Today’s comprehensive list of TEEX courses all can be traced back to “Methods of Teaching Industrial Education,” one of two vocational courses offered by the Texas Agriculture and Mechanical College of Texas in 1919. The expansion of higher education into offering practical education for industrial professions finds its roots in the Morrill Act of 1862, also known as the Land Grant College Act. The earliest fire training courses on the Texas Agricultural and Mechanical College campus date to 1930. While a variety of entities within Texas A&M University have been charged with developing needed training and teaching resources over the years, the basic mandate remains the same: to provide occupational and technical training services on an extension basis to the citizens of Texas.

For a full version of TEEX 25 year History download the PDF.

Milestones

1862 Legislation known as the Morrill Act is mandated “to promote the liberal practical education of the industrial classes in several pursuits and professions of life.”

1914 The Smith-Lever Act specifically establishes extension services to “give instruction and practical demonstration to persons not attending or residents in said colleges and imparting to such persons information on said subjects through field demonstrations, publications and otherwise.”

1917 Congress passes the Smith-Hughes Act establishing public vocational technical education. The Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas begins a trade and industrial teacher training service,

1919 Methods of Teaching Industrial Education is one of two courses offered under the supervision of the Department of Agricultural Education, ultimately leading to the creation of the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service.

1924 A School of Vocational Teaching including rural, agricultural and industrial departments is established.

1925 The Industrial Education Department closes in the spring to be reopened in October and charged with developing effective industrial teacher training. Soon after, training conferences for foremen of oil field production crews are offered to improve job planning and work supervision in the rapidly developing East Texas oil fields.

1929 The State Firemen’s and Fire Marshals’ Association and the Texas Legislature establish a permanent firefighter training school at the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas.

1930 Firefighter training begins on the Texas A&M campus. It will be incorporated into the Industrial Extension Service programs in 1947.

1935 The school of Vocational Teaching is dissolved and the Department of Industrial Education is transferred to the School of Engineering.

1940 The Industrial Extension Service is created offering programs including water and sewage plant operator training, peace officer training, public building custodian training and automobile training.

1948 In its July meeting, the Texas A&M College Board of Directors changes the Industrial Extension Service to the Engineering Extension Service as part of the Texas A&M College System. TEEX is charged with responsibility for providing occupational and technical training services to comply with the original Land Grant College Act, also known as the Morrill Act.

1998 TEEX becomes home to the National Emergency Response and Rescue Training Center.

2014 As a member of The Texas A&M University System, TEEX programs include fire and emergency services, homeland security, public safety and security, public works, safety and health, search and rescue, and knowledge engineering. TEEX also sponsors Texas Task Force 1.

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