About the Smith-Hughes Act
Referred to as the Magna Carta of vocational education, the Smith-Hughes Act, also called the Smith-Hughes National Vocational Education Act of 1917 and the Vocational Act of 1917, formalized vocational education in the United States, isolating its curriculum from regular school curricula in most educational settings. The act was written jointly by Sen. Hoke Smith and Rep. Dudley Hughes and established vocational education in home economics, industry, trade and agriculture.
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Background
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Various groups in the United States began advocating for manual training courses, like cooking and woodworking, in the earlier part of the 20th century to promote a practical, educative and moral value of work. Supporters, like labor unions and businessmen, saw vocational education as the answer to employment and labor problems in a society that was rapidly transforming. Keeping these needs in mind, the U.S. Congress directed two of its members, Smith and Hughes, to introduce the proposed legislation on vocational education. The legislation was enacted in 1917.
Description
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The Smith-Hughes act of 1917 led to the establishment of the Federal Board for Vocational Education--the government body responsible for the management and overseeing of vocational education. The act also led to the creation of individual state vocational boards which were designed to work in collaboration with the Federal Board for Vocational Education.
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Purpose
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The primary purpose of the Smith-Hughes act was to promote vocational education in public schools. It aimed at providing specialized vocational education to students 14 years old and older and training teachers in subjects related to home economics, industry, trade and agriculture. The Smith-Hughes Act formalized the structure of vocational education and was aimed at students who were planning to enter vocational trade. According to the book, "Landmark Congressional Laws on Education," the Smith-Hughes Act served a twofold purpose: to ensure that the United States had a ready supply of trained labor and to ensure that its citizens had employment opportunities.
Activities
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According to "Landmark Congressional Laws on Education," the Smith-Hughes Act provided financial assistance to individual states to help individual states to pay salaries and train directors, supervisors and teachers of agricultural, industrial, trade and home-economics subjects.
Advantages
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The Smith-Hughes Act helped educate students of rural and urban secondary schools in vocational skills. It was the first systematic federal educational system that was aimed at training girls and women in home economics and other vocational skills, allowing the female members of low-income families to contribute financially to their households. The Smith-Hughes Act was also the first formal structure that aimed to bridge the education and employment gap between the elite and the working class.
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References
- Photo Credit agriculture image by Gonçalo Carreira from Fotolia.com
