Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 109, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 May 1913 — OPPORTUNITIES UNDER VOCATIONAL LAW [ARTICLE]

OPPORTUNITIES UNDER VOCATIONAL LAW

[What the Act Will Do for Both Boys and Girls—State Conference On June 3-4. The enforcement of the provisions of the new vocational law, which goes into operation in city, town and rural schools next September, will be in the hands of thousands of school authorities and teachers in Indiana. The law is mandatory in character, providing a special tax levy to raise money with which to teach town boys trades, town girls domestic science, agriculture to farm boys and home economics to country girls. The. law provides the classes, for the co-operation of schools in the teaching of these new subjects, places the general supervision of the vocational work in the hands of the State Board of Education, and makes provision for advisory committees in each township to look after the interests of the vocational work. The law provides who may attend the vocational schools and strictly provides for the attendance of the pupils. r Another important provision of the law is, it opens the way for the people of each county to appoint an expert farming agent whose duties will be to help the farmers conserve the soil and obtain greater crops. These county agents are to be obtained through Purdue University; how the money is to be raised to pay the agent’s salary, and how this official is to cd-oper-ate with farmer’s institutes, and clubs, boys’ and girls’ clubs in advancing the general welfare of community life are all provided for. County boards of education, auditors, treasurers and other county officials arq to be factors in carrying out the provisions of the law. The Vocational law is clear and explicit in its requirements, but there is a widespread- desire over the state that it be operated in a uniform and effective way. It was this desire which prompted the Indiana Bankers’ Association to call a state conference on Agriculture and Country Life in Indiana, which will be held in Indianapolis on June 3 and 4. A number of prominent speakers will give illuminative addresses on the purposes of the Vocational law and what the officials and the people of each county must do in working out its provisions. The conference will not only .be educational for the authorities in charge of the schools, but for men and women who are interested in seeing better farming and homemaking methods brought about in Indiana. ' . The conference will be of much wider scope than the Vocational law. for speakers of national fame will take up “Farm Credits,” ,; The Condition of Country Churches,” and numerous other subjects relating to rural life. The secretary of the Conference is Andrew Smith, 501 Chamber of Commerce, Indianapolis, who will send copies of the vocational law and of the "conference program to those who will write him for them.

Rose M. RenuneX has returned from Indianapolis and will be in her office every day. Eyes examined and glasses fitted according to the latest approved methods. Phone 403.