Sentence:  The present Federal program of vocational education <WSD>began</WSD> in 1917 with the passage of the Smith-Hughes Act , which provided a continuing annual appropriation of $ 7 million to support , on a matching basis , state administered programs of vocational education in agriculture , trades , industrial skills and home economics . 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  take the first step or steps in carrying out an action