Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1910-07-13
TO PREVENT WASTE
N EDUCATION.
EXTENSIVE EXPERIMENT IN
ALASKA CARRIED ON BY MA
TloNAL GOVERNMENT.
SEEK TO IMPROVE HEALTH
THROUGH EDUCATION IN
MANY WAYS.

OaNAAAC Vi AhC NO0A DC lAAeAN -
pursued by the United States bureau
of education in its efforts to pro
mote education during the coming
year, and tribute to the achieve
ments OF the late DR.. William Ter
rey Harris, formerly in charge OF
tiat work, were the principal Tea
lures of an address by DR.. Elmer F.
Brown, the present commissioner of
education. before the National Educa-
tional association in this city yes
tnrday.
at was an extraordinary Legacy
that was left to the bureau of edu-
cation BY Commissioned William Ter
rev Harris. declared DR.. Brown
'eThe present administration OF that
Office has no finer nor higher re-
sponsibility than that of maintaining
at its best the spirit and that tradi-
ton which constitutes that legacy
DR.. Brown referred to the institu-
! ton of a new division for the pro-
motion of methods of school admin
stration and also of the use of spe-
eialists for improving the work Of
the land-grant colleges as additions
that had been made to the activities
OF the service under him. He, pic
tured the educational work being
carried on in Alaska as the most
extensive experiment of that kind in
the world.
"Such a practice school presents
the white mans burden in its most
concrete form, with all of the diia-
culties and all Of the inspiring OPP
portunities presented by this world
education movement of our time, ne
added. There in Alaska the shcool
physician and the school nurse are
now going up and down. helping the
people I'm their sickness and teach
ing them how 20 live clean and
wholesome lives. The girls are learn
to cook and to sew and to make
good homes. The boys are learning
Ito earn an honest livelihood under
their new conditions by new indus
trial pursuits, by the raising OF rein
deer, by improved fishing. gardening
and the use Of common tools. They
are learning something of the white
mans wisdom and the white mans
better aims in life. which shall help
them in their new relations with the
White man as their neighbor ana
fellow laborer.'
To extend the influence of the bU-
reau and to strengthen it DR. Brown
said close cooperation mad been ar
ranged with the library of congress
and with the bureau of the census.
/ The latter bureau. he Said, is en-
deavuring to obtain more nearly unf-
| form and comparable statistics con
cernfng state and city systems of edu-
cation.
1--WE have now more reason thar
ever before 70 hope that the re-
proach which has lain against our
school reports. that they do not tell
an ineligible tale, is soon TO be
thinking Of the past" declared Or.
Brown
Speaking of the functions OF ms
bureau, DR.. Brown continued:
The Improvement Of school at
tendance must go hand in hand with
the abatement of child labor and
numerous other undertakings for the
generaT welfare of childhood. It Is
the business of a central office 10
call repeated attention to these &C.
lationsnips. and to help those who
are at work IN neighboring fields to-
work together for their common
ends
eve need TO press home sucn in
formation as VIII lead to the inn
provement OF school buildings. In a
country which is spending $4,000
600. a year for the construction
equipment and repair of its build
tugs for school purposes. such intor
uation as would lead to the savinz
Of only one per cent on this expen
diture would cause an aggregate am
nuai saving Of s7S0000 and the saw
ing of the health of pupils wnirn
can be accomplished through more
hygienIc construction is an incom-
narabfy greater concern.
Tn 4 thousand ways the improve
ment Of health through education is
now under way. An agency wdich. |
through the gentle force of clear IN
formation can bring these ways into
unison AMI prevent the waste OF mis-
directed efforts viii prove itself a
national benefit
Industrial education. In its three
main forms of trade schools, schools
OF housekeeping and schools for rural
life. Is every day raising more ques-
lions than any one vet can answer.
Il is the business Of such an Office
as the hureau OF education 70 over
look this whole field and keep in
eassant inquiries under way. with a
view 10 finding the best answers TO
The most urgent Of these questions
So fss a. hose answers become
avaiiabfe ia any part II the world
But Hers again & is not information
4lone that is needed. Our new ef-
forts II Industrial education are
pulled shis way and that by inhar.
u,onious aims ard conflicting inter.
ests. A national Office. concerned /
aith these things. must make the
constant endeavor to persuade those
aiscordant forces into unity of Elm.
and that effectiveness which comes