Making patterns at Hower Vocational High School

Reverse reads "For State Picture Book 4/24/41; Ident-; Location- Ohio; Credit- Akron Board of Education; Caption- Making patterns, Hower Vocational High School, Akron; This photo must be returned to Ohio Writers' Project SE. Chestnut St. ,Columbus, O." This is a photo of two unidentified men making wood patterns at the Hower Vocational High School in Akron, Ohio. One man appears to be the teacher while the other is clearly an apprentice or student. The Hower Vocational High School was founded 1927 by Blanche Hower, a widow of industrialist M. Otis Hower. She wanted to establish a vocational school where men could learn a trade. The original classes were mechanics and woodworking. The school’s popularity grew with the end of the Great Depression when need for trade schools greatly increased. The school added programs focusing on printing, sheet metal, plumbing, drafting and then commercial art, auto collision repair, aviation carpentry and welding. In 1941, the school welcomed female students and offered programs in costume design, sewing, retail selling and cosmetology. In 1971 Hower Vocational High School was combined with Akron’s Central High School and was renamed Central-Hower High School