El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-08-19
EDUCATION AND
THE AMERICAN
SCHOOL
Continued From Page Nine.)

CONTINUED From Page Nine.)
been found most profitable for Amer
lean children at home.
Owing to the fact that in educa-
tional matters the rights of the indi-
vidual states have been recognized as
paramount there is no national execu-
tive center for education in American
consequently, critics have declared
that this country has no educational
system, that the schools are a miscel-
laneous collection of educational ex-
periments with no uniformity of either
object or method. This charge may
have been partially true a generation
ago. but there is no justification for
its repetition today.
Is Process of Evolution.
Throughout the whole world, educa-
ton has been in a process of evolution
during the past century. The United
States, as the youngest of the great
nations. at the beginning, may have
been less able to cope with the needs
than the longer established govern
ment- But whatever was lost in the
beginning by the lack of a central or
ganization has been compensated for
by the spontaneous work of the sep
arate states. One state could better
make an experiment in an educational
theory than the whole country at large.
Each state has been active in investi-
eating and trying new educational
methods In this way better results
have been obtained, with less loss of
time and the best ideals have been
quickly incorporated into American
education. For example, the discov-
cries Of Froebel and Pestalozzi were
more quickly put into general use in
American schools than in the countries
where they originated because of the
fact that the states were able to act
Independently.
While each state controls It's own
public schools, which are supported
partially by its own system of tax
alton, the national government has
been very liberal in appropriations to
supplement the state funds. With the
policy of encouraging rather than con-
trolling public education in the differ
ent states, large grants Of land for
school purposes have been made from
time TO time. These grants now amount
altogether to 7S,659,439 acres with
valuation approximating s120, 900.
In addition to this, the national gov
eminent provides for each agricultural
experiment station connected with
state agricultural college appropri-
ations amounting to over $4,000 an
nually, besides a S25, 900 perpetual en-
dowment for each of these colleges
themselves This is equivalent to a
capitalization fund Of 100000 at
percent for each state and territory or
in the aggregate, about s50,O00,0OO
more In addition to all this some
100000 acres Of swamp lands and
other special grants are devoted to
education.
Money Loaned for Education
In 1897, the surplus funds OF the
United States treasury were loaned to
some of the states for educational pur-
poses to the amount Of SIS, 000, 900. This
-
fund Of these states. The total value of
the aid given by the national govern
ment for educational purposes through
out the country approximates $500 OOO.-
O00
Aside from the provision made by
the national government and the large
sums devoted to educational purposes
by the individual states. account should
be taken Of the immense sums set
apart for educational purposes by pri-
vate philanthropy. The general board
of education has control Of funds pro-
viding an annual income of $1,000, 900
devoted TO different objects of educa-
tional research. This includes the J. D.
Rockefeller special fund, general fund.
and foundation; the Anna T. James
fund, including the pension provision;
and the Russell Sage foundation fund,
which is devoted chiefly to social sci
ence research.
Trend Is Scientific.
The trend Of education in America is
towards practical utility rather than
general culture It is becoming scien-
tific rather than classical Vocational
education may now begin In the kin
dergarden; It ends in the college or
university. While the public schools,
providing, as they do, the educational
resources OF fully 70 percent Of the
countrys population are Of first con-
sideration in this respect, the higher
institutions of learning are also de-
veloping along this same line It is
now recognized that applied mechan-
zeal skill has as much educational
value as classical literature The en-
gineering degrees c. E., or e E., are
quite as honorable an attainment as
the professional degrees OF the physi-
clan, lawyer or clergyman.
Oh equal advantage is the advance
made in agricultural education, which
IS the distinctive note of progress for
the goth century Rural education, in
Guiding the consolidation Of the small
country schools, the provision for
high school courses in rural districts.
and the development of the state agri-