The purpose of this study was to identify the essential furniture and equipment needed for instructional programs in industrial arts in grades seven and eight in Texas public schools. The study includes a brief history of federal and state legislation affecting industrial arts and vocational education. A checklist containing items of furniture and equipment applicable to each of the twelve approved areas of Introductory General Shop in grades seven and eight was sent to industrial arts teachers, supervisors of industrial arts in the pilot programs, and industrial arts teacher educators in Texas. Over 51 per cent of the respondents agreed that a majority of the items listed in the checklist were essential or desirable for instructional programs in industrial arts in grades seven and eight.