Eugene Debs Carstater, Minnesota Director of Vocational Education: Controversy during a time of change (1939--1946)

Eugene Debs Carstater, first full-time Director of Vocational Education (1939) in Minnesota, questioned the wisdom of disclosing student information to the Federal government and, consequently, spent six years in the courts attempting to retain his office. Carstater's, PhD dissertation from the University of Minnesota in 1937, was concerned with developing the socially competent individual.; The purpose of this study is to investigate who Carstater was and what happened during his tenure as Director that caused subsequent leaders in the system to avoid reference to him. An additional purpose of this study is to provide vocational educators with an account and analysis of events important to the development of vocational education in Minnesota. While Carstater is the focus of this study, knowledge about his colleagues and the historical context of the day is essential to understanding events.; Methods used to answer the research questions include the review and analysis of original documents from the Minnesota Department of Education, the Minnesota Attorney General's office, Minnesota oral histories and numerous newspaper accounts. Finally, under the Freedom of Information Act, records related to Carstater and relevant others were obtained from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and other security agencies.; The findings of this study indicate that Carstater was a reflective individual and very concerned with social issues over and above issues of self-interest. There was no evidence available that implicated Carstater in any attempt to overthrow the government. Much like his namesake, Debs, he was a promoter of unions and social justice, but fundamentally a Humanist and Idealist. Carstater was concerned about the implications of vocational education being under the jurisdiction of the Federal Security Agency during peacetime.; This study has many associations with the concerns of educators today. Can the Federal Government have access to student information during peacetime? Can the Federal Government withhold funding for educational programs in order to influence who is appointed to an educational post at the state or local level? Consideration of Carstater courageous stand with regard to such questions has relevance for today's educators.