The History of Western Technical College

It is fairly evident that the present depression has caused many people to do more thinking about the job future. Many
young people are looking the situation squarely in the face. They see the necessity for being prepared to do something
rather than to just be ready to do anything."
A Homecraft program was begun - The craft programs began at the Oak Forest Sanatorium in 1931. Homecraft consisted
of training in the type of craft the trainee is interested in and capable of doing. The crafts taught included woodcrafts,
metal crafts, hand and loom weaving, ceramics, silkscreen printing, leather craft, machine sewing, needlecraft and some
decorative assembly work. An instructor provided instruction in the home on an average of once every two weeks, with
program trainees progressing at their own speed. No tuition was charged for this training as the Rehabilitation Division of
the State Board of Vocational and Adult Education paid for the cost. The severely handicapped in La Crosse, Vernon,
Monroe and the western part of Juneau County were eligible. The oldest and best develop program of occupational
therapy at a La Crosse County Hospital was that carried on for many years at the Oak Forest Sanatorium in Onalaska,
where the groundwork was laid in 1931. A Miss Cynthia Herbert, who worked afternoons twice a week, conducted
classes for a year. The work was supervised and paid for by the La Crosse Vocational and Adult Schools.
In addition to the variety of annual Evening School exhibits, the Spring 1931 Open House also displayed items made by
the patients of the Oak Forest Sanatorium in their homecraft activities.
In 1931, in the commercial department of the school, 115 persons were enrolled with the typewriting class having 30
students. There were 85 teachers instructing night school. Classes in occupational therapy were conducted at the (Oak
Forest) sanitarium (Onalaska), classes for nurses at the hospital, and other classes at various industrial plants. A new rifle
club activity, sponsored by the American Legion Rifle Club, was started in 1931, and a shooting range was established.
In 1932, the Vocational School in cooperation with the American Red Cross offered a course in home Hygiene and Care of
the Sick.
The 1932 Vocational School art display attracted much interest—oil paintings, water colors, pencil and pen sketches—all
revealed the talent of local artistry. It was estimated that approximately 3,000 people saw the Evening School exhibits. It
was lauded as a "most praiseworthy" exhibition of art and craft.
March 15, 1932, the Vocational Dramatic Guild marked its beginning .. . The Guild was conducted on a nonprofit basis,
with all receipts from the productions utilized in the maintenance of the department of Dramatic Art. "The Vocational
School, recognizing the value of dramatic activity, has thrown open to the Guild all the fine facilities of its various
departments." March 15, 1932 was the first meeting of those interested in dramatic development with classes planned
for beginning and advanced students. This move placed the Vocational School far in advance of many colleges, and gave
it further claim to widespread recognition throughout the United States. Everyone has creative urges and there is no
place where they can be so easily manifested as in dramatics.
"The Cradle Song," chosen for the first public performance by the classes in Dramatic Art at the Vocational School was
presented on November 27-28, 1933 in the Vocational School Auditorium. "The Cradle Song" a comedy in two acts with
an interlude in verse, had a cast of ten women and four men and was directed by Russell Huber (Huber, a well-known
personality in the La Crosse area, worked with both WIZM radio and WKBT television and interviewed many stars of
drama and the theater world.) "You certainly are to be complimented on that wonderful play ... it was a real treat for all
who saw it. I could not help but marvel how perfectly it was carried out in every detail. Director and players must have
credit where credit is due—it was beyond expectation," wrote one who attended the play.
In January 1934, the La Crosse Vocational School sponsored the Emergency Educational Program (EEP) under which 25
unemployed teachers were put to work. The primary objective of the program was to give work to unemployed teachers.
It was a governmental program, with funding through the State Board of Vocational Education in Madison. All salaries of
teachers were paid directly from federal funds allotted to Wisconsin for this extension of its educational activities. Eighty
classes were maintained under the EEP in La Crosse. As the La Crosse State Teachers College was regarded as outstanding
in training teachers for physical education work, by the law of averages there were more unemployed physical education
teachers anticipated than teachers of academic subjects.
April 1934 - Winding up a season whose success might almost be called sensational, the Vocational Dramatic Guild put on
Oscar Wilde's "Lady Windermere's Fan" as its closing production.