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Growing up in the 1950s I assumed that the high school that I entered in 1957 was the way school had been for years, but of course it was not, in more ways than I could have imagined. First of all, it was only in the 1930s that really large numbers of American teenagers attended secondary school and only in the post-World War II era (1945) that high school became the norm for American teenagers. But even more variable was the presence of shop (now called industrial arts) classes. The whole idea of vocational education such as shop classes was totally absent as America began building one of the world's leading public education systems (19th century). America was a largely rural country for much of its early history. At the time of the Revolution, less than 5 percent of the population lived in cities. It was one of the reasons that the highly professional British Army was unable to subdue the the rebellious, but poorly armed American colonists during the Revolutionary War. The Industrial Revolution generated a need for mechanical skills, but this developed in America behind the Pace in Britain. The public school system America was developing was at first almost entirely creating primary schools which began evolved into 8-year programs. As a result, the focus was on academic schools, the three Rs--reading (w)riting and (a)rithmatic. Most schools were small rural schools in which shop classes were not feasible, not only because of the age of the students, lack of facilities, and the fact that most of the teachers were young women. As American developed. cities grew, and the Frontier moved West, secondary schools were added to the system, but they were small and involved a very small part of the school population. What vocational training that took place occurred beyond schools as boys leaving primary school entered apprenticeships. It was middle-class boys and eventually girls that were thinking about university that attended high schools and the curriculum was tailored toward their academic needs. But American exploded in the second half of the 19th century, especially after the Civil War (1861-65). The Industrialization was pursued at unprecedented pace and unlike modern Soviet and Chinese growth, on a fiscally sound pace and without bloody atrocities and mass graves. So that before the end of the century, American industry had exceeded the production of every European country, including Britain and Germany. And then in the new 20th century, thanks in part to Henry Ford and his Model-T Tin Lizzy, was approaching the output of all of Europe combined. Fortunately for humanity, two German leaders (Wilhelm II and Adolf Hitler) did not appreciate this dynamic while many British leaders like Winston Churchill did. Much of the history of the 20th century would turn on this simple development. Education of course was inevitably impacted. As America industrialized there was an increasing need for young people with mechanical skills. This was not going to be provided by primary schools, but as secondary schools became an important part of the education system, schools existed that could teach needed job skills. This did not occur immediately, but the schools eventually responded to the need. America has a federal system. There is no national education system, but instead 50 state systems. thus the reaction varied from state to state. We do not yet have details on the first shop class or the first state to promote vocational education. But the process was well underway by the turn-of-the 20th century. One source points to Seattle as a leader in vocational education with vocational education classes beginning in middle school. By the 1930s, shop was as prevalent in American high schools as English, civics, math, science, and gym. This continued through the 1950s, but had began to change by the 1970s. Shop classes began disappearing in American high schools. This occurred to the extent, that by the turn of the 21st century, any young people did not even know what a shop class was. Educators are now coming to the conclusion that shop classes were important and the loss damaged American education. Many school systems have already begun to bring shop back.
What came to be called 'shop class' or sometimes 'manual arts', generally referring to wood shop, auto shop, or metal shop, to name the most common offerings. It was a type of vocational training providing a hands-on learning led by a talented expert. there were experienced teachers who had worked in related industries. The teachers for the most part were not accredited/certified teachers with a teacher’s certificate. One report suggests that many shop teachers had never even gone to college. "They were, themselves, skilled workers. The welding instructor was a welder. The woodworking instructor was a carpenter and a cabinet maker, the auto repair instructor was an auto mechanic with certifications from Ford, General Motors and Chrysler … but he was not a certified teacher. The Electrical Wiring Instructor was an electrician that wired houses on the side." Therefore, they were not usually regular members of school faculty. Also needed were a large space, tools, and students less interested in academic subjects. The general approach as to turn the students loose on a range of projects. Today the term used is 'industrial arts' or technological education', following the approach of giving something a more prestigious sounding name. These programs address a range of activities such as home repair and maintenance, auto mechanics, manual craftsmanship, machine safety, and a range of other topics. One of the most popular course was auto mechanics. Now safety was part of the course, but for many of the boys involved, was ways of souping up their hot rods.
The whole idea of vocational education such as shop classes was totally absent as America began building one of the world's leading public education systems. This process begun with the earliest settlement of America, especially in the northern states. America was a largely rural country for much of its early history. At the time of the Revolution, less than 5 percent of the population lived in cities. It was one of the reasons that the highly professional British Army was unable to subdue the the rebellious, but poorly armed American colonists during the Revolutionary War. Only a few years after the Revolution, a key step taken by the Continental Congress was the Northwest Ordinance which reserved an allocation for a school in every block of Western land sold (1786).
The idea of vocational education existed before public education in most countries. American was one of the first countries to establish public schools. Germany was another earlier adopter. This began at about the same time as the Industrial Revolution in Britain (mid-19th century). The Industrial Revolution in both America and Germany began later than in Britain, about five decades later. Than factories began popping up all over Germany and the United States. This was especially the case in the northern American states. The Industrial Revolution generated a need for workers with mechanical skills. This occured first in Britain, but by the early-19h century the same was occurring in America (1830s). This mean that there was a growing demand for workers who knew how to operate all the new machines. American education developed steadily as the Frontier moved West. The public school system America was developing was at first almost entirely creating primary schools which began evolved into 8-year programs. As a result, the focus was on academic schools, the three Rs--reading (w)riting and (a)rithmatic. Most schools were small rural schools in which shop classes were not feasible, not only because of the age of the students, lack of facilities, and the fact that most of the teachers were young women. As American developed. cities grew, and the Frontier moved West, secondary schools were added to the system, but they were small and involved a very small part of the school population. What vocational training that took place occurred beyond schools as boys leaving primary school entered apprenticeships. It was middle-class boys and eventually girls that were thinking about university that attended high schools and the curriculum was tailored toward their academic needs. But American exploded in the second half of the 19th century, especially after the Civil War (1861-65). The Industrialization was pursued at unprecedented pace and unlike modern Soviet and Chinese growth, on a fiscally sound pace and without bloody atrocities and mass graves. So that before the end of the century, American industry had exceeded the production of every European country, including Britain and Germany. And then in the new 20th century, thanks in part to Henry Ford and his Model-T Tin Lizzy, was approaching the output of all of Europe combined. Fortunately for humanity, two German leaders (Wilhelm II and Adolf Hitler) did not appreciate this dynamic while many British leaders like Winston Churchill did. Much of the history of the 20th century would turn on this simple development. Education of course was inevitably impacted. As America industrialized there was an ever expanding need need for young people with mechanical skills. This was not going to be provided by primary schools, but as secondary schools became an important part of the education system, schools existed that could teach needed job skills. The curriculum in primary schools tends to be similar around the world. This is a function of the age level and the need to teach basic reading, writing, and math skills. Secondary education is different, the curriculum is more diverse. And they were larger with space for programs like shop. Secondary schools appeared first in Europe and the schools that developed were highly academic. This was in part because these schools were preparing middle-class students for university. Very few working-class boys and virtually no girls attended these schools. This did not occur immediately. The academic running the school were not at first disposed to adding non-academic subjects to the curriculum. The schools did, however, eventually began responding to the need. This occurred mostly in America. America has a federal system. There is no national education system, but instead 50 state systems. Thus the reaction varied from state to state. A process on which we have been able to find few details.
We do not yet have details on the first shop class or the first state to promote vocational education. But the process was well underway by the turn-of-the 20th century. One source points to Seattle as a leader in vocational education with vocational education classes beginning in middle school. At the time child labor was an important issue. Many factories and mills were still employing children at the turn-of-he 20th century (1900s). States began passing child labor laws and compulsory school attendance laws. Congress passed the first Federal child labor law (1916). It was no longer seen as acceptable for children, usually boys, to sit beside their fathers and learn a trade hands on. Americans increasingly believed that children belonged in school. Soon almost all younger children were in primary schools. More and more U.S. high schools began to offer vocational education programs. Congress passed the Smith-Hughes Act, the first Federal law authorizing funding for vocational education (1917). It set a legal precedent for vocational education as acceptable training for many professions not needing a college education, including plumbers, mechanics, and factory workers. 【Brush】 They received training in vocational programs. American high schools only educated a relatively limited portion of primary graduates, but it was higher than in Europe because workers generally had more respect than in Europe and because workers wages were so much higher than in Europe, parents could afford go send their children. . And the portion of youth whom attended high school increased in the 1930s because of the Depression. Finding jobs became increasing difficult for young people because of the high unemployment rates. And by this time, shop was as prevalent in American high schools as English, civics, math, science, and gym. One source reports, "Years ago when I was a young man going to high school some of my favorite classes were 'shop classes'. The classes I attended during two of my four years at J. Sterling Morton East High School in Cicero, Illinois were Electrical Wiring, Electronics, Woodworking, Plumbing, Welding, Metal Fabrication and Automobile Repair." Another report read, "I graduated high school almost 50 years ago in 1969 and I can tell you that in the 60's Shop Classes were in full swing. The idea of the Shop Class was to teach those students who were not necessarily “college material” the basics of a trade so that after high school they could get a job or start an apprenticeship in one or more skilled trades." A new philosophy was emerging in schools that students should follow separate educational tracks according to ability. The idea was that the college bound students would take traditional academic courses along with additional courses in foreign languages, creative writing, science and math. The other track would be for those non-college bound students who would take watered-down versions the basic academic courses along with vocational training including the shop classes. At the time we begin to see increasing emphasis on college. This became the strongest priority. Students pursuing vocational courses were looked down on. One author writes, "Americans have often stigmatized kids going to vocational high schools, or those skipping college and going to some form of trade school, unlike the Germans who consider learning a 'blue collar' skill to be honorable and respectable, often leading to jobs paying almost the same as what college graduates earn after graduation." 【Vedder】 This 'Ability Tracking' or streaming ” began to be questioned by educators and many parents. Their concern was that students were assigned tracks, not by aptitude … but by socioeconomic status and especially race. Therefore, what had been soundly based educational path became viewed as a remedial track that restricted any minority, especially African-American students. This may have opened up advancement for some African -American students. But it also closed down training for many attractive good paying jobs to many other African-Americans. This was one of many ways that the Civil Rights Movement after the great successes of the 1960s began tom lose its way. Along with this educational trend, stretched school finances were also a factor. Faced with budget problems, many school systems began shutting down shop classes as a budget expedient.
This continued through the 1950s, but had began to change by the 1970s. Shop classes began disappearing in American high schools. This occurred to the extent, that by the turn of the 21st century, any young people did not even know what a shop class was. Educators are now coming to the conclusion that shop classes were important and the loss damaged American education. Many school systems have already begun to bring shop back.
Brush, Katelyn. "Vocational education from the 1900s to today," studentcaffé blog (July 13, 2016).
Ogden, William R. "Vocational education" A historical perspctive," The High School Journal Vol. 73, No. 4 (April-May 1990), pp. 245-51.
Vedder, Ruchard. "Want income equality? More For vocational ed, less For colleges, Rorbes (August 10. 2020).
Related Chronolgy Pages in the Boys' Historical Web Site
[Main Chronology Page]
[The 1870s]
[The 1880s]
[The 1890s]
[The 1900s]
[The 1910s]
[The 1920s]
[The 1930s]
[The 1940s]
[The 1950s]
[The 1960s]
[The 1970s]
