GENERAL CONDITIONS. The work of the State board has been carried on under the act of the general assembly, creating a State board and appropriating a fund to match Federal funds. The citizens of the State are becoming better informed of the purposes and activities of the board through the efforts of the executive staff and the improvement in sentiment supporting vocational education is quite evident. The demand for the several phases of work conducted by the board exceeds the supply of qualified teachers. AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION. The State supervisor during the year organized 10 new departments of vocational agriculture, made a total of 123 visits to schools for the purpose of inspection, helping the teachers in the organization of their courses and assisting them in placing the directed or supervised practice in agriculture on a more efficient basis, prepared standards for certificating vocational agricultural teachers, held a two-day conference at the State college, and conducted a six weeks' summer session for the improvement of teachers in service. Arrangements have been made so that all rural high-school buildings erected in the future will have adequate rooms for agriculture. This has been incorporated in the State building plan. Eighty-five agricultural students, representing 12 schools, took part in the judging contest held at the annual meeting of the North Carolina Live Stock Association. Never before in the history of the State had so many boys come together for this purpose. A team composed of vocational agricultural boys represented the State at the International Live Stock Exposition. This team won eighth place in the team judging contest, and a North Carolina boy won first place in judging beef cattle. Among the publications issued during the year the following may be mentioned: A project record book, farm shop bulletin, sevcral type project study outlines, and the North Carolina Agricultural Education Monthly, a four-page magazine devoted to the interest of Vocational agricultural education in the State. A similar publication was issued for teachers of vocational agriculture for Negro schools. A number of articles on various phases of the agricultural work have been written for educational journals and newspapers. Thirty-one white schools, an increase of approximately 40 per cent over last year, were approved for Federal aid and enrolled 514 pupils in vocational work. The total income of pupils from directed or supervised practice in agriculture in 1918-19 was $33,395.45, a return of $1.41 on every dollar expended for salaries of teachers of vocational agriculture, which was $23,577.54. Eleven colored schools, an increase of approximately 8 per cent over last year, were approved for Federal aid and enrolled 220 pu pils in vocational work. The total income of colored pupils from directed or supervised practice in agriculture in 1918–19 was $959.29, or an average income per pupil for crops of $72.19, and an average. income per acre of crops of $78.49. One of the outstanding features of the work done by the schools. has been the community service activities. Over 800 individual farmers were given advice and assistance. One hundred and twentytwo meetings were held, with a total attendance of 16,767 persons. Eighteen of the schools held community fairs during the fall of 1919. Teacher-training work at the State College continued practically as for the previous year. The enrollment for the year was 19 men. Considerable progress was made in the development of supervised teaching. HOME ECONOMICS EDUCATION. A State supervisor of home economics education was employed on full time in 1919-20. In 1920-21 an assistant will be provided, to have in charge evening-school work. In 1918-19 three vocational schools for home economics were approved; in 1919-20, 23 such schools, with an enrollment of 814 girls, were organized, all but one of which were reimbursed from State funds only because of the limited Federal funds for this purpose. There were 18 evening classes, with a total enrollment of 302 students, approved for Federal aid in 5 centers, 2 of which were for Negro women. The prospects for enlarging the number of evening classes for 1920-21 are very promising. The facilities in the Greensboro College for Women, approved for the training of teachers of home economics for white schools, have been increased by the addition of several well-qualified women to the teacher-training faculty, additions to laboratories and equipment, and the utilization of the home economics department of the Greensboro High School for supervised teaching and observation. Very successful summer-school courses were conducted at the college for teachers in service, and special classes for the training of evening home economics teachers. At the Slater Normal and Industrial School, the institution for training Negro home economics teachers, the home economics department has been moved into new, well-equipped laboratories, the course reorganized, and a woman on full time put at the head of the department, with an assistant on part time. TRADE AND INDUSTRIAL EDUCATION. The past year marked the beginning of supervision of trade and industrial education in the hands of a special agent upon a full-time basis. Previous to this time the State director has been handling the work. It is evident that the growth during the year has justified this addition to the staff. The State has not attempted any unit trade courses and last year has seen its first attempt in a part-time field. The work as yet is almost exclusively of the evening trade-extension type. Exceptions to this, however, are a part-time vestibule class in multiplex operation, and a general continuation part-time class in a knitting mill. There are plans on foot for putting into operation some unit trade courses for the ensuing year. The number of approved classes in all types of schools was 73, as against only 5 of the previous year. These courses were in operation in 31 centers of 22 different cities. The State college of agriculture and engineering inaugurated its teacher-training work during the year. No residence courses for related work were given, emphasis being placed exclusively on the improvement of teachers in service. The supervisor and the teacher trainer in this State have worked in very close cooperation. In general, the plan has been for the supervisor to interest the local communities in putting on the work, help the plants to select qualified foremen or other skilled workers as instructors, and furnish outlines for the beginning of the course. The supervisor would then be followed up by the teacher trainer, whose duties consist in meeting with these designated instructors and giving them assistance in planning and organizing their material into teaching form. In this way the instructor trainer has dealt with both shop and related subjects teachers on an itinerant basis. NORTH DAKOTA. Members of State board: Minnie J. Nielson, State superintendent of public instruction; John M. Hagen, commissioner of agriculture and labor; George A. Toten, Robert T. Muir, P. M. Casey, and Charles Liessman. Executive officer: Chauncey E. Cavett, director of vocational education, Lisbon. PROVISIONS FOR COOPERATION. Legislation affecting vocational education was passed by the legislature in December, 1919. Federal funds were matched dollar for dollar, and additional State funds of $5,000 annual appropriation were given for direction and supervision of the work. AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION. The State director for vocational education has also acted in the capacity of supervisor of agriculture. He made eight visits to schools, held one State conference and nine special conferences with local districts. Directed or supervised practice in agriculture has been given special attention, a plan has been developed for local teacher-training study centers, and interest has been aroused in short courses and dull-season courses in agriculture. Eight schools were approved for Federal aid and enrolled 227 pupils in vocational work. The total income of pupils from directed or supervised practical work in agriculture in 1918-19 was $2,815.01. Interest has been aroused among the teachers and plans have been made to do efficient work along teacher-training lines in the future at the agricultural college. Six students were enrolled in the teachertraining courses at the college and a session of six weeks was held during the summer of 1919. By letters, personal conferences, and public meetings great interest has been established throughout the State in vocational agricultural education. HOME ECONOMICS EDUCATION. A State supervisor of home economics education was employed by the State board for vocational education on part time in 1919–20. In 1918-19 nine departments for vocational education in home economics were organized in high schools. In 1919-20 nine day departments, with an enrollment of 270 students, were organized and two evening centers were opened. One 12-months' teacher was employed for the year 1919-20, and although home projects were not required, they were emphasized in the work. The State agricultural college at Fargo was reimbursed for the training of teachers in home economics. Facilities for practice teaching are provided there by classes of freshmen deficient in home economics, and also in the Crittenton Home. TRADE AND INDUSTRIAL EDUCATION. A small amount of evening instruction was given by the public schools of Fargo and some dull-season instruction for carpenters and builders at the agricultural and mechanical college. Full-time classes were tentatively approved at Wahpeton and Ellendale under the plan for general industrial schools. OHIO. Members of State board: Alfred Vivian, dean, college of agriculture; R. J. Condon, superintendent of schools; Mrs. Kent W. Hughes, at home; S. J. McCune, merchant; W. S. Edmund, supertendent of schools; A. C. Eldredge, assistant superintendent of schools: Vernon M. Riegel, State superintendent of public instruetion. Executive officer: Vernon M. Riegel, State superintendent of public instruction, Columbus. State director for vocational education: None. State director for agricultural and home economics education: Alfred Vivian State supervisor for agricultural education: W. F. Stewart. PROVISIONS FOR COOPERATION. The Federal act was accepted by State statute approved March 30, 1917. This act was amended by the 1919 session, providing in the amendment a complete definition of the powers and duties of the State board. The act of acceptance created a State board of education to be the State board for vocational education. This State board consists of the superintendent of public instruction, with six members to be appointed by the governor. Approved vocational schools are entitled to receive from the State treasury an amount equal to the amounts of Federal money to which they may be entitled. Expenses for administration are borne from State funds; for supervision, from State and Federal moneys in the teacher-training fund. AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION. Agricultural education in Ohio has made progress during the year, as is evidenced in the increased number of departments and the enrollment in these departments. Sixty-two schools, an increase of approximately 44 per cent over last year, were approved for Federal aid and enrolled 1,221 pupils in vocational work. The total income of pupils from directed or supervised practice in agriculture in 1918-19 was $99,099.59. It may be said that the quality of the work performed in the departments has averaged much better and has been conducted more thoroughly than previously. The supervisory staff has continued practically as it was for the year previous. For the benefit of the teachers, conferences were held as follows: Two State conferences in connection with the meetings of the State teachers' association, 10 district conferences, and personal visits by members of the supervisory staff with their attendant suggestions and assistance. Three bulletins have been prepared and published during the year, and a project record book is now being printed. Teacher-training activities have been conducted in connection with five training schools where courses in observation teaching and supervised teaching have been carried out. In the department of agricultural education, Ohio State University, a course in the methods of teaching vocational agriculture has been offered each semester and during the summer session. An enrollment of 59 students has been attained during the year. The services of a utility instructor have been given a trial this year, as a result of which 12 teachers have been relieved for one week each for the benefits of observation or supervised teaching in a training school. |