Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-04-13
PLEAD FOR SCHOOLS
Educators Ask for Share in
Congressional Funds.
SENATE Committee TOLD
Washington Teachers Tell Why Part
Of Eleven Million Appropriation
Should Be Spent in District.

| Washington educators appeared before
the Senate committee on agriculture today
| to urge the passage of Senator Dolliver' 8
| bill to provide annual appropriations Of
$11, 100000 from the federal treasury to aid
schools that give agricultural and indus
| trial education.
Under the provisions of the bill the Dis
| trict Of Columbia, with the states and ter
ritories will share the benefits to be pro-
vided.
DR.. George E. Meyers. principal of the
Mckinley Manual Training School, spoke
particularly of what the passage of the
| bill would do for the District. Part of the
| funds to go to the District, he said. would
be used In developing a trade school,
where boys and girls are trained for the
highest class of work in vocations they
may choose DR.. Meyers thought that
separate courses could be established in
the Mckinley school more economically
than a separate trade institution could be
established.
Courses at Mckinley School.
Another portion Of the fund would be
used for continuing the courses that are
given at night now at the Mckinley
School. No money is available for con-
tinuing the courses, he said. and they
probably will not be given next year I'M
less there is some legislation by Con-
greSS.
The need for such courses. said DR..
Myers. is shown by the fact that 62O
pupils were enrolled in the night courses
of the school this winter. In the two
weeks after the courses were opened, he
said 500 boys and girls applied for en-
trance. Seventeen Of the teachers in
the school Joined with the principal, he
explained, in an effort to show the de-
mand for such education, by giving their
services for three nights a week for four
months.
Courses were offered in carpentry, pat
tern making. forging, machine shop prac-
tice, applied electricity. mechanical and
freehand drawing and art metal work for
men and plain and invalid cooking. sew
ing, millinery, freehand drawing and art
metal work for women.
While no estimates have been made as
to how much Of the fund would annually
go to the District institutions. it is es-
timated that the Districts share will
amount to over 10000
Miss Jacobs Plea.
Miss Emma Jacobs, director of in
struction in home economics in the local
public schools, urged the passage of the
bill, citing the need for instruction in
home economics In normal schools. The
phrase "home economics brought Ques-
lions from the members Of the committee
as to what it meant Miss Jacobs ex-
planned that 1t included the proper care
of the home, sanitation, cooking, care Of
children and proper foods.
When teachers in the public schools
have been trained in home economics
and when they impart their knowledge
to the children that come under their
care. the witness predicted, there will
be stronger and sturdfer race in this
country.
"A recent Investigation we made of
the schools" declared Senator Burkett,
showed that you were devoting about
25 per cent of the time in the schools
to the teaching of these outside things
to have stopped teaching physiology.
or, at least. 1 have been trying to find
it in the courses of study"
Miss Jacobs insisted that the proper CO.
subjects and In home economics would
prove the most valuable education that
can be given.
Defects In System.
Charges of deep-rooted defects in the
present educational systems of the vari-
Gus states were cited by the educators as
showing the need for federal financial
aid to schools.
This BILL said DR.. Myers. lis the re-
suit Of q widespread belief that our pub
lie schools have failed on the one hand to
prepare our youths for successful indus
trial careers and failed on the other hand
to provide our industries with properly
trained workers. In fact, public educa-
ton IL under the charge Of having cheat
ed and robbed both-our youth by wasting
their time, our industries by making them
bear the expense of schools engaged in
enticing away from the Industries as
many Of the youth as possible and in
making others dissatisfied with industrial
occupations"
Others who addressed the committee to-
day were Howard Edwards. president OF
the Rhode Island State Normal School;
Thomas c. Miller. principal OF the West
Virginia State Normal School at ,Shep-
herdstown, w. Va.