Evening star., 1911-08-19

ogy, medicine. law. pharmacy. dentistry
and pedagogy.
Each year the growing population of
the nation increases the demand for edu-
cational facilities. and the buildings
erected and the new institutions being
opened keep rapid pace with this growth.
Despite the oft-made criticism OF Amer
ica'S educational system or the lack OF 1t,
very little consideration will show that
the two billion American dollars invested
In permanent educational facilities are
paying growing dividend Of intelligence
and prosperity to the whole nation. There
is no other country in the world today
which compares with the United States
either in the equipment Of its educational
plant or the annual expenditure to pro-
mote its efficiency.
While the national government does not
attempt to exercise direct authority over
any of the schools of
Work Of Bureau the country. it has
er.A potent suggestive
" ~ AS"tAoA' authority in it's bu-
reau Of education. The bureau collects
data Of the educational development
throughout the world, and by diffusing
this information through its various chan
nels continually aids In promoting the
efficiency of all classes of educational In
stitutions. The bureau has been espe-
cially helpful in promoting the uniflca
ton of educational standards, which has
been the chief aim of American edu-
Gators during the last quarter of a cen
tury This unification is being attained
to gratifying degree. especially through
out the public schools. The course of
study now has become so nearly uni
form among the different states that a
1l,t xl,~S-
and take up his school work without
any material loss of time.
There are a number Of volunteer or
ganiZations which have been very help
full in the educational progress Of the
country. Most Of these are recognized by
the government authorities and their
suggestions are carefully considered.
Chief among these is the National Edu-
cational Association, q large body COM
posed OF the prominent teachers of the
cational work. This organization, with
it's branches in the different states, by it's
investigation and research into methods
and school conditions, Is doing more
than any other body to promote the ef
ficiency of the different institutions Of
learning.
During the last few years the United
States also has developed a colonial
school system quite as important as that
of any Of the other great nations of the
Woru Inc puDiic Scnooi always IolloWS
the American flag, so that In the Philip
pines. in Porto Rico and even on the
Panama Canal Zone, there are now well
organized American schools doing prac-
ticaliy the same work in the grades which
have been found most profitable for
American children at home.
Owing to the fact that in educational
matters the rights Of the Individual states
have been recog-
Why Criticism nized as para
Has Been Made. na,,ons, executive
center for education in America; conse-
ouently, critics have declared that this
country has no educational system, that
the schools are q miscellaneous collection
of educational experiments with no uni
formity of either object or method. This
charge may have been partially true a
generation ago, but there Is no 5ustifica-
ton for its repetition today
Throughout the whole world education
has been in q process of evolution during
the last 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 es-
tablished government. But whatever was
central organization has been compen-
sated for by the spontaneous work of the
separate states. One state could better
make an experiment in an educational
theory than the whole country at large.
Each state has been active In investigat-
ing and trying new educational methods.
In this way better results have been OBJ
tanned, with less loss of time. and the
best Ideals have been quickly incorporat-
ed into American education. For ex-
,.l- thA inG
Pestalozzi were more quickly put into
general use in American schools than In
the countries where they originated, be-
cause of the fact that the states were
able to act independently.
-
While each state controls its own pub
lie schools. which are supported partially
by its own
Government Makes system OF
Large Appropriations. national gov.
ernment has been very liberal In appro-
priations to supplement the state funds
With the policy of encouraging rather
than controlling public education in the
different states. large grants OF land for
school purposes have been made from
time to time. These grants now amount
altogether to 1868, 439 acres, with a val
uation approximating $12O.OOO.O0O In
addition to this. the national government
provides for each agricultural experiment
station connected with state agricul-
tural college appropriations amountins
to more than $4,000 annually, besides a
$25, 900 perpetual endowment for each OF
these colleges themselves. This Is equiva-
lent to a capitalization fund of $1,OOO,OJC
at per cent for each state and territory.
or. in the aggregate, about SoOOOO.UN
more. In addition to all this about
100000 acres Of swamp lands and other
special grants are devoted to education
In 1887 the surplus funds of the United
States Treasury were loaned to some
of the states for educational purposes to
the amount of $15.OOO,OOO. This fund con-
stitutes q portion of the school fund oil
aid given by the national government for
educational purposes throughout the
country approximates $500. 100000.
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 edu-
cational purposes by private philan-
thropy. The general board of education
has control of funds providing an an
different objects of educational research
This includes the J. d. Rockefeller special
fund, general fund and foundation; the
Anna T. James fund. the Carnegie
foundation fund. including the pension
provision. and the Russell Sage founda-
ton fund, which Is devoted chiefly to
social science research.
=
The trend Of education in America is
toward practical utility rather than gen.
eral culture. 1t is