XII
1QR7 nrodrotinp of eQQ7 000 hoe an