THE HISTORY OF
|
1912 through 1944 |
OVERVIEW
Vocational Education at Phelps, from its beginning
at the Cardozo Vocational School, has struggled through all three levels
of the Washington, D.C. school system. First, it was a vocational school
on the elementary level receiving students from the sixth (6th) through
the eighth (8th) grades with a few older students further advanced. Then
in 1936, it was raised to the level of junior high school in order to receive
federal funds authorized by the George-Deen Act and to improve the level
of instruction. In 1944, the Board of Education decided to make vocational
schools part of the high school system in order to graduate employable
youth at the qualifying age for employment in industry.
JANUARY 18, 1912
Phelps Vocational School was the outgrowth
of Cardozo Vocational School, which opened as part of the Public School
System of Washington, D.C. in 1912. The eighty (80) pupils enrolled were
trained in the following trades: Bricklaying, Carpentry, Mechanical Drawing,
Automobile Mechanics, Machine Shop and Printing.
SEPTEMBER 19, 1925
The school was moved to Vermont Avenue, Northwest
between T and U Streets and was named Seth L. Phelps Trade School. Seth
Ledyard Phelps was an outstanding naval officer and diplomat. He was born
on January 13, 1824 and died in 1885. The three hundred (300) pupils enrolled
were being trained in the trades listed above and in the following additional
trades: Shoe Repairing, Architectural Drafting, and General Shop.
APRIL 18, 1933
The School moved into its present home at
Twenty-sixth Street and Benning Road, N.E. The four hundred (400) pupils
enrolled were being trained in the areas listed above and in two (2) additional
trades: Electricity and Sheet Metal.
SEPTEMBER 1938 - PRIOR TO
WORLD WAR II
Phelps broadened its services by taking out-of-school
youth in its efforts to do a greater community service when employment
was at a low ebb during the depression.
JULY 1940
During World War II, Phelps began operating
on a three shift, 24-hour schedule, offering courses in National Defense
training classes to develop employment for work in war production plants
in the United States. Other programs directed by Phelps included: Regular
Unit Day Trade Programs; Vocational Educational National Defense Program;
National Defense Program Eight-Hour Preparation Program; National Defense
Program Four-Hour Supplementary Program; and the National Youth Administration's
National Defense Preparation Program and National Defense Out-of-School
Youth Program.
SEPTEMBER 1, 1944
The District of Columbia Board of Education
raised Phelps to the level of senior high school, along with all other
vocational institutions in the District of Columbia. Previously, they had
been on the junior high school level since the passage of the George-Deen
Act in 1936 by Congress which made it possible for District Schools to
have the benefit of Federal funds to develop vocational programs.
