CAPE LEADERS VISIT PADUCAH TECH SCHOOL

PADUCAH, Ky. -- A trip organized by Cape Girardeau businessman Jim Drury and Chamber of Commerce Director John Mehner allowed 20 community leaders to compare technical education in Cape Girardeau and Paducah.

People from Cape Girardeau public and parochial schools, Southeast Missouri State University and Cape Girardeau businesses made the trip Thursday. They toured Cape Girardeau Area Vocational-Technical School, the industrial technology department at Southeast, and then West Kentucky State Technical School in Paducah.

Drury said Cape Girardeans should be aware of the Kentucky school and the programs offered there. He owns two Burger King restaurants and a Holiday Inn Express in Paducah and has been advocating a program in Cape Girardeau similar to the West Kentucky Tech program for many years.

The trip tied in with Vision 2000's look at Cape Girardeau's public schools. The group has been encouraging public meetings on various school-related topics.

Drury said the issue of providing readily available, diverse technical education hits close to home when he considers his company's 1,200 employees.

"Most of them are in the intermediate to low pay scale with no opportunities ahead," he said. "I feel that these 1,200 people are entitled to more than they have been able to get. There is no reason why people in Cape Girardeau, who live 90 miles away, don't know there are places like West Kentucky Tech."

He said Paducah's sense of unity makes its technical school a success -- a sense of togetherness Cape Girardeau residents don't have about their schools.

There are some comparable technical programs in Cape Girardeau and Paducah schools. Both teach air conditioning, automotive technology, culinary arts, drafting, electronics and other popular programs. And both schools will tailor courses to meet the needs of area industries.

West Kentucky Tech goes a step further, offering classes in radiography, surgical technology, dental assistance and other health-related fields. There also are classes in cosmetology, court reporting and desktop publishing.

But there are even bigger differences in the schools. Cape Girardeau Vo-Tech is part of the public school system, serving eight districts. West Kentucky is one of 16 state technical schools. Only 20 percent of its $5.5 million budget comes from tuition; the rest comes from state and federal funding.

Cape Girardeau Vo-Tech serves high school students, allowing them to accumulate college credit. West Kentucky is a post-secondary school. No high-school students attend.

In both cities, the interest in technical schools is rising. Cape Girardeau Vo-Tech and Western Kentucky saw the highest enrollment figures ever this year, and a common complaint is there isn't enough room to accommodate everyone who wants to attend.

"People realize there is more out there than a four-year degree waiting for them," Vo-Tech Director Harold Tilley said.

Cape Girardeau tourists heard from West Kentucky Director Lee Hicklin and Mayor Gerry Montgomery at a luncheon before going on the two-hour tour. Although the tour bus broke down in Vienna, Ill., on the return trip, participants seemed in good spirits and willing to discuss how they can better Cape Girardeau's vo-tech program.

"Many jobs in the future are going to require more specialized training," Mehner said. "We are looking at what other people in the area are doing and what we want to do."