Economy Trade School was originally founded in 1934 by Arthur Selectman, a World War I veteran and visionary tradesman. Arthur established the school with a clear purpose: to teach returning war veterans marketable skills that would lead to stable careers in construction, woodworking, and automotive repair.

For over 25 years, the original Economy Trade School operated as a pillar in the community, transforming lives by turning raw potential into skilled labor. Hundreds of men and women walked through its doors and walked out with dignity, purpose, and a trade in their hands.

Now, nearly a century later, Arthur’s grandson, Delbert Selectman, is relaunching the school in partnership with Donnelly College, reimagining its mission for the modern era. The core values remain the same: access, opportunity, skill, and self-reliance. But the tools have evolved, and the vision is broader.

Through the revived Economy Trade School, the legacy of Arthur Selectman lives on, in classrooms, in workshops, and in the rising generation of skilled professionals who will shape the future of the trades.

This isn’t just a program. It’s a promise—passed from one generation to the next.