Voc Ed: The Triumph of Education for Work

I. General ways of looking at Voc Ed A. Traditional View: Democratic impulse to provide opportunity to working class and immigrant youth B. Revisionist view: Undemocratic movement pushed by business people and efficiency-minded educators

II. Origins of Voc Ed A. Post Civil War Ed of African Americans 1. Ex Slave Ed and resistance to it 2. Hampton/ Tuskegee Model 3. Booker T. Washington v. W.E.B. DuBois (like fingers on the hand v. ed for subordination. Taft met w/ BTW 1909, Blacks in liberal arts become professionals and agitate for rights; /.. need more Negro voc ed. V 236)

B. Turn of 20th Century voc ed for industrial work (Boys) 1. Distinguish from “Manual Training” 2. Single track ‘undemocratic’ Cubberly, abandon “the exceedingly democratic idea that our society is devoid of classes” and begin to educate various classes according to their special needs (V, 236) 3. Sol’n to labor/industrial problem (efficiency, p. 230)) 4. Intellectual training “positively harmful” (Frank Hall, p. 235) 5. Attitude more important than skills: 3 R’s: Restraint, Respect, Reverence

C. Home Ec (Domestic Science) 1. Changes in Political Economy a. ¼ women in workforce b. Changing nature of clerical work

2. Women’s role 3. Commercial Education

D. Smith Hughes Act 1917 1. Industrial Arts, Home Ec, Agriculture 2. Institutionalized voc ed

III. Problems w/ Voc Ed 1. Sorting 2. Doesn’t work; little relationship betw/ school & work 3. Employers don’t want voc ed kids 4. Perpetuates inequality 5. Poorest kids get weakest ed 6. Cp argument for gender-sensitivity