The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-07-02
WHAT IS WRONG
HTHESCHOOLS?
MAGAZINE CONTRIBUTOR DIS
cussEs COST OF MAKING I'M
PRoVEMENTs - PLENTY or
MONEY FOR. OTHER THINGS.
LITTLE FOR EDUCATION.

Joseph M. Rogers, who is writ.
Ing on What Is Wrong With OuI
Public Schools in Lippencott's, dis
cusses in the fifth paper, the cost o
making improvements. We all know
that most people like to talk education
but when 1t comes to making improve
ments in our educational system the
cry goes up, ooh, but the cost" AL
ways always 1t is the cost--the cost ir
dollars, not the cost of results The
mass that hurries along understands
the results of business, but not the re-
suits of education. SloWly-too slow
1--WE are arriving at an appreciation
or educational results. Meanwhile we
have plenty of money for liquor. fol-
the implements Of war, and for other
things of vastly less benefit to the ma
ton and its people than education. And
there we are.
After stating that we spend, on an
| average, $25 a year on each pupil en-
rolled in the public schools, Mr.. Rogers
| refers to the fact that the state of
New York is now spending $50 for each
pupil enrolled and $75 for the average
or attendance. Also, salaries in New
York are nearly double the general
average of other states, and this has
caused an increase in the number of
male teachers.
Most people would shudder to think
that the average child in the public
schools should entail an annual ex-
penditure Of $75," writes Mr.. Rogers
but to that we are soon coming if we
are to make progress. 1t ought to
reach 800 during the present genera
ton.
This increase will come slowly
and should be largely for salaries.
Present buildings can for a time be
adapted to the new methods, and new
construction can be changed without
vast Increase of cost To double ex-
listing salaries-and to get a higher
grade of instruction hereby-would
cost $210,000,000 or say $12 per family,
but as the immediate need is for more
teachers, it would eventually cost
great deal more than that. How is this
sum to be secured?
'Tn the less enlightened states al
most the whole of the school fund is
raised and dispensed by the state,
bad policy, since legislators are al
ways anxious to escape laying tax
alton. In the older states of the North
and West taxes for schools are raised
In the minor political divisions, to
which the state usually adds a large
sum. In Pennsylvania the state gives
75000O0 year from revenue not de-
rived from real estate taxes. No other
state does nearly so well, but many
states give aid and encouragement in
more or less systematic way, the
object being to help those communities
where 1t is hardest to raise local taxes.
ITO double present school expendi-
lures at once would be impossible, but
a 10 per cent annual increase for ten
years is reasonable and feasible But I
hold that we shall never achieve the
desired end in this country until the
national government does its share in
the matter. Twenty-Five years ago a
few far-seeing statesmen were eager to
have the federal government enter up
on this work, but the effort failed,
largely because 1t was held at the
time that the matter was one solely
for state control. In recent years there
has come a recrudescene OF national
ism, which may have gone too far In
some directions, but certainly not far
enough in others-notably in the mat
ter of education.
'Tf the national government may
properly irrigate the arid lands of the
west, dig out the channels of our
rivers, examine our food supplies with
microscopes, promote every detail of
farming and establish the rate for rail-
way traffic, there is no reason why 1t
may not help In the matter of educa-
ton.
1T spends millions each year for
the farmers, who are the minority Of
the people, while the children, who are
In the majority are not considered at
all.
Every other progressive nation on
earth gives much attention to educa-
ton, and we must give UP the idea
that because Europe does a thing we
should for that reason avoid 1t. we
are still wearing some OF our swaddling
clothes.
That we are approaching the point
of federal aid, We have but to con-
slider the present agitation for the ex-
pansion of the work of the united bu-
reau of education.
AT the present time the government
is paying out for war pensions more
than half as much money as the entire |
cost OF the public school system. In
the next few years the amount is sure
to be decreased and Mr.. Rogers, along
with many others. believes that the
proper thing for the government to do |
is to turn this saving into educational
channels. In other words, having re-
warded the soldiers of war, begin a
system of increased salaries and re-
ward the soldiers OF peace"