Abstract
This paper aims to analyze the developmental process of the vocational education system in Massachusetts, U. S. A. and to point out some of its characteristics. It has been said that the Report of the Commission on Industrial and Technical Education, (i. e. Report of the "Douglas Commission", 1906), recommended the creation of trade schools, which aimed to teach specific trades. However, this report recommended the establishment of industrial schools, the aim of which was to give preparation for apprenticeship. The policy regarding industrial schools was also pursued by the Commission on Industrial Education appointed after the submission of the Report of the "Douglas Commission". The image of the industrial school (4years) curriculum at that time was as follows: (1) In the first 2 years, half of the time should be allotted to general shop work. i. e. general woodwork and general metalwork. Another half should be allotted to related academic works, such as English, mathematics, science, civics, etc. (2) In the latter 2years, specialized shop work, e. g. machine shop, wood construction, should be given as well as academic works. In 1909, D. Snedden took the office as the Commissioner of Education in Massachusetts, and C. A. Prosser became the Assistant Commissioner of Vocational Education in 1910. After that, the policy on industrial schools changed dramatically. Under the direction of Snedden and Prosser, these schools were changed into the institutions that gave the training in specialized shopworks, such as machine shop, carpentry, printing, etc., and they should be taught from the beginning. The time allotted to shop work was also greatly increased. That meant that industrial schools changed into the institutions similar to trade schools. Such changes to the aims and curriculum of industrial schools, supported by Snedden and Prosser, were influenced by the argument of the "real vocational education", which defined "vocational education" as training for the specific jobs in the actual employment. That meant that the vocational education system in Massachusetts became the model of a nationally organized one under the Smith-Hughes Act enacted in 1917.
