Bryan Co., OK; Town of Durant - History http://files.usgwarchives.net/ok/bryan/history/towns/durant3.txt --------------------------------- Submitted by the Bryan County Heritage Library Located in Calera, OK Denison Herald, Jan. 20, 1966 Submitted by Olivia Barton Typed for the archives by Trudy Marlow ----------------------------------------- USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. Files may be printed or copied for personal use only. ---------------------------------------------------- IN SSC VOCATIONAL COURSE BRYAN, DURANT HOTELS GO ON DORM STATUS FOR 40 STUDENTS Durant-The second round in Southeastern State College's vocational course for unemployed Sooners kicks off Jan.30, Dr. Alvin White, head of the vocational department, reported. Some 40 Oklahoma men recruited by Oklahoma Employment Service offices all over the state, will report to the Durant office of the OES Jan.30 where Manager Bill Rains will check them in and assign them to their billets. "Half will be assigned to the Bryan Hotel and the other half to the Durant Hotel," said Rains. "I'll see that they are all taken care of and then will take their records to the college early the next day." Twenty of the men have enrolled in a 19-week course in machine tools and the other 20 will take a 16-week course in small engines. The original group that enrolled last year completed a small engine course, welding, and machine tool. Out of a total of 45 students, 15 in each of the three classes, 32 finished. All who graduated went on to job placements made by one of the offices of the state employment service. "We got one of the better welders a starting salary of $4.50 an hour," recalled Rains. "While that salary is an exception, it sure has been a big selling point in getting recruits. Most of the men had small paying jobs when they learned of this. To them, this is a second chance they never thought they'd get." Rains said the state employment offices now have a back-log of applications, which probably means that federal sponsorship of the program will continue. "Anytime you can take an unemployed or low salaried man and put in a $100 a week class you've made some tremendous strides. The taxes this man will pay over a short period will more than compensate Uncle Sam for picking up his tab here, to say nothing of taking him off or getting him away from a welfare bracket," Rains said. Southeastern also had a class of high school dropouts that found 35 of 50 completing the course, that included a half-day of reading, writing and arithmetic along with a half day of a vocational skill course. These young men stayed at Oklahoma Presbyterian Center for room and board and took their 3 R's there. The program is providing still another stimulus to Durant's economy in that it is providing an income to the town's two major hotels, that have been hard hit by the rising popularity of motels. The hotels are making excellent dormitories for the men. And, with President Johnson promising to push his poverty program even more, there is no end in sight for this type vocational training for Southeastern. ---------------------------------------------- Information from Denison Herald, Jan. 20, 1966, Submitted by Olivia Barton.