Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-15
BUREAU OF EDUCATION

eAAes4sss0S0 49,
own affairs in regard to education. Con-
sequently there are forty
Clearing eight varieties each re-
u. f1ecting the individuality OF
Ao"0' its respective state, yet re-
sembling the others. Through such con-
ditions the need arose for. a common
mutual interest could be discussed, where
information could be secured and I'M
provements propagated. For any single
state or group to undertake the estab-
lishment Of a bureau which would have
fulfilled these needs would have been un-
fair to the others. 1t was thus necessary
for the United States government to
establish an Office which should meet the
demands. This was done nearly fifty
years ago, the department Of education
being the result.
The establishment of this central agency
was urged upon Congress by leading edu-
Gators, and February IA, 1893. q memorial
of the National Association of State and
City School Superintendent was present
ed in favor of it and at the same time
Gen. James A. Garfield presented bill to
Congress, which became q law March 2,
1867, providing for the present bureau.
The act defined its establishment as be-
ing 'for the purpose Of collecting such
STATISTICS ana IaCIS dS STILL SHOW the COlA~
dition, and progress of education in the
several states and territories. and of diff
fusing such Information respecting the or
ganization and management or scnoois
and school systems and methods OF teach
ing as shall aid the people of the United
States in the establishment and majnte-
nance Of efficient school systems. and
otherwise promote the cause OF education
throughout the country"
Since the beginning the promotion
of 1.-The cause of education throughout
the country has been the
Federal major object Of the bureau,
Each successive commits
GH0It. sioner of education has en-
deavored to bring the educational sys-
tenn of the country as whole up to the
highest possible standard. to make 1t
possible for every child in the land to
receive an education and, furthermore.
to make an education so desirable that
every child would want one.
Henry Barnard of Connecticut was
the first commissioner of education,
serving three years. 1t was during his
term of office that the act of Congress
was passed changing the name of De-
partment of Education to Bureau of
Education" and attaching 1t to the De-
partment of the Interior. Gen. John
Eaton, the successor OF DR.. Barnard,
served about fifteen years. Under his
regime the portion of the act outlining
the collection of information was given
particular Importance. Not only were
facts collected respecting educational
matters in the United States. but from
foreign countries as well. The result
was that a comparison between any two
OF in, hn
made, or with foreign countries. in addi-
ton to laying the foundation of a phase
of educational work which has developed
until at the present time it Is one of the
most important of the bureaus duties.
So successful was the bureau of educa-
ton that in, 1884 Congress directed the
Secretary of the Interior to make pro-
vision for the education OF children OF
school age in the Territory OF Alaska. a
duty which was placed the following
year upon the commissioner of educa-
ton. The latter part Of 1885 Gen. Eaton
was succeeded by DR.. Nathaniel II. r..
Dawson, who served as head Of the
bureau until 1889. Under DR.. Dawson
was begun the issuance of circulars on
the history Of higher education in the
several states which proved valuable ad-
ditions to the educational literature Of
the country. Following DR.. Dawson
came DR.. William T. Harris. who served
almost seven years. It was during his
administration that the work of the
bureau was enlarged to include the SUPER
vision of the expenditure Of those funds
granted annually by Congress to COL
leees of agricultural and mechan mic arts
established in the various states. each
state receiving $50 O0O making an annual
total of almost $500 OOO. The intro
duction of the domestic reindeer service
for the benefit of the natives Of A'asifa
was begun In 1892. and placed In charge
Of the bureau Of education In connection
with the school work there
X
In 1919 DR.. Elmer e. Brown became
commissioner OF education Up to that
time the work of collect
Expanding ing and distributing in
A. xu.a formation was accom-
'o "Vin' plished by correspondence