The Kentucky Industrial Education Association was organized in 1956 under the direction of Dr. Charles R. Crumpton from the University of Louisville. Dr. Crumpton called a series of meetings with the various local regional associations in the state and talked with the members encouraging them to form an organization within the state which would adequately represent the objectives of industrial education. Dr. Crumpton held that such an organization, state-wide in character, was necessary to promote the interests of all phases of industrial education. It would include industrial arts education and trade and industrial education. It had been felt by many for a number of years that there were many common objectives of these two phases of industrial education. It was also felt that these two organizations were divergent in interests and that such a condition should not be tolerated. Therefore, Dr. Crumpton insisted that the two organizations merge their purposes and form a group to be known as the Kentucky Industrial Education Association.

It was pointed out that there were a maximum of 600 men and women engaged in various phases of industrial education in Kentucky and that these people should work toward a common purpose which was, of course, to promote a higher degree of efficiency in instruction so that the boys and girls of the Commonwealth might profit more by industrial education. Many meetings were held throughout the state during 1956 at which fundamental beliefs, regulations ideas, and plans were formed into a document to be known as the Constitution of the Kentucky Industrial Education Association. The earliest record of this effort, as far as the Louisville area was concerned occurred November 8, 1956 when at the request of Dr. Crumpton, the Supervisor of Vocational and Adult Education, called a meeting of Industrial arts education and vocational education teachers of Louisville and Jefferson County to meet and discuss the adoption of the Constitution of the Kentucky Industrial Education Association.

A state-wide planning committee was called to a meeting December 1, 1956 in the Kentucky Hotel. This meeting was called by Mr. Ralph Whalen of Eastern Kentucky State College who secured supports from the following areas: Northern Kentucky, Louisville, Jefferson County, Western Kentucky, Central Kentucky and Eastern Kentucky. Representatives from these different areas approved the Constitution and set forth to elect the first corps of officers: C. R. Crumpton was elected president; Louis Rogge and Devert were elected vice presidents. With this organization complete the Industrial Education Association of Kentucky was on it's own. Its first meeting was held in connection with the Kentucky Education Association at the Gottschalk School. At this meeting the Constitution was adopted. From the very beginning the Kentucky Industrial Education Association has been a success. Membership for the first year numbered 401 and 22 firms bought 26 booths securing finances for the convention of 1957. It is reported that 160 persons attended the first annual banquet.

In order to promote the interest of the Kentucky Industrial Education Association and to excite the interest of the membership as well as to achieve the objectives of improved instruction of industrial education, the organization in general has placed emphasis on five areas of activity. The first and most important of these areas has to do with programming. The association, under the provisions of its constitution, provides for two types of programs which are conducted mainly by the membership of the organization. Since 1957 there have been 0 such programs per convention. Therefore, forty sectional programs were provided in the first four years of the association's activity. The participants in these sectional programs were drawn from the state colleges and universities, from among the directors of the area educational schools, and from the industrial arts programs in the high schools of the state. The sectional programs of the association are the areas in which the membership analyzes and evaluates itself. In an effort to keep the sectional programs useful, an evaluation scheme was set up very early and it is from these bits of self-evaluation that programs are continued or eliminated.

Another phase of programming has to do with the general programs of the association. These general programs are evening programs or luncheons and they are key-noted by state and national personages who represent the best type of industrial thinking that the KIEA can afford to secure. A very important aspect of the general program of the KIEA is the annual business meeting at which account of the year just past is reported to the membership. Another phase of this program is a contribution which the exhibitors make through what is known as the Ship's program. This is a distribution of prizes which commercial contributors make to the membership.

A second important phase of activity of the KIEA is the educational exhibits at which the work of industrial educational, vocational education schools and their students is displayed at the convention.

The third phase of activity is the commercial exhibits. The exhibits are provided by firms from most anywhere in the United States who would like to sell their products to the Industrial schools in Kentucky.

A fourth phase of activity which is important to the KIEA has to do with membership. A fifth phase of activity of the KIEA concerns participation of its members in the annual convention The annual convention of the Kentucky Industrial Education Association in early November has been understood as the climax of the activities of the preceding year, and the convention is a significant feature of the association. However, industrial education is active in the state throughout the year, so the association keeps its objectives and activities before the membership by means of the KIEA Bulletin which is distributed three or four times per year. The Bulletin informs the membership and prevents the association from being just a single once-a-year activity.

The leadership of the association has been good from the beginning. The presidents have appointed capable executive committees and through mutual cooperation have provided a type of convention for industrial education in Kentucky which is rapidly assuming the position among those of other states to be as good or better than most. Consequently it is easy to understand that the achievement of the objectives of the KIEA are assured. The association is dynamic and will continue to provide good service to the students of industrial education in the state.