The Smith-Hughes Act, creating vocational education (now Career & Technical Education), was signed into law February 23, 1917.  It provided federal aid to the states for the purpose of promoting precollegiate vocational education in agricultural and industrial trades and in home economics (now Family & Consumer Sciences).

 

The Colorado Vocational Association (CVA) was formed in 1917 and held its first meeting at Centennial High School, Pueblo, CO in October of that year, where attendance was about 35 people. 

 

Organizers were:  

• Mr. Dan Wells, Director of Vocational Education, Pueblo

• Mr. Erwin Stiffler, Director of Vocational Education, Sterling

• Mr. Harold Stillman, Director of Vocational Education, Colorado Springs

• Dean Chester Hadden, Head, Industrial Arts Dept., Greeley State College (now UNC)

• Professor L.D. Crain, Head, Mechanical Engineering & Mechanic Arts Dept., State A & M College, Fort Collins (now CSU)

• Mr. Newton Van Dalsen, Colorado’s first State Supervisor of Vocational Education, Ft Collins

 

Dues were $1.00 annually and 29 teachers became members at that first meeting.  A constitution was adopted making membership open to Industrial Arts & Trade/Industrial Teachers with a provision that Commercial, Agriculture and Home Economics teachers might be accepted to membership.  The group petitioned the Colorado Education Association to be a section, which was granted conditionally, as Home Economics and Commercial teachers already had sections.

 

In December 1925, the National Society for Vocational Education and the Vocational Education Association of the Mid-West met in Cleveland, OH and agreed to merge into one association.  The American Vocational Association was launched in 1926 with seven standing committees:  Agriculture, Commercial, Home Economics, Industrial, Part-Time, Rehabilitation and Vocational Guidance.   Denver extended an invitation to AVA for the Convention in 1926, but Louisville, Kentucky was chosen as host city.  Colorado had three national members at the end of 1926.

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American Vocational Association News Bulletin,  Volume 1, Issue 1 - published February 1926

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Slide Show from CVA/CACTE 85th anniversary celebration in 2002