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STATEMENT OF HON. JOHN A. MARTIN, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF COLORADO

Mr. JOHNSON of Oklahoma. Mr. Martin of Colorado desires to make a very brief statement to the committee.

Mr. MARTIN. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, I should like to present, for the record and for the information of the committee, a telegram from W. J. England, vocational supervisor in my home city of Pueblo, Colo.

The telegram reads as follows:

Hon. J. A. MARTIN,

House Office Building, Washington, D. C.:

Advised that House subcommittee will consider vocational appropriations authorized by George-Deen Act Friday. It would be helpful it you could attend committee meeting and request full allotment authorized by George-Deen Act. Extension of vocational training service sorely needed in this district. Best personal regards.

W. J. ENGLAND.

STATEMENT OF HON. GEORGE J. SCHNEIDER, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF WISCONSIN

Mr. SCRUGHAM. We shall be glad to hear Mr. Schneider of Wisconsin at this time.

Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, I want to state to the committee that the Wisconsin State Federation of Labor is in favor of the $14,000,000 appropriation for vocational education. This telegram comes from the president of the Wisconsin State Federation of Labor, Mr. Henry Ohl, Jr. Mr. Ohl is a member of the Federal Board for Vocational Education, and has been one of the champions of vocational education for a great many years.

I also have a telegram from Mr. Glen T. Fiedler, president of the Wisconsin Vocational Education Association, Green Bay, Wis., urging the increase of the appropriation.

I also have a letter here from H. O. Eiken, director of the Green Bay Vocational School, Green Bay, Wis., in which he sets forth his position; and, if I may, I will read just a paragraph or two of that letter, in which he explains the need for additional funds to meet the necessities of vocational education in Wisconsin. He states:

The trend in demand for increased service on the part of the vocational school which began during the depression has not subsided but rather has been intensified since the approach to normal conditions. Never has the local school been so handicapped by budgetary restrictions as it has been during the past 2 or 3 years and that it will be in the years to come. Men and women returning to employment are demanding in ever increasing numbers extension training to make themselves more competent on the job. Due to employers and industry raising the entrance age requirements for initial employment, we are being called upon by ever increasing numbers of youths in the 18 to 25 age group for preemployment training, vocational and trade training, and adjustment service. This is also true of those who are graduating from high school and find it inconvenient to continue their education in institutions of higher learning. They are coming to us for training and service designed to orient themselves into the so-called service and distributive occupations. These are all problems with which we are concerned and activities in which we should increase our service and effectiveness. Unquestionably, our opportunitity to serve this group is not only going to be limited but curtailed in these fields unless the Federal appropriation is increased. I am sure, speaking for the local school administration and board, that we could use the entire amount that would be available to us should the original appro

priation of some 14 million dollars be made. Not only is this necessary, but we in Wisconsin are attempting to secure an additional appropriation from the State in order to carry on our ever expanding activities which are necessitated by the spontaneous requests of the youths and adults in our community.

I call attention also to the great usefulness of vocational training to our agricultural population. It is highly desirable that the benefits of vocational education should be extended to an increasing number of men and women in the rural areas. Farm leaders have recognized the value of vocational education in agricultural subjects and other activities. I quote the following from a statement by Mr. L. J. Taber, master of the National Grange:

"We look upon the outlay for vocational education as an investment that pays good dividends of many kinds. The form of education that these funds make possible is of the most practical nature, giving us better farmers and home makers, while increasing efficiency in industrial pursuits. It is the kind of education that helps people to earn a livelihood and to make them self-sustaining. No: only the young are benefited by the vocational training they receive under this system, but all over the country adults attending night classes likewise receive instruction."

May I state further, Mr. Chairman, that because of the recovery of industry and due to the shortage of trained men who were formerly employed, having left industry, perhaps passed away, or left the community, has created vacancies that must be filled by workers without training. These latter men are seeking instruction and assistance from the vocational schools to equip them to fill the places that are so essential.

Therefore may I not suggest and recommend to the committee an increase to the $14,000,000 as authorized in the Deen bill? I think it is highly essential and is expected.

It seems rather inconsistent, at least to me, that we in Congress should pass an enabling Act in one year, authorizing certain definite appropriations, and when that time arrives we fail to make the appropriation.

I mentioned that particularly because of the high hopes that we have left in the heart and mind of those people who are interested in vocational education. There should be opportunity for extending this needed instruction to our people.

I think the appropriation should be increased materially over the recommendations of the Bureau of the Budget.

Mr. SCRUGHAM. Thank you, Mr. Schneider.

STATEMENT OF HON. CLIFFORD R. HOPE, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF KANSAS

Mr. SCRUGHAM. We shall be glad to hear Mr. Hope of Kansas. Mr. HOPE. Mr. Chairman and members of the committee: I am very glad to appear here today to urge that the full amount of this appropriation as authorized by the George-Deen bill be made available, or at least as much as is indicated can be used in this year. I concur in what Mr. Schneider says with reference to the policy which has been determined upon by Congress. That policy has been settled. We have authorized an appropriation of 14 millions of dollars. It seems to me inconsistent with that policy, if we do not appropriate all of that amount which can be used by the States during the next fiscal year.

I am very much in favor of this type of education. It is very practical. I think it is the right type of education. Particularly I speak of vocational agriculture. It is the type of education in our

rural communities, which is perhaps doing more good in building up those communities than anything else that we are undertaking.

For years and years, in our rural communities, we were educating our boys and girls away from home. We gave them courses in our high schools which merely fitted them to prepare for college entrance, and when they were able to go away to college, they took courses which fitted them, not to live in their home communities, but to go away to larger communities, and other States and into other fields of activity.

We have drained our rural communities in that way of a good deal of our ability and talent.

I think this movement for vocational education-speaking particularly of agriculture, but including other lines-is doing a great deal to keep in our own local communities the boys and girls whom we are bringing up there and educating at the expense of those communities. It is a most excellent and practical type of education.

In our State we can use a very considerable increase over the amount of funds that has been available. We have 800 high schools. At present vocational agriculture is taught in only 154 of them.

I have letters here from schools in my district saying that they are ready to put in a course in vocational education as soon as the funds are available.

I have one letter here in which it is stated that there are at least 100 boys in that particular high school who are anxious to undertake the study of vocational agriculture.

I cannot give you the figures as to how much we are contributing in our State at this time, but our State has contributed very generously, a great deal more than has been necessary to match the Federal contributions in this activity. We are willing to go ahead and match whatever contributions we are able to get, and greatly exceed them. But we are not able at this time, in our State, to go ahead and greatly enlarge this activity without an increase in the amount of the Federal contribution.

There are at this time, I understand, in the office of the State director of vocational education at least 50 applications requesting funds for the organization of a course in vocational agriculture. I think if it were known that there was a possibility of additional funds being available, there would be a great many more applications.

So I hope that this committee will find it possible to authorize this year the appropriation of sufficient additional funds to take care of what can be absorbed by the States during the next fiscal year.

It is not a question of our embarking on a new activity or starting a new policy, because the policy has already been determined. I do not think I would favor at this time going ahead and establishing a new policy with respect to Federal contributions to education.

I told the people from my State who have written me concerning the pending so-called Black-Harrison-Fletcher bill that I did not think this was any time to undertake any new policy of Federal contributions to education.

But this is a policy which has been determined upon, a policy under which the States have built up a great system of vocational education.

I believe in line with that policy, and in line with the action of Congress last year in authorizing its extension, that this committee

139751-37-pt. 2——7

can very well go ahead and authorize appropriations up to the amount that can be used, during the coming fiscal year.

Mr. SCRUGHAN. Thank you, Mr. Hope.

STATEMENT OF HON. J. BUELL SNYDER, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA

Mr. SCRUGHAM. We shall be glad to hear Mr. Snyder of Pennsyl vania at this time.

Mr. SNYDER. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen of the committee:

As perhaps some of you know, it has been my good fortune to have been connected with schools since I was 6 years old; either as a student, a teacher, a high-school principal or superintendent, or member of the school board, until I came to Congress.

My observation in the field of education has been that all nations pass through three different stages. Our own Nation, in the early days, was in the crude, or rough stone age.

Then we drifted naturally into the agricultural age and as we became more populated, we slowly became an industrial Nation.

In just the proportion that we became an industrial Nation, and in the proportion that we are now an industrial Nation, we should train our children in the industrial and vocational arts.

Many a student came to me in high school-and go to other high schools who did not or do not give courses in subjects for training the head, and the hand, and the heart, to work together-and thus found themselves, when they graduated, with a background of Latin or French or some other language, but they could no no further. A great percentage of them did not know the technique of agriculture. Neither did they know the technique of any of the other vocations. I think we have arrived at a place, not only in Pennsylvania, but in every State in the Union, when these industrial educational courses should be extended.

One big reason for that, as I see it, is to keep the boys on the farm. Our rural consolidated high schools copied the city high schools in the character of the courses that they gave and in many cases still give and instead of being an activity, centered on enthusing the boys and girls about the possibilities of agricultural pursuits, they were being enthused about pursuing courses that would fit them for college entrance, so that eventually they might become a lawyer, a physician, or a member of one or other of the professions.

To me there is no question but what the $14,000,000 should be appropriated. I understand that in my State, the State Council of Education has recommended to the State legislature and to the Governor of Pennsylvania that Pennsylvania make appropriations sufficiently large so that it can cooperate 100 percent with the Federal Government in its allotment of the full 14 million dollars.

I want to commend Mr. Deen and the committee and all those who have been back of this activity on their splendid efforts to bring this piece of legislation to a point where we can go to bat and get the 14 million dollars, and make it available, as the bill provides.

I trust that each State in the Union will take advantage of this opportunity by cooperating to the full extent of their quota. I thank you, gentlemen.

Mr. O'NEAL. Thank you, Mr. Snyder.

STATEMENT OF HON. JAMES F. O'CONNOR, A REPRESENTATIVE

IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF MONTANA

Mr. O'NEAL. We will hear Mr. O'Connor of Montana.

Mr. O'CONNOR. Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, let me say this in reference to the matter you have under consideration: I have had something to do with school work. I was trustee and president of our county high school for many years.

I think I have some idea of the value, in my particular State, of the continuance of a sufficient appropriation to enable our boys and girls to enjoy education in the line of the trades industries and farming. My State is largely a stock-raising State. Although coupled with that are several other industries, such as mining, etc.

We have what is called the Agricultural College at Bozeman. That is right across the hill from Livingston, close to the Yellowstone National Park. There is a heavy attendance there the year around, taking up studies under the vocational training department.

We have some of the finest and best-equipped young men and women that are turned out of that school, in the various lines of work such as the technical trades, industry, and farming.

For instance, there is no denying the fact but that today we had a shortage of skilled workmen; carpenters, plumbers, bricklayers, learning their trade by actual experience, as the old skilled workman did.

The young men today do not seem to do that. They will go to college and get this training in places of that kind, if such places are available.

The same is true of farming and industry. There is no denying the fact everybody knows this, who has had to do with a farming population that our youngsters, the boys and girls, want to leave the farms and go into the cities for the reason that farm life has not been made attractive to them.

If they can get the training in school that they need, there is not any question but what they can get ahead and become interested and will stay on the farms. We have got to get the young people to stay on the farms of this country if we are going to continue in business, because there are not sufficient jobs for them in the cities.

I have a telegram here from J. E. Boarder, who is connected with the agricultural department of the school at Bozeman. Here is what he says:

These

Vocational Agricultural Department in 40 schools in farming districts. schools must have aid to continue with this work. Trade and industrial education carried on in all of our larger towns. This training depends largely upon Federal funds. About 14,000 boys need this training and will be deprived of it unless this appropriation is made.

Now, we have new problems that are arising in territories of that kind; and I suppose there are members of this committee who have heard me before upon the subject of our experimental stations, asking for appropriations for reseeding our drought-stricken territory, and all that sort of thing. But we have got to meet those demands. the only way we can meet the condition is by training our young fellows to fit themselves to go out and take care of the situations we have before us now.

And

We have had unprecedented droughts in our territory for 7 continuous years; and what the droughts did not take the grasshoppers finished.

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