Page 8 of Kentucky Negro Educational Association Journal v.21 n.2

Curiculum offerings on all educational levels should be checked against the. above stated formula. On the secondary trade level, curriculum emphasis-should be on basic manipulative skills (shop work) that have broad application in varied occupational areas in the numerous skilled trades. On the intermediate (tech. nical institute level) and higher (professional and engineering levels), the emphasis should be on the conditioning sciences. ALL curriculum offerings on all educa- tional levels, including teacher college, should contain some provision for develop- ing social industrial relationships (the proper attitudes) relative to vocational occupational contributions which all students will eventually make in some degree to community development. As interested parties, affected by a dual system of both education and enploy- ment practices, it is essential, therefore, that we keep abreast of the growth in American Industrial Practices and Processes. Already, according to the 1946 Year Book of the American Association of Technical High Schools and Institutes, we are making wool and plastics from milk; rayon from wood; nylon from coal, water and air; lastex yarn from cotton and the milk of the rubber tree; artificial rubber from petroleum oragricultural products; using ultra-violet light.to tenderize the tough cuts of meat; the manufacture of vitamins; the quick freezing of foods; the manufacture of vinyl plastic, a new safety glass; the manufacture of glass fibres and cloth; the making of the preciptron which electrically removes all dust from the air; the making of an efficient fluorescent lamp, the nearest approach to the cold light of the firefly; the manufacture of the electric eye with its many uses; the production of airplane wings and hundreds of other parts from plastics; and the perfection of television. These are but a few of the products, machines and processes that have been announced to the public; in addition, .many more, including radar and the industrial application of atomic energy will be made available to the public in the near future. The'development of Vocational Guidance Programs of Education to meet the practical situations of such advanced occupational life offers a definite challenge. The solution lies dormant in the process of articulation and must, in the main, conform to the following six formulas of solution: First- The programs shall have as the primary preparatory objective the' "optimum" occupational adjustment of the individual-(a) in accordance with his needs, interests and capacities and (b) for the best interests of society accord- ing to a single standard set-up for American ideals of Democracy. Here a complete program of guidance, including selection. training, placing, and following-up on the job is implied. On jobs in an Industrial Democracy where employability involves (1) doing diversified manipulative skills in designated occupational areas; (2) knowing the. related technical knowledges that condition these skills; and (3) understanding the social and industrial significance of such jobs. According to Mays, "crgan- ized education meets its greatest opportunity to lead man to understand the social and spiritual significance of the work of his hands." Second: The programs shall contain provisions for measuring the results of our preparatory training and shall include provisions for supplementary train- ing in accordance with resulting changes in individuals and in society. 8