2. Conditions and standards set up by the vocational education act which apply to part-time and evening schools and classes.

For the development of part-time instruction, the vocational education act provides for cooperation between the Federal Government and the States in promoting education for various groups of persons of over 14 years of age who have entered upon employment and are released during regular working hours for instruction purposes. There are various types of part-time classes depending upon whether the student is given instruction in the work in which he is already employed or is given instruction in some new type of work, or whether the instruction is given only in subjects which will enlarge the civic or vocational intelligence of the young worker. From the standpoint of home economics part-time instruction, all instruction is supplementary to at least a part of the daily employment of the average girl or woman, since it may be safely assumed that practically every girl or woman has household duties of some sort or another as a part of her daily employment. Therefore, all instruction given will be such as will extend this knowledge of home making. There may be home-making schools in which all of the 144 hours is devoted to home-making subjects or there may be homemaking schools in which half the time is given to instruction in home-making subjects and half the time is given to subjects which will more directly increase the civic intelligence of the student, such as English, elementary mathematics, civics. The definite requirements for part-time education, as set up by the law and as interpreted by the policy of the Federal Board, are that such instruction must be provided for a minimum of 144 hours a year; that adequate plant and equipment must be provided; that a course of study fitted to the needs of the group to be reached is outlined by the State board and approved by the Federal Board, and that teachers who are well qualified and who are in sympathy with part-time instruction must be employed to carry out this work.

For evening instruction provision is made that such instruction. shall be open to students over 16 years of age. Such classes must be held outside of the regular working hours of the day. For groups of housekeepers such classes may be held in the afternoon, as it is understood that these women have duties in the evening.

Evening school is not a new type of school in this country. Wherever the work has failed to function effectively as an agent in vocational education it has been largely due to the fact that the same principles and methods have been applied here as in other types of schools, whereas the purpose and aim of the work, as well as the class of students, have been very different. The efficiency test of an evening school must be stated not in terms of the large numbers of students induced to enroll, but the stability of the classes, the per

manency of class membership, and the number and kind of new recruits. It is important, therefore, that adequate equipment and maintenance be provided for this work, as well as that the teacher shall be trained and in sympathy with the ideals of evening school instruction.

3. Conditions and standards set up by the vocational education act which apply to supervision.

If supervision is to function in the scheme of vocational education, a definite plan for supervision must be outlined. Such a plan should include the general inspection work, ordinarily understood as supervision, as well as suggestions for the improvement of the teachers in the school. Qualifications for the supervisor should be such that in all cases the supervisor of home economics in a State is better qualified than are the teachers of home economics in that State.

4. Conditions and standards set up by the vocational-education act which apply to teacher training.

The teacher training must be under the supervision of the State board, the institution or institutions selected to carry on the work of the training of teachers should be adequately qualified both in ideals, teacher-training staff, and equipment, to provide the type of instruction and the vocational experience essential in the training of home-economics teachers.

WORK ACCOMPLISHED DURING 1917-18.

At the end of the first fiscal year we find that 48 States accepted the provisions of the act and that in all of the States there has been some vocational home economics work. The chief effort was to develop the work in the all-day school. In many of the States, as hast been suggested, home economics was well established, but a half day of practical work was not being given to the subject in the schools. Courses of study were outlined showing two general programs for the half day of practical work. One in which the half day is devoted entirely to home-making subjects, the other in which the half day is devoted to home economics and the related art and science subjects. The home-making subjects have been fairly well taught, although the connection between the school work and the home work of the pupil needed to be stressed. The development of the home project idea was encouraged. The important piece of work done was to convince the school men that a half day was none too much to require for the training of a home maker and that the homemaking subjects should be strengthened and supported by the fundamental science and art courses. There is comparatively little science which is really related science being taught in the country, as is

there also very little art being taught which is related to the home. The development of such courses was encouraged everywhere. The curriculum as given in many of the secondary schools was modified so that the so-called domestic science and domestic art work was developed into one course of home economics and the scope of the work was extended so as to include more of the home-making activities, home management, home nursing, child care, house planning and furnishing, as well as work in food preparation, garment making, and millinery. The laboratory facilities and equipment were increased so as to provide for the expanding program of home economics, as well as the closely related science and art instruction.

Part-time and evening work was forwarded to some extent, but it seemed wisest first of all to develop the type of instruction which was best known and which was more general throughout the country. With the establishment of good vocational departments in every State, the large groups of students of over 14 years of age who are in school would be reached by good home-making courses.

Adequate supervision of home-economics work has been demanded. It was clearly brought to the attention of the State boards that no work could develop satisfactorily within a State unless such was furthered by a State supervisor. At the end of the year there was a supervisor in 31 States. Such a supervisor is either a permanent member of the staff of the State board of education or loaned to the State board for part time by the teacher-training institution within the State. This greatly strengthened the work and was one of the large contributions made by the passage of the vocational-education act.

The appointment of a State supervisor means that a unity of interest will result. It will tend to set up the highest standard possible within the State and then will bring this up at least to the average of the standards in other States. The need for this level upward has long been felt where poor conditions have been tolerated because they were no worse, or a little better, than the general conditions in that State or section.

The setting up of a common standard in the vocational home economics schools and classes will react upon all the instruction in home economics within the State since the selection of the material and method is based upon its contributions to a universally designed aim— the training of home makers.

As was stated, there were in many States good departments of home economics in the State universities and agricultural colleges. Most of these institutions were giving the course as a part of the fouryear college course leading to a college degree. In some parts of the country, especially where there were no coeducational institutions, the work was not of so high a grade, but was often given as a part

of a two-year normal course. In the pursuance of the plans and policies of the Federal board all States were encouraged to establish a well-rounded four-year course designed for the training of home economics teachers.

The main strength of the teacher-training institutions was their technical home economics and science instruction. The effort throughout the country was made to strengthen the special methods work in the teaching of home economics, the practice teaching in home economics, and the provision for vocational experience. Few of the institutions made any attempt to check up the vocational experience of their students on entering college, nor did they provide an opportunity to further extend this experience during their college course. The institutions were weak in the matter of courses in child care. At the end of this year a large number of institutions had increased the time spent in their methods courses, had increased their provision for practice teaching to a minimum of eight weeks of three hours each, and had provided supervised home management in a home of some sort provided for this purpose. Many of the twoyear institutions had added a third year to their teacher-training courses, and only in one State where there was a two-year course was there no provision made for extending this to a four-year course by 1920.

For the first time the teacher-training institutions were asked to analyze the vocation of home making and to offer courses which would train teachers of home making within their State. With the recognition of home making as a vocation has come the recognition of the need of clearly analyzing the vocation, if that instruction which will provide this essential training is to be outlined. The State boards and the teacher-training institutions have grown closer together. There has been developed a more genuine appreciation of the fact that the teacher-training institutions were preparing teachers who would satisfactorily meet the needs of the home makers of the State. Such a point of view has developed the spirit of community helpfulness which is essential if education is to function, and to reach every girl and woman who needs and desires training in home making.

COMMERCIAL EDUCATION.

While commercial education is probably the oldest form of vocational training in this country, it has been so closely identified with the academic courses in public high schools during the past 30 years that its vocational aspect has been lost sight of to a large extent. In no State is this kind of training receiving the consideration it deserves at the hands of vocational administrators. Over 600,000 boys and girls in private and public schools in this country are pur

suing commercial courses, and it is certain that the actual needs of only a few of these boys and girls are being met, owing to the rather limited scope of the traditional commercial course.

Two occupations, bookkeeping and stenography, have for a long time dominated the field of commercial education to the entire neglect of the many other commercial occupations for which training is necessary.

Important changes in the administration and conduct of education for business are necessary if the requirements of commerce are to be met and the best interests of our boys and girls are to be conserved.

The States are confronted with many problems connected with the reorganization of commercial courses in both public and private schools and the extension of facilities for giving the right kind of training for commercial occupations to the various types of young people who desire it. While no funds were appropriated by the Vocational education act to stimulate commercial education, definite. provision was made for aiding the States in the solution of these very important problems relating to better training for the occupations commonly classified as "commercial."

In section 6 of the act the Federal Board for Vocational Education is required "to make, or cause to have made, studies, investigations, and reports, with particular reference to their use in aiding the States in the establishment of vocational schools and classes and in giving instruction in . . . commerce and commercial pursuits Such studies, investigations, and reports shall include . . . commerce and commercial pursuits and requirements upon commercial workers . . . and problems of administration of vocational schools and of courses of study and instruction in vocational subjects."

...

In the fulfillment of its duty the Federal Board for Vocational Education has appointed an assistant director for commercial education and is making very thorough studies in the various phases of commercial education, to the end that the States may be aided in giving instruction in this great field of vocational training.

The following problems of commercial education are recognized as among those requiring immediate attention and the help of the Federal Board in their solution:

NECESSITY FOR PROVIDING COMPETENT STATE SUPERVISION.

In only one State is a specialist in this field employed by the State. department of public instruction. Since one-fourth of all the students enrolled in the high schools of the country are taking commercial courses, it is very important that better supervision of this

91573-18- -5