(The paper referred to is as follows:) RESOLUTION OF SILK DYERS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA, PATERSON, N. J. Whereas there is now pending in the Congress of the United States a bill known as the Capper-Reed bill, H. R. 10821, providing for additional Federal aid to the States for trade and industrial education; and Whereas the vocational training of people for industrial occupation is of the utmost importance to the State and Nation; and Whereas schools of this character are rendering especially valuable service in assisting men already employed to adapt themselves to changing industrial conditions; and Whereas such schools are in need of more generous financial support; Therefore, be it Resolved, That Silk Dyers Association of America hereby endorses H. R. 10821 and urges that the Congress give it favorable consideration. MAY 5, 1930. P. J. WOOD, President. Mr. O'LEARY. New Jersey is a highly industrial State, as you know, and a densely populated State. Hudson County is perhaps the most densely populated section anywhere in the United States. One of the cities which has been concerned with this problem is Bayonne. The next speaker is Mr. Preston Smith, superintendent of schools from Bayonne, but before calling up the superintendent, I wish to say further that we have just completed in New Jersey a very comprehensive and thorough survey of the entire school system, by a commission appointed by the legislature. Mr. Preston Smith, superintendent of schools of Bayonne, was associated with the commission in that survey. He is especially qualified to speak on this subject from the standpoint of the work done in the State and in his city, and I take pleasure in presenting Mr. Smith. STATEMENT OF PRESTON SMITH, SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS, BAYONNE, N. J. Mr. SMITH. I do not want to take your time this morning to attempt to defend vocational education. If the work that has been accomplished by the vocational schools in different parts of the State are not sufficient evidence of the value of that work, no word of mine would avail. I am interested in this bill because of three things that have not been mentioned here this morning at all, and that came out in our study of the secondary schools of New Jersey and other States of the Union last year; that there is a definite demand for a different type of secondary education than is being provided at the present time. The Western Electric people told me that for every electric engineer they employed they want 10 to 12 junior technicians. Our present trade schools do not give those men the principles and the laboratory practice necessary, and so there is in vogue now, or should be in practice generally, a new type of high school. We have technical high schools all through this country, but if you will examine them carefully you will find the technical part is the side show and in the main tent we have college preparation. That technical high school is out of date, and it should be done away with, because it is not meeting the demands of industry and business. 116859-30- 4 So, I am in favor of this bill because it speaks of this secondary level for training of technicians, and also for improvement in the commercial classes. The commercial people in our secondary schools have been unprogressive. They have pretended to accomplish a lot, and they have played too much instead of doing actual work. We are contemplating in our city, which is an industrial city, one of these new vocational high schools, and when I look around for data and material I find it is very scarce. New Jersey is peculiar in this way. We have about 700,000 gainfully employed people in the State who do not work in their own communities. We have 500,000 people leaving the State of New Jersey every morning to earn their livelihoods outside of the State. When people say, "Canvass your local community and industries and find out what you want to do," it is of no value, because our boys and our girls work in New York or in a neighboring community. So, a third feature of this bill which is brought forth here is to allow the Federal board, through the State board of education, to provide for research and study of the necessities of various occupational lines, and the need of various kinds of training. So I like your bill for that purpose. We have a trade school on the level mentioned here this morning. We had it in 1910, several years before the Smith-Hughes Act, and we are rather pround of our school. It is a full-time trade school, with an evening school, and we know what we are doing and what we are accomplishing. And we can place our boys. Mr. DOUGLASS. I thought you said you were in favor of abolishing these technical high schools? Mr. SMITH. I am. Mr. DOUGLASS. This one included? Mr. SMITH. This is a trade school. Mr. DOUGLASS. What is the difference between a technical high school and a trade school? Mr. SMITH. The trade school under this act is a 2-year school for 14-year-old boys who take a 2-year course, and it prepares one to earn a living through some marketable skill. Mr. DOUGLASS. The technical school is more elaborate? Mr. SMITH. More elaborate, more manual training. Mr. DOUGLASS. Why do you want to abolish it? idea has taken possession of it. The college preparatory Mr. DOUGLASS. Suppose they put more technical stuff in and less academic? Mr. SMITH. Well, all right. Let me use the word "modified." Mr. SMITH. Improve it. Mr. DOUGLASS. If they improve it, it will be all right? Mr. SMITH. Yes. Use the same building, if you please, but change your program and aim and ideas. Mr. DOUGLASS. That is what I mean. If they improve these technical schools and have less academic and more technical work. Mr. SMITH. More laboratory work, or the study of industrial principles underlying it. Mr. DOUGLASS. You would make that a State work? Mr. SMITH. Yes, sir. In all these years we have never suffered from the encroachment of the Federal board or the State board. The amount of money that dribbles through from this Federal appropriation does not amount to much in our budget of about $115,000. We get $1,200. I am not interested very much from the monetary standpoint, but here is the point; that small amount of money, inconsiderable though it may be, that comes to the State is the greatest argument that can be presented to a State legislature for an increased appropriation. Mr. DOUGLASS. Why wouldn't it be a good idea for the industries of New Jersey to have technical schools of their own, trade schools? Mr. SMITH. They do, some of them. In our own city, Standard Oil, for instance. Mr. DOUGLASS. That would be a good idea, would it not? would save the State and the Government money. Mr. SMITH. No; it wouldn't be a good idea. Mr. DOUGLASS. Why not? Mr. SMITH. It is not in line with sound democratic policies. Mr. DOUGLASS. The industries are getting the benefit of this training. Mr. SMITH. The industries are paying for our industrial education. The tax of the Standard Oil in Bayonne here would pay for that entire instruction for a year. Mr. DOUGLASS. Don't you think that with their profits, probably they could well afford to?" Mr. SMITH. No, I think not. Mr. SCHAFER. Well, the ultimate consumer pays that tax. A few days ago we had the gasoline price raised a cent a gollan. Mr. SMITH. But here is the other point. These industries employ but a small part of our boys. The oil industries are unskilled labor, largely. Mr. DOUGLASS. But I mean the industries that employed skilled labor would do it. I have always been of the opinion that industry could help itself and also the men it hires by having technical institutions of its own. What do you say to that? Mr. SMITH. I don't think they are equipped. They could, of course, create laboratories, research bureaus, and so forth. They could do it. Mr. DOUGLASS. They do it in the higher grades, don't they? Mr. DOUGLASS. Why don't they help the lower grades out? Mr. SMITH. It is simply impossible for them to carry that on. Mr. DOUGLASS. If it is possible for them to carry it on for engineers in the higher grades, why isn't it possible for the lower? Mr. SMITH. They don't train their engineers. Mr. DOUGLASS. What about the Westinghouse people? Mr. SMITH. The American Telephone & Telegraph Co. went out and employed 3,000 college graduates last year, and they will employ 3,000 more this year. They don't train those men, except in the special processes of their own work. They put a man in for six months and he learns this particular field and learns how to apply his knowledge. That is all the training they do. Mr. DOUGLASS. I always felt it could be a little more elaborate. Mr. SMITH. I am interested because of this secondary feature, and I know this: that the Federal Board working through the State Department has been of great aid in developing the present system of trade education in New Jersey, through the stimulus that was given to it, through teacher training, and through setting up of definite programs. Mr. SCHAFER. Wouldn't that same principle and argument apply in favor of the Federal Government aiding the grade and high school institutions of the country? Mr. SMITH. No, I think not. I don't believe the Federal Government ought to go into all types. Mr. SCHAFER. Why particularly single out rehabilitation and vocational education training and leave the grade schools and the high schools out? Mr. SMITH. Because there is a need in this line that is not found in in the other line. Mr. SCHAFER. Isn't there a need to give the children of the poor school districts equal opportunity of education with the children of the rich districts? Mr. SMITH. Absolutely, I think and believe in that. If you could work out some scheme whereby the State would spend its money in the poor districts, I know New Jersey would welcome such a scheme. The CHAIRMAN. New York does that now. Mr. SMITH. New York has a stock exchange to tax and they get some money from that so that they can do it. Mr. DRIVER. The Federal Government, sending its money into the poor districts we do vocational rehabilitation, vocational training, with Federal funds. Do you see any serious objection, as a matter of principle, to the Federal Government sending its money into the school districts of the Nation to assist and stimulate, as you have stated with reference to stimulating this activity, the educational facilities in the public schools and the grade schools and high schools? * Mr. DOUGLASS. There is more involved in that question than your question implies. I don't think we ought to go into the Federal education bill. The CHAIRMAN. Is there anyone else who has to leave? Mr. O'LEARY. The development of our program in New Jersey has been greatly assisted by the cooperation and assistance of the State Federation of Labor, and we have here this morning Mr. Gregory Galin, who is chairman of the educational committee of the State Federation of Labor, and who is also director of industries in corrective institutions of the State. I would like to ask Mr. Galin if he won't speak for a moment from the standpoint of labor in New Jersey. STATEMENT OF HON. ROBERT A. GREEN Mr. GREEN. Mr Chairman and members of the committee, I appreciate, on behalf of my constituents, the opportunity of appearing in behalf of favorable report and passage of H. R. 10821. A large number of educators throughout my State are interested in this legislation and have petitioned that same be reported; therefore, I shall, upon permission given, include in my remarks a few short letters from these citizens of my State. Frankly, I am very much in favor of this legislation because it has been my privilege to observe the unusually good benefits which have already been brought to the people of my State. Our people are accepting these Federal funds by matching same with State funds, and it is my belief that the State will continue its prorata of these appropriations. I shall not speak at length to-day as it is my purpose to again appear before your committee and to support this legislation when it reaches the floor of the House, if your committee in its wisdom, reports same. Representative GREEN, LAKE WALES, FLA., May 6, 1930. House of Representatives, Washington, D. C. Sincerely believe it to Florida's interest that you present the indorsements you have received for the Capper-Reed Vocational Act to the House committee at hearing given this act May 7. We need your help in this manner. C. O. HOLLEY, State Superintendent Trade and Industrial Education. Hon. ROBERT A. GREEN, MIAMI, FLA., April 21, 1930. Member of Congress, Washington, D. C. MY DEAR MR. GREEN: We are familiar with the aims and objectives of vocational education and Federal cooperation with States under the Smith-Hughes Act of 1917. It has come to our attention that a bill is now pending, known as Capper-Reed vocational bill that will further stimulate and aid the States in solving the pressing and momentous problems incident to retraining of wage earners out of employment; vocational improvement of wage earners not regularly employed due to lack of hand and technical training; the vocational training of older tradesmen into lighter and more skilled branches of their respective crafts; training of apprentices in the trades to a high degree of efficiency; training junior vocational technicians for jobs where college training is unnecessary; training of foremen and supervisors for leaders and teachers; training for the commerical field that is not included in the Smith-Hughes Act. The Smith-Hughes bill and George Reed bill have proven their value in practical training for life vocations; the Capper-Reed bill is a supplement to the original vocational bill and is a result of public demand for more latitude in vocational training. Therefore we earnestly request your support of the Capper-Reed bill, H. R. 18021. Assuring you of our appreciation, we are J. G. DU PUIS, M. D., Chairman Board of Trustees, Dade County Agricultural High School. Mr. ROBERT A. GREEN, H. H. FILER. J. A. CLEVELAND. JACKSONVILLE, FLA., April 22, 1930. Member of Congress, Washington, D. C. MY DEAR MR. GREEN: The Board of Public Instruction of Duval County, at its meeting on Monday, April 21, instructed me as secretary of the board, to write you, indorsing bill No. 10821 introduced by Mr. Reed of New York, for the purpose of increasing the United States appropriation toward the support of vocational schools, and also indorsing Senate bill No. 3969. Very truly yours, R. B. RUTHERFORD, Superintendent. |