Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1961-09-09
Expand Vocational
Ed, Report Urges
eleventh in Series on Study Reports

Eleventh in a Series on Study RepOrts)
Expansion and Investigation of the technical
education curriculum are essential to help train stu
dents for citizenship in Americas industrial system
according to special Montgomery County study
group.
Declaring that more than half of the county's
students will not go to college, the study group stress
ed the Importance of providing the skls needed to
earn a living.
Accordingly the report recommended that all
students both boys and girls be required to take in
dustrial arts in the seventh and eighth grades
''The present practice of depriying girls in gen.
era and some boys of the benefits of industrial arts
should be Immediately discontinued" the report said
with our everyday lives being increasingly
shaped by the products of industry and with the pro-
portion of in the nations work force continual
" increasing we shortchangng our children If we
do not give them at least Introductory instruction In
industrial arts"
Further, the group called for the establishment
of one or more comprehensive technical high schools
containing the equipment needed to turn out engineers
technicians and skilled craftsmen
These schools would provide atmosphere OF
excellence" by providing special opportunities and Ia
ciities for students interested in technical fields the
report explained And for those interested in elecron
les, there should be an advanced program in radar
sonar mcrowave, transstor circutry and basic cir
cults the report added.
At the same time, some phase of the vocational
program SnOulQ De part OF the CuIIlcuuIH vi edCn
senior high school, the study group emphasized.
Consumer education also came in for attention by
the study group A course in consumer knowledge to
help students Judge the value of products they are like
y to buy should be made available in the 18th 18th
grades the report said This would enable them to
distinguish advertising chaff" from significant in
formations" the report stated.
AS far as teachers are concerned the study group
insisted that they be allowed to devote all their time
to teaching.
"They should not be used as clerks, guards, book
keepers maintenance and repairmen or in any other
non-teaching position" the study group contended.
Such use of professional personnel is without us-
cation"
The report also urged teachers to visit other class
during instruction periods to observe new ideas
and practices for possible in their own classes
These visits should take in academic subjects as well
as industrial arts the report said.
Because modern industrial arts courses tie to-
gether the specialized subjects taught in other depart
ments the industrial arts teacher ought to be familiar
with the work being taught in the science mathenat-
ics English and other classes" the study group as
serted.
Other recommendations called for more supervis-
ors more vocational guidance counseors and much
greater variety of vocational courses
Although the third largest group of workers in the
county are in the construction industry not course
in construction work is offered in the county school
system, the study group said. Nor is any training
available for medical dental and laboratory echni-
cans despite the need for such workers, the report
pointed out