Leading to: (a) Agricultural subcollege courses. (b) Agricultural college courses. Personnel necessary for: 1. Federal Board Vocational Education Central office (a) 1 training officer, agricultural education.... (b) 6 supervisors, agricultural education, at $3,000___ District office $4,000 18,000 (a) 50 agricultural training assistants, at salary $2,400 120, 000 (b) 50 coordinators, representing Federal board at institutions, at salary, $2,400_ 2. Institutions (a) 100 agricultural instructors for elementary agriculture (Such men are commanding salaries varying from $2,000 to $3,000. (b) 100 to 150 vocational instructors for English, mathematics, and Americanization. (Such men or women command salaries varying from $1,800 to $2,500. IMPORTANCE OF AGRICULTURAL TRAINING. 120, 000 1. Over 4.000 men to date have been directly placed in agricultural training, nearly all of whom are yet in training, and in addition there are probably 500 engaged in prevocational work preparatory to taking lines of agricultural training. Many more, probably 1,200 to 1,500, have been approved for agricultural training, but these men have not yet availed themselves of the opportunity. The liberalizing of the rehabilitation act extending training to section 3 men on section 2 terms will probably more than double the number to avail themselves of agricultural training. Another very large increase of men for agricultural training is evidently right now demanding attention at training centers. The number probably will be increased beyond present definitelyascertained numbers on account of arrangements contemplated at hospitals and sanatoria for tuberculosis men seeking agricultural training. For such men special placement has been suggested and is being sought. 2. The men approved for agricultural training may be classed into three general groups: (a) Men who went into the war from college or high school, returning, have entered the agricultural colleges. (b) Men with an eighth-grade preparation who are admitted into subcollege two-year courses, Smith-Hughes or other schools of agriculture. (c) The men of elementary grade, ranging from illiterate to the seventh or eighth grade, who, of necessity, must have prevocational instruction in order that they may receive scientific training intelligently and benefit to the greatest degree. 3. The first and second groups have given us and the institutions to which they have been recommended very little trouble, as they enter the classes, if sent to the institution at the beginning of the school year or a term, and if not, they frequently can be brought up to class work by coaching. THE PROBLEM-MEN OF ELEMENTARY GRADES. 4. The third group has given the Federal board and all the institutions to which they are sent great trouble. In the words of one of the college presidents, "through this class of men of low elementary grades insurmountable difficulties have arisen." Thorough investigations proved to the Federal board early in the college year just closing that these men in varying numbers form the problem at every State agricultural college and school. They constitute from 25 to as high as 55 per cent of the men approved for agricultural training. We believe this to be a larger per cent than exists in any other line, due to the fact that the men approved for agricultural training are from the isolated districts of the country where the opportunity has not been so great for early education. The country boys have not been given the opportunity of securing much knowledge of even the common branches of good country schools, and the disinclination of the farmer parents to allow the boys more than a very ordinary education for fear of losing them from the farm. Many have had no opportunity. Such are usually older men, 15 or 20 years past country schools age. Many men are, therefore, illiterate, or practically so. Added to this number are the foreign illiteratesthat is, those men of foreign tongue and who are illiterate from the standpoint of English. 5. The difficulties just recited constitute a real problem to both the Federal board and the institutions to which these men are sent. Presidents have intimated to me that the State institutions are not prepared to do the elementary work necessary to advance these men to a knowledge of English and mathematics, where they can receive and be benefited by the agricultural training offered. I have been told by them that we should realize that an institution of advanced learning is neither a kindergarten nor a grammar school. They be lieved that these men should be prepared elsewhere until they can be articulated into short courses in agriculture or the agricultural college proper. 6. The institutions, however, without exception have become convinced that it is their patriotic duty to assist the Federal board in making preparation to extend the necessary prevocational training to these men, where they will be associated with mature men such as they are and have the benefit of the atmosphere of the college, and where the advanced ideas of scientific agriculture in all its lines are constantly impressed upon them. Institutions have changed wonderfully in favor of training disabled men and now appreciate them as students frequently to become alumni. GUIDANCE SCHOOL-AGRICULTURAL UNIT COURSES. (See Miscellaneous 185, pp. 5 and 6.) 7. As a result of all the investigations made and upon learning that the same conditions prevailed in all institutions to a greater or less degree, I worked out an elementary school where these men should be collected. This I termed a guidance school, its purpose being to study, try out, and instruct these men vocationally in the elementary common branches and in elementary agriculture. This school is really prerequisite to certain courses which I prepared and designate as agricultural unit courses. They are divided into units of one month each and cover one year continuously from month to month and may be entered any month. PLAN—AGRICULTURAL UNIT COURSES. 8. A man may take one or several unit courses--one as a major and others as minors related to the major, at the same time he continues in the common branches of the guidance school. If a man is to have but one year's training it will consist of the unit courses selected with an extension beyond the year to cover his vocational preparation and to enable him to complete the unit courses one year from his beginning. If he is entitled to more than one year's training, he should then be taken from the unit courses and inducted into the two-year agricultural course at such time-the beginning of the year or the term-as will enable him to complete that course. Nearly all State agricultural institutions will allow the men credits for the work done in the unit agricutural courses or in the two-year courses. In case of extension this will enable them to take work in the four-year agricultural college course and have the advantage of their credits for work done. Many men are sufficiently ambitious to finish the four-year course even if their extensions do not carry them through it. SOLUTION OF THE PROBLEM. 9. The above plans of the guidance school and agricultural unit courses were reduced to definite form and mimeographed for the benefit and assistance of all institutions offering agricultural training to the disabled men. The system was first placed in operation at the Massachusetts Agricultural College where, in a receiving station, a large body of men were found constituting more than 50 per cent of elementary grade, needing careful organization and elementary training. Notwithstanding a very disorganized condition, the system proved to be very satisfactory and under it probably 100 additional men have received their prevocational training and are to-day carrying on their agricultural training to splendid advantage. SUPERVISORS NECESSARY. 10. The system known as Miscellaneous 185 has been introduced and thoroughly organized in 25 or 30 agricultural colleges to great advantage, although not attended with complete success, due to the paramount need of inspection, supervision, and a general follow-up procedure. In many places the organization has not been complete for the want of instructors. In others a sufficient number of instructors have been secured, but they are, unfortunately, without sufficient training and experience. COORDINATORS NEEDED. 11. Many institutions are in need of coordinators in order that the instruction may be properly correlated and the men correctly classified to insure their rapid advancement. 12. Printed documents, such as Miscellaneous 185, can be sent into the districts in sufficient copies to introduce it in each of the institutions, but we have learned that it is, unfortunately, not to be assumed that the plans will be adopted and introduced. If adopted, not being well understood, the work goes on slowly and only in a perfunctory manner, which does not interest, prepare, and train the men. We have learned that not only the instructors and coordinators, but the institutions must be urged to use any new contribution to general or vocational education. 13. It can not be said that the introduction of the unit system and prerequisite guidance school has reached its greatest success in any institution without the visit of some one understanding its organization and who is, therefore, able to explain fully the advantages to the institution of using the unit system in coordinating such a large number of students to it. It also follows that to properly organize the system, instructors are necessary. The interest and cooperation of the whole faculty and particularly of those members and the counsellors of the Federal men is of paramount importance for full harmony and support in the undertaking. In addition to those necessary to organizing of this work, a supervisory force is imperative to follow, inspect, and supervise that the work may continue to the best advantage for the men. TRAINING FORCE NECESSARY. 14. We recommend, in order to advance agricultural training as it should be to cover the 14 districts of the United States the following: (a) One general training officer for agricultural education. (b) Six supervisors of agricultural training, which number would not place over two districts under each man if districts 3 and 4 are supervised from central office. (c) Fifty agricultural training assistants, who may be used in placement as well as in getting approved men from the country with training. Each State should have an agricultural training assistant. (d) Fifty agricultural coordinators of State agricultural colleges. They are the equivalent of the principal of the guidance school and represent the board at institutions. (e) One hundred agricultural instructors for elementary agriculture and horticulture and for instruction in agricultural unit courses. These instructors may be employed by the Federal board, as has been found necessary in some State agricultural colleges that are financed on the budget plan, or may be employed by the institutions and the institutions then, in turn, paid by the Federal board, so much per month per man. (f) One hundred and fifty instructors in vocational English and arithmetic, including Americanization. These instructors should have agricultural training in order that the English instruction may be from an agricultural standpoint, and that mathematics may be taught from "farm business arithmetic " or "agricultural arithmetic." These instructors would receive their pay on the same basis as those indicated in the last above. They may be women or Women have been found patient and desirable with illiterates and all men of low elementary grade. men. 15. Two difficulties are encountered in securing the necessary agricultural training officers and instructors: (a) The difficulty of securing properly prepared persons or those who are even moderately well prepared, for the reason that they are not procurable under present demands. (b) The inability of the Federal board to offer the salaries necessary to secure able service when available. 4661-20-VOL 2-61 16. The Federal board turnover has been very large and the expectation is that it will be much greater by the opening of the college year. We have already experienced great difficulty in securing such training assistance as has been needed and have been compelled, in securing instructors, to take many persons for half time, using men who are doing the graduate work for advanced degrees or senior students, and, in many cases, the wives of professors who have heretofore had experience in teaching. Women are often the very best of instructors in the elementary branches and handle the men of elementary grads to very excellent advantage. INSTRUCTORS AND TRAINING MEN MUST HAVE SPECIFIC TRAINING. 17. In so far as it is possible, instructors should receive training at the central office before being sent to an institution. In every case agricultural training assistants should have that instruction which has been developed at the central-office training section for those being sent into the field. 18. Every effort should be made to train all assistants and instructors to the fullest, and pay them such salaries as will make them satisfied and enable the Federal board to hold them in the work. The loss from turnover is very great and results in taking less valuable men usually, and those unquestionably without experience. Prevocational preparation of the disabled men is not only necessary with a large number, ranging from one-fourth to one-half of the men taking agriculture, but it should be borne in mind that upon the quality of this prevocational preparation depends the successful training in the vocation for which they are being prepared. On the business principle of "manufactured to standard and not to price," we should unquestionably "train to standard and not to price." Just so long as the salary influences so much the selection of the training officers and instructors, we will be training to a low standard and will rehabilitate disabled men in an unsatisfactory manner. Respectfully, WALTER J. QUICK, Training Officer Agricultural Education. TESTIMONY OF DR. JOHN R. McDILL, CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER OF THE FEDERAL BOARD. The witness was duly worn by the chairman. Mr. ROBSION. What is your official position, Doctor? Dr. McDILL. Chief medical officer of the Federal board, holding a temporary commission in the Public Health Service with rank as Assistant Surgeon General, for detail to this special duty. I am a civilian and only have a temporary appointment. I am a general surgeon and am also interested in hospital organization, construction, and management. Mr. ROBSION. Were you in the World War service? Dr. McDILL. Yes, sir. I have always gone in when there was anything to do, during the last 20 years. Mr. ROBSION. You are retired? Dr. McDILL. No, sir: I am not an Army officer. Mr. ROESION. Were you in the World War service in the Army? Dr. McDILL. Yes, sir. Mr. ROPSION. In what capacity? Dr. McDILL. Major in the Medical Corps. I spent a year in Europe before we went into the war, in charge of Red Cross hospitals in Central Europe: in Germany and Austria. Mr. ROPSION. As an officer of the United States Army? Dr. McDILL. No, sir; I held a commission in the Army Reserve Corps, but, in order to observe the President's neutrality proclamation, I resigned it and was recommissioned on my return. Mr. ROBSION. When did you take the position that you now have? Dr. McDILL. With the Federal board? Mr. ROBSION. Yes, sir. Dr. McDILL. I was first transferred from my Army status to the board for administrative duties, medical duties, in April, 1919. I found I was its first medical officer. Mr. ROBSION. You mean April, 1919? Dr. McDILL. Yes, sir; in the central office. They were in a formative stage then and in about a month I got an idea as to what I thought the work was to be and submitted a table of organization and pay rates which rather surprised them, but which was eventually adopted, and I was getting a staff up when along came the limitation of salary and set the medical staff adrift. Mr. ROBSION. Before you enter into that, what school or schools were you trained in? Dr. McDILL. The Rush Medical College, Chicago. Mr. ROBSION. Any other school? Dr. McDILL. No, sir. Mr. ROBSION. Did you engage in the practice of medicine? Mr. ROBSION. All of Dr. McDILL. Yes, sir. your life? Mr. ROBSION. Where were you engaged? Dr. McDILL. In Milwaukee until 1890. I spent two years abroad and returned to Milwaukee until the Spanish-American War, which took me to Cuba and the Philippines, where I stayed 13 years, returning here in 1912. Mr. ROBSION. What salary do you get now? Dr. McDILL. The base salary is $4,000. Mr. ROBSION. Do you get anything besides that? Dr. McDILL. Yes, sir; what they call commutation of quarters, a certain number of rooms according to rank, at $12 a room, which is supposed to pay for the quarters. Mr. ROBSION. What do you get altogether? Dr. McDILL. Now about $5,200. Mr. ROBSION. Are you detailed to the War Department? Dr. McDILL. I was detailed by the War Department. Last year when I got my discharge from the Army on October 18 last I was immediately commissioned in the Public Health Service to continue. this work. Mr. ROBSION. You are an assistant to the Surgeon General? Dr. McDILL. Yes, sir; that is the name of the rank, with the pay and emoluments of a colonel in the Army. Mr. ROBSION. What were you supposed to do when you took service with the Federal board, what were your duties? Dr. McDILL. The Federal board did not know at that time exactly what shape its work would take. My order read for administrative and advisory duties. They asked me to suggest an organization, which I did, as I have just stated, and which was in process of formation. It took about three months, and along came the salary limitation which let us out in June, practically. Mr. ROBSION. June, 1919? Dr. McDILL. Yes, sir. Mr. ROBSION. What was the organization you suggested? |