VOCATIONAL AND TRADE SCHOOLS

Public Schools

Courses for girls were established fairly recently in Lima industrial or trade schools, called Industrial Centers (Centros Industriales)." The courses, which cover 2 years, include toy-making, rug-making, leather work, other handicrafts, and machine embroidery. Together with the trades taught, workshop management and industrial hygiene courses and academic subjects are given. Students receive

certificates upon completion of the 2-year course; many of the girls set up their own workshops or open small schools in their houses. Some economics and other courses that would give girls added skills for earning a living were to be included in the school curriculum.

A commercial high school is part of the public school system in Lima. Commercial subjects are also taught in the regular school courses. In 1943, a young woman graduate of the University of San Marcos was named director of this first public commercial school.

Private Schools

A trade school and workshop for girls in the Mercedarias Convent was one of the projects under the general direction of a Social Work Council. The young women who attended were from low-income families and needed to be wage earners. They were taught to make sweaters on hand-propelled knitting machines, to make rugs on handlooms, and to sew and embroider. Wages were not paid during the 3-month learning period, but as soon as articles were made for sale, as much as 20 soles a week was earned. The girls were given their uniforms, lunch, and tea, and the use of the bath facilities. Religious and moral instruction was part of the program. Seventyfive young women were in attendance at the workshops at the time of the visit. The workrooms were light, airy, and clean and opened on the garden of the convent.

The Sisters of Mary, San Andrés, also had classes for girls and young women. Their school for domestic workers had 75 enrolledfor the most part girls who, without any skill whatever, came to the city to work. They were prepared for household employment and were taught to read and write. The majority lived in the convent. The attendance of young women at the night classes, which included

This report cites only vocational and trade schools visited, by way of examples of schools of this type and the courses offered by them, and is not, of course, a complete report. Since the time of the survey, plans for improving and extending vocational and trade education have been instituted.

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sewing, dressmaking, knitting, and typing, reached 800 during the school year.

The Instituto de Ciencias Domésticas y Artes Utiles (Institute of Domestic Science) was established and administered by a committee of prominent women. Classes in cooking, dressmaking, arts and crafts, and toy-making were given. Tuition was free for some classes, but a fee was charged for the regular courses. Those who completed these courses were qualified as teachers in these trades.

A private academy for girls in Arequipa had 170 students at the time of the visit. The 2-year course included sewing, dressmaking, manual arts, and cooking. The director of the school was a university graduate who had a diploma for nursing and another in manual arts.

WOMEN'S ORGANIZATIONS

Women's organizations are playing an increasingly important part in the life of Peru. In them are represented women of all ages, from all walks of life, and both employed women and housewives.

Unión Cultural Femenina

This club of 60 women, in Arequipa, whose membership includes both employed women and housewives, has carried on an educational program among women from the time it was organized in 1940. Its activities have included classes in sewing, cooking, and first-aid, and lectures on a variety of subjects. Musical programs are produced over local radio stations. The club sponsored the first exbibition of a government home-industry project. Using as a motto "It is never too late to learn; when you are learning all you can, you are doing your duty to yourself and your country," the club urges women to continue their education through reading and classes. To further education and preparation for employment, the club requested the Government to establish a vocational school for women and girls in Arequipa.

Acción Católica

Women's Divisions of Catholic Action both in Arequipa and Lima were visited.

In Arequipa, the most important project has been that of the older women's division, which serves breakfasts to undernourished school children who are recommended by the school doctor and by teachers. The project was undertaken in 1934 at the request of the school physician. In its first years of existence the members of Catholic Action raised the necessary funds as well as organized and managed the lunchrooms; later the Government provided the funds. Members of Catholic Action give their time for the administration and for supervisory work in the lunchroom. In 1942 breakfasts were provided daily for 1,800 school children in four lunchrooms located in different sections of the city.

Young employed women and young home women in Arequipa had each their own division within "Acción Católica." Their combined membership totaled 200. Their programs have been chiefly ones of religious instruction.

In Lima, centers of two women's divisions of Catholic Action were visited. In one center, 200 women of workers' families were enrolled, in another, 1,200; the weekly attendance averaged 150 and 700, respectively. Classes in catechism followed by other religious and moral

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instruction were given. One center also had classes in reading, writing, and knitting.

The presidents of both Unión Cultural Femenina and of Acción Católica spoke of the difficulty of interesting women in the club because "they are afraid of being criticized for doing something different."

Acción Femenina Peruana

This organization used as its basis of action the Lima Declaration of Women's Rights adopted by the International Conference of American States which met in Lima in 1938. They stated their purpose briefly in three words, "Justice for Women." The organization was formed in Lima in 1937 in preparation for the Lima Conference. After the Conference it ceased to be active but was revived in 1940 when, as members said, the republics of the Western Hemisphere were threatened with Nazi-Fascism. In 1943 the organization in Lima had approximately 175 members in the group that met at headquarters, 60 members in one industrial community, and 40 in another. Members are largely employed women: teachers, office employees, industrial workers, a few social workers, writers, radio artists, lawyers, and some home women. A cooperative for seamstresses was started to enable them to increase their earnings; classes and lectures were held, and members of Acción Femenina Peruana assisted in the literacy program by going two evenings a week to teach adults to read and write.

With the help of Acción Femenina Peruana, another group called "Alas Blancas" was formed in Lima to sew and knit for needy children of the allied nations. Employed women assisted in this work.

Groups of Acción Femenina Peruana have been organized in other cities. The one visited in Arequipa had been newly organized and after 4 months of existence had 40 members. The majority were younger women-teachers, office employees, some university students, and home women. The only woman lawyer in Arequipa, who had recently graduated from law school, was the legal adviser for all who needed such assistance. Educational program meetings were held regularly, and series of talks were given to the Women's Section of the Trade Union Federation. Plans were also being made for a vocational-trades school for women and girls.

Consejo Nacional De Mujeres

This organization, the National Council of Women in Lima, affiliated with the International Council of Women, was founded almost 25 years ago. It is made up of representatives of women's organiza

tions and of individual members. The Consejo has assisted wageearning women in collecting back wages owed them and in securing vacations. Before an official committee for motion-picture censorship was established by the Government, the Consejo formed a volunteer censorship committee.

Entre Nous

Art exhibits, concerts, and lectures by national authorities and important visitors are held in the rooms of the beautiful colonial house which is the headquarters of Entre Nous in Lima. Started in 1912 in order to provide a lending library of important European authors for the women of Lima, it has grown to be a leading cultural center in the capital. Short courses in Spanish history, literature, and related subjects are given occasionally.

The president of Entre Nous was decorated by her Government with the "Orden del Sol" in recognition of her 25 years' service to the cultural life of Lima.

Red Cross

A course for volunteer nurses' aides was organized under the Red Cross in Lima. At the time of the visit, 35 young women were enrolled in the 72-hour course. Those who had finished previous courses were working as volunteers in the Red Cross centers, in hospitals, and clinics.

Other Social Welfare Work

Women of Peru have given their time and money to social welfare organizations since the 16th century, when a woman gave her fortune to establish the first hospital for women. Since then their social welfare projects have included hospitals for children, homes for children and the aged, schools for the blind and deaf, maternal and child health clinics, lunchrooms for mothers of young babies, seaside colonies for undernourished children, schools and classes for girls, and a home and medical care for unmarried mothers and mothers in low-income groups.

The "Hogar de la Madre" (Home for Mothers), which furnishes medical care and a rest home for unmarried mothers and mothers in lowincome groups, before and after childbirth, is one of the social welfare projects which was visited. The organization was first started in 1927 by women who had no children of their own. In 1944 attractive new buildings for the "Hogar" were completed. One-story in height, they enclose an open patio so that there is much air and sunshine. gaily decorated interiors include the rooms for the patients, classrooms and workrooms, dormitories for young children, and separate dining

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