ACTVE News, Volume 11, Number 5, May 1980 Page: 3
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IMAGE CAMPAIGN GIVEN BOOSTMrs. Diane Sullivan, who is Manager of
Business Planning at Rockwell International,
Inc., in Richardson, is a BIG backer of voca-
tional education and said so in the April
newsletter of the Altrusa Club of Richardson.
As president, she said she claimed the privi-
lege of sounding off on a favorite topic....
VOCATIONAL EDUCATION.
"One of the healthiest trends in education
is the recognition of vocational training as
an equally satisfactory way of preparing a
child for a responsible, productive, success-
ful and fulfilling life. The 'college for
everyone' syndrome of the late '60s and 70s
is being cured by reality. Happiness is not
guaranteed with a sheepskin...nor is a job.
There are continuing sagas of PhDs settling
for mediocre positions unrelated to their ed-
ucation and goals. My guess is the percentage
of Masters' degrees among the cocktail wait-
resses in Austin is higher than for systems
analysts at IBM.
"We need to bury our prejudices and our
college orientation and help each child find
what is best for her or him. For many the an-
swer will be a vocational school or 'shop'
course, or distributive education...whatever
the term used. Our economy can certainly ab-sorb more plumbers and auto mechanics than it
can history majors. And believe me, Canyon
Creek Country Club has members with 'dirty'
hands.
"The major problem still faced by Vocational
Education is its public image. Voc-ed is typed
as being for the C student, the unmotivated.
scholar, the problem teenager...the loser.
WRONG!!! Vocational training is for everyone.
"I've personally endorsed a recommendation
that the State Board of Education add 'a mar-
ketable skill' as a requirement for high school
graduation, in addition to satisfactory academ-
ic achievement. I take every opportunity to
speak out for first class status for vocational
students. I encourage all youngsters who seek
advice...and lots that don't...to take a book-
keeping or drafting or welding course. Texas
has superb postsecondary vocational schools...
so many of our youth would find the answers
there rather than in academia.
"Will you join me in a campaign to raise the
image of Vocational Education...to recognize
the equality of the voc-ed student...to promote
vocational training as a desirable alternative.
Here's an opportunity to be altruistic and self-
ish at the same time...because we will all
benefit."A SUCCESS STORY EXTRAORDINAIRE
A prominent Dallas businessman called the
Council office very excited about the VICA
(Vocational Industrial Clubs of America) con-
tests that were held in Ft. Worth recently.
These contests are an excellent example of
the support business and industry are giving
vocational education. For example, the Texas
Association of Home Builders give $300 scholar-
ships to the top three winners in each category
for a total of $1,800. They also send the
first place winners and a sponsor to the na-
tional VICA meeting, which will be in Atlanta
this year.
This excited businessman is one of the most
enthusiastic backers of vocational education
in the state -- Jesse Harris of Jesse Harris
Construction Company. When speaking of voca-
tional students, he often waxes poetic: "All
heroes are not on the football field or basket-
ball court. You can see just as much competi-
tive spirit and pride in these skills contests.
These kids are the greatest!"In speaking of outstanding aspects of the
contest, he made special mention of the student
who won the cabinet-making contest. When in-
formed that the one stipulation on the $300
scholarship is that it be used at a Texas
school, the top cabinet-maker said he wouldn't
be able to accept it -- he had just gotten word
that he had been accepted at the Air Force
Academy -- which is not in Texas! Well, Mr.
Harris quickly assured Ed Jezisek II that they
could probably work something out!
Upon hearing this story, the Editor of this
newsletter saw an opportunity to combat the
stigma that only inferior students and losers
go into vocational education.
Ed Jezisek, as it turns out, is a 4.0 stu-
dent at Lee High School in Midland. It took
his vocational administrator, J.P. Burnett, 15
minutes to read through all Ed's honors and ac-
complishments.
To list just a few: recipient of Harry W.
Sears Award for Leadership, American Legion
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Advisory Council for Technical-Vocational Education in Texas. ACTVE News, Volume 11, Number 5, May 1980, periodical, May 1980; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1204110/m1/3/: accessed July 11, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.