La Junta tribune., 1915-12-18
OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
by r. +. Austin. Superintendent.

The expenditures for education in
the United States during the year
1914 were $3.50. 0.OOO. OO.00O-s30O.OO .OOO.-
00O less than the operating expense
OF the federal government; less than
one-third the cost TO the nation for
alcoholic liquors: and a trifle over
three times the paid admissions TO
moving picture shows.
Regardless of the money and ef-
fort expended in the maintenance and
operation OF public schools, they have
not yet reached degree OF perfec-
ton that renders them free from fire.
quent and varied criticisms OF an ad-
verse nature. Like all human insti-
tutions they must be continually mod
flied and improved In order to keep
pace with the ever-changing condi-
tions of a progressive people.
Rich men and cattle barons were
In the world long before the estab-
iishmcn, of public schools. Hence IL
must be admitted that school effici-
ency cannot be measured wholly in
terms of dollars and cents. Wealth
in the form OF grazing flocks. possess
ed by nomadic tribes. existed before
the birth OF civilization. When.
through long process OF develop
ment. man learned how to make rec
ord OF his thoughts and deeds. and
how to hand down this record TO pos
tcrity. civilization dawnei and the
school master era began. The first
great purpose OF schools. therefore.
is TO place In the possession OF each
succeeding generation the instru-
men,s or tools OF learning that knowl.
edge recorded In books may be appro-
pria,ed-to banish illiteracy. TO max.
ignorance impossible. The teaching
of reading. writing, spelling, arith-
metic. geography. aud history Is still
tremendously important function OF
the school.
Not infr.quentiy docs on. hear
questioned the relative value OF an
.dueation-co common school, high
school. or college. \ short while ago
an investigation along this line was
made. A, that time there Wer. ~.
7si.t0s males over thir,y years OF
as. In tn. United States, az this
number i.757.o23 had no education.
l:.o5s.335 possessed common
school education. ss7.s3. had hish
school education. and 3?s.si5 had a
college or professional education. or
all these who had attained sufficient
cmincne. To be given place Ia
Who's Who In America" not one
was from the no education group. l..
3ss were from the common school
,gradcs one TO eight group. is:.
were from the high school group. and
1908 were from IN. college or pro.
fes.ionaiiy educated group. In other
words the uneduca,ed had no chance
Of rising TO distinction. the common
school boy had one chance In 5000.
the high school graduate had twenty
times the advantage OF the person
who had left off with the elementary
school. and the college sfadus'. had
200 times as good a chance as the
high school student, t.e, every
young person who reads ,h. above
statement decide wisely shs, would
be best for him.
The report Of an agricultural sur
,ey Of Tompkins county. New York.
concluded as foiloess "of course.
those who went only 10 district school
made an average labor income Of
tsts per year. The average labor
income Of high school men was tsss.
OF men above high school education
IL sas tst7 per year. II will be seen
that the labor income Of the high
school farmer IL i5ot greater than
that Of the district school maB-a
sum that would be q tfifte more than
the interest on $4,000 at five per
cent. In other words. the high school
education Of the farmer IL equisa.
ie,n In the average 10 $4,000 worth
Of five per cent bonds. The term
labor income a. here used IL the
afnauh{ tefl after doductins ffotu