Major Milestones of Career & Technology Education In
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MAJOR MILESTONES OF CAREER & TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION IN OKLAHOMA A Discussion Guide History of CareerTech -1- Use this Discussion Guide in conjunction with the publication Learning to Earn: A History of Career and Technology Education in Oklahoma, by Danney Goble. Copies may be purchased at http://store.okcimc.com/teaching-advising-career-information.html. Copyright 2006, 2020 Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education Stillwater, Oklahoma 74074-4364 All rights reserved. This publication, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form by photographic, electrostatic, mechanical, or any other methods for any use including information storage and retrieval, without written permission from the publisher. Website addresses were accurate and all content on referenced websites was appropriate during development and production of this product. However, websites sometimes change; the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education takes no responsibility for a site’s content. The inclusion of a website does not constitute an endorsement of that site’s other pages, products, or owners. You are encouraged to verify all websites prior to use. The Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, sex, age, veteran status, or qualified handicap. Acknowledgments: This Discussion Guide resulted from the work of the following individuals: Margi Stone Cooper (2020) Donna Metcalf (2006) Frank Coulter (2006) Connie Romans (2006) Norman Filtz (2006) Curtis Shumaker (2006) Tom Friedemann (2006) LaMecia Stidham (2006) Marcie Mack (2020) Ron Wilkerson (2006) Edna Ruth Mahaffey (2006) Laura Wilson (2020) Craig Maile (2006, 2020) The 2020 graphic design was created by the Creative Services staff; Marissa Villones, Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education. Although the compliance with the Vocational Act of 1917 by the state legislature is frequently called the beginning of vocational education in Oklahoma, there had been determined efforts before that time to initiate a state-wide program. Indeed, Section 7, Article 13 of the Constitution of the state of Oklahoma demanded that “the legislature shall provide for the teaching of the elements of Agriculture, Horticulture, Stock Feeding and Domestic Science in the Common Schools of the State.” In compliance with this provision the legislature provided that after July 1,1909, all teachers wishing to receive certificates in the state should pass an examination qualifying them to instruct “the elements of Agriculture and allied branches mentioned” in the Constitution. Also, the various normal schools and other institutions of higher learning in the state were urged to offer training in the needed areas. —Carl Tyson, The History of Vocational and Technical Education in Oklahoma, State Department of Vocational and Technical Education, circa 1975 Timeline 1915 1920 1913—Henry Ford 1917—The United 1920—The 19th amendment 1923—Talking movies The Big creates the assembly States officially enters grants women the right invented line; Congress creates the First World War to vote; first commercial Picture U.S. Department of (1914-1918) radio broadcast airs; 1925—First home Labor begin conversion to 5-day mechanical refrigerator 1919—Prohibition workweek; Census shows sold (Frigidaire) 1914—Panama Canal begins in the U.S. after U.S. reaches 100 million opens; Smith-Lever Congress ratifies the population and first urban Act creates the 18th amendment to the majority (51%) Cooperative Extension Constitution Service 1917-1930s Everything changed when President Wilson signed that law, on February 23, 1917… Everywhere, not just in Oklahoma, the entire ecology of American vocational training changed, not slowly but immediately, not subtly but entirely. Only the fit survived— more accurately, the survivors were those that managed to fit themselves to the new environment. Oklahoma took the money. Every other state did, too, but not as swiftly and not as eagerly. --From Learning to Earn: A History of Career and Technology Education in Oklahoma. 1917 provided for the preparation of form of schooling except PASSAGE OF THE SMITH- teachers of vocational subjects, higher education, the new HUGHES ACT appropriated money, and board was also designated Having earlier received regulated its expenditures. Oklahoma’s official State Board the recommendations of for Vocational Education the Commission on Aid to The earliest federal definition for governance under the Vocational Education (chaired from the Smith-Hughes Act Smith-Hughes Act. Vocational by Charles A. Prosser), of 1917 defined vocational education was also assigned to Congress passed, and President education as the “preparation its own division within the new Woodrow Wilson signed, the for employment in positions department. Smith-Hughes Act. Wilson requiring less than a said that vocational and baccalaureate degree.” 1929 industrial education was of OKLAHOMA OFFERING ONE vital importance to the whole 1928 OF THE NATION’S FIRST country “for the critical years of FORMATION OF FFA PROGRAMS IN DISTRIBUTIVE economic development ahead Representatives of several EDUCATION of us.” states’ student organizations Tulsa Public Schools offered met together at the American one of the nation’s first Within weeks of passage of Royal Livestock Show in Kansas programs in what became the Smith-Hughes Act, the City, where they launched the known as distributive education. Oklahoma legislature officially Future Farmers of America— Called Retail Selling, Tulsa’s agreed to accept its terms and FFA. Oklahoma was accepted as program placed high school promised to “meet all conditions an early member. students with local retailers necessary” to receive federal and complemented their work funding for its participation 1929 experience with classroom in the program. A federally CREATION OF THE DIVISION studies. approved plan was required by OF VOCATIONAL EDUCATION law, and Oklahoma’s plan was WITHIN THE STATE 1929, 1935 formally accepted in August. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION PASSAGE OF FEDERAL The purpose of vocational One section of a state statute LEGISLATION INCREASING education as defined in the enacted in 1929 dissolved the FEDERAL SUPPORT FOR Smith-Hughes Act centered old vocational education board VOCATIONAL EDUCATION on promoting vocational and assigned its functions to a The George-Reed Act of 1929 education in general and new agency—the State Board extended and amended the agriculture and the trades and of Education. In addition to Smith-Hughes Act of 1917. industries specifically. It also its duties overseeing every In addition to increasing the History of CareerTech -4- Timeline 1925 1930 1927—Charles A. 1928—Penicillin 1931—Empire State 1934—Cheeseburger Lindbergh makes discovered Building completed created The Big solo flight across the Atlantic; TV invented 1929—Stock market 1932—Air conditioning 1935—Federal Picture crashes invented Social Security Act establishes a 1930—Sliced bread 1933—Phillips Screw nationwide system of available; Great Company is formed social insurance; Depression begins federal support for all of teachers, and to supplement Both Bennett and Perky had vocational education, the new teachers’ salaries for distributive been born out of state. As Act gave home economics education. president of Southeastern State the status of an independent Teachers College in Durant, division (it had been included One of the primary results of Bennett had given the school in the trades and industries the Dust Bowl in Oklahoma was a national reputation for its division) and assured home the depletion of the ranks of summer teachers’ institutes. economics a fairer share of vocational agriculture teachers. Once he arrived in Stillwater, future federal funding. When the federal government Bennett became a natural ally of created the Civilian Conservation J.B. Perky. They shared similar Of all the branches of vocational Corps and the Soil Conservation interests. In addition, the college education in Oklahoma, home Service a great demand was the vocational system’s economics received the biggest arose for persons schooled in major supplier, while the system boost from the George-Reed Act techniques of modern farming was the major employer of the of 1929 because that act allowed and soil saving. Fortunately college’s graduates. Oklahoma the states to spend larger for the state many of the new A. & M. received every penny percentages of the allotted positions could be filled with the of teacher training monies funds for that area. In spite of vocational agriculture teachers (except a small portion spent the difficulties created by the of Oklahoma, but unfortunately at Langston) and nearly every Depression home economics for vocational agriculture this agriculture teacher was an A. began the new decade with left many positions empty in the & M. graduate. Representatives unprecedented growth. In schools. However, stepped-up of both the college and the 1930 there were less than sixty teacher training and pragmatic vocational system were all home economics programs in arrangements such as allowing across the state, often in the Oklahoma which were aided teachers time off to handle same communities and often by federal matching funds, and government jobs overcame this providing complementary there were less than 10,000 problem. services, usually for the same students, both adults and school —Carl Tyson, The History of people. girls, enrolled in classes. With Vocational and Technical