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5242 



SCHOOL 



sense they would include all schools devoted 

 to preparation for the professions and for any 

 line of industry, but in its ordinary use the 

 term vocational is applied only to those schools 

 engaged in preparing wage earners in indus- 

 tries and in household arts. The term prc- 

 vocational is also applied to these schools. 

 Vocational schools are found in practically 

 every state in the Union. The schools are ele- 

 mentary in character, but do not receive pupils 

 under fourteen years of age. The courses are 

 usually two years in length, but three-year 

 courses are provided in a few of them. In 

 most of the schools the time is about equally 

 divided between book work and practical work. 

 In Cincinnati the public schools are so or- 

 ganized that after pupils have reached the 

 required age they can choose their occupation 

 and divide their time between the school and 

 the establishment where they are employed, 

 and receive credit for this outside work. Many 

 evening schools are largely or wholly voca- 

 tional, and continuation schools are designed to 

 enable pupils who have left the regular school 

 to go to work to continue their school work 

 or to take up studies directly related to the 

 occupation in which they are engaged. 



The practical work for boys usually includes 

 cabinetmaking, carpentry, electrical wiring, 

 forging, founding, pattern making, plumbing, 

 printing and sheet-metal work; for girls the 

 courses include dressmaking, millinery, cook- 

 ery, housekeeping, art and design and novelty 

 work. The practical work is supplemented by 

 closely related courses in drawing, mathematics 

 and science, and with studies in English, geog- 

 raphy, history and civil government. The book 

 work is about the same for boys and girls. 



The shop work is usually taught by practical 

 tradesmen, and is made practical and business- 

 like. In some school systems the pupils do re- 

 pairing, construction work and printing for the 

 board of education ; in other schools orders are 

 taken from outside firms, to which the finished 

 articles are delivered at current prices. 



Government Aid. One of the most con- 

 structive acts of the Sixty-fourth Congress was 

 the Smith-Hughes law relating to industrial 

 education. The bill provides 



1. Appropriation for cooperating with the state 

 In paying the salaries of teachers, supervisors 

 and directors of agricultural subjects. These ap- 

 propriations begin with the sum of $500,000 for 

 the fiscal year 1918, and increase at the rate of 

 $250,000 each succeeding year until, in 1926, an 

 annual appropriation of $3,000,000 i reached. 

 The sum allotted each state is in the proportion 



which its rural population bears to the rural popu- 

 lation of the United States, with the provision 

 that prior to 1923 no state shall receive less 

 than $3,000 annually, and no less than $10,000 

 after that date. 



2. Appropriations for the purpose of cooperating 

 with states in paying the salaries of teachers of 

 trade, home economic and Industrial subjects. 

 These appropriations are for the Fame amounts as 

 those for the teachers of agricultural subjects, 

 but they are distributed on a different basis, the 

 sum allotted each state being In the proportion 

 that its urban population bears to the urban popu- 

 lation of the United States, with the same pro- 

 vision for minimum allotment as in case of the 

 appropriation for agricultural teaching. 



3. Appropriations for cooperating with states in 

 preparing teachers, supervisors and directors of 

 agricultural subjects, and of Industrial and home 

 economic subjects. This appropriation begins 

 with $500,000 for 1918 and is increased $200,000 

 each succeeding year until, In 1921, it reaches 

 $1,000,000, which shall be the annual appropria- 

 tion thereafter. It is divided among the states In 

 proportion to their population. 



The act created a Federal Board of Voca- 

 tional Education to consist of the Secretary of 

 Agriculture, the Secretary of Commerce, the 

 Secretary of Labor, the Commissioner of Edu- 



AN OPEN-AIR SCHOOL, 



The canvas Fcreens at the windows protect the 

 children from direct currents of cold air. (From 

 photograph taken in a Chicago, 111., school.) 



cation, and three citizens appointed by the 

 President, one to represent manufacturing and 

 commercial interests, one agricultural interests 

 and one labor interests. 



Each state is required to create a state board 

 of not less than three members to cooperate 

 with the Federal Board in the administration of 

 the act, and to provide equipment and establish 

 courses of study that meet the approval of the 



