Vocational Education and Guidance of Negroes: Report of a Survey Conducted by the Office of Education. Bulletin, 1937, No. 38
Author: Caliver, Ambrose
Date: 1938-00-00
Type: Historical Materials
Subjects: Educational History,African American Education,Career Guidance,National Surveys,Disadvantaged,Rural Areas,Urban Areas,Employment Opportunities,Racial Discrimination,Educational Opportunities,Vocational Education,Statistical Data,Elementary Secondary Education,Postsecondary Education,Black Colleges,Federal Aid,Enrollment,High School Students,Agricultural Education,Home Economics Education,Teacher Education,Vocational Education Teachers,Private Education,Questionnaires,Land Grant Universities,School Segregation,Occupational Surveys,Occupational Information,Federal Legislation,Educational Legislation

People in all walks of life have found it necessary to make adjustments to new occupational situations resulting from recent developments in science and technology. Although Negroes have shown exceptional capacity in the past to adopt the American social and economic order, they are finding it difficult to adjust themselves to the present modern industrial society. This is not surprising, for adjustments required today are quite different from those required in the past, and are taxing the best thought and energies of the most advanced people. The problems resulting from this situation have been made especially acute for Negroes. One such problem is the reduction in the number of jobs. As simple manual occupations became mechanized white persons sought the jobs formerly held by Negroes, which, under changed conditions, demanded new skills and knowledge and which paid higher wages. In many cases, Negroes were not prepared to meet the new demands of these jobs, and in other cases they were not employed if white persons were available. In addition to losing jobs formerly held, Negroes have found few opportunities in the new occupations resulting from recent technological progress. The problem has been accentuated by: (1) lack of education; (2) lack of educational opportunities and adaptation of education to needs; (3) lack of versatility and skill arising from limited occupational experience; and (4) attitude toward work. Studies have been made in addition to the present survey, which show the following educational conditions among Negroes: (1) A high illiteracy rate; (2) high pupil mortality; (3) large numbers of children who are overage; (4) large numbers of children out of school; (5) poor school attendance; (6) lack of operation of compulsory school attendance laws; (7) lack of schools; (8) lack of general curriculum and extracurriculum offerings; (9) lack of vocational-offerings and guidance; and (10) lack of adequate financial support. As a result of such problems the Office of Education became interested, and in 1935 was granted $234,934 through Federal emergency funds to conduct the National Survey of Vocational Education and Guidance of Negroes. The purpose of this survey was to investigate the opportunities and facilities for vocational education and guidance of Negroes in rural and urban communities. Appended are: (1) Additional Statistical Data; and (2) Organization, Personnel, and Inquiry Forms. (Contains 6 figures and 93 tables.) Individual chapters contain footnotes. [Best copy available has been provided.]