New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-01-14
Government Control of Education.

Government Control OF Education.
Americans have had reason to be
proud Of their educational system, but
our practice in this field also raises
many questions regarding government
management. Practically every one as
sents TO free elementary education. In
most Of our states free high school
education is given and accepted with
out thought. In most of our Middle
Western States the state universities
furnish substantially free education TO
any extent required, even training man
in his profession to earn his living, as
lawyer, or doctor. or dentist. be-
longed for some years TO an institution
chiefly privately endowed, however
that had for its motto: 81 would found
an institution in which any person
may receive instruction in any study"
Personally, ! see no reason why our
universities should not give technical
training in horse shoeing, or shoe
making, or any other line of industry,
but ! seriously question whether tech
nical training should be given free Of
tuition in either state or privately en-
dowed universities.
The dean Of one of our schools Of
commerce in the Middle West said the
other day that student whose tuition
was paid for him by his employer, who
required him TO study the principles Of
business, was likely to fail. The dean
believed that fairly high tuition
should be charged. not only for imam
cisl reasons. but for the excellent eff
feet upon the students themselves. A
teacher who leaves an ordinary col
lege, TO which young men are sent by
their parents TO get an education, TO
teach IN an institution where young
men send themselves for evening work
after "A day spent in business, paying
their own expenses, is Immediately
struck with the excellent high quality
Of the students and the serious work
in the latter institution. Are our states
going too far in the way of giving
technical education? Where shall We
draw the line?
But besides furnishing all kinds OF
education under government manage
ment, we even compel children TO take
an education. Still further. the public, at
its own expense, II need be, carries
them TO the schoolhouse in order TO
give them the required training, willy
nilly. In 1918 greater New York expend-
ed SlO6. 495 90 to pay for transportation
Of children. For 1914, New York City
made provision in its budget 20 eX-
pend $4,000 for carrying children
by streetcars, omnibuses whatever
means best meets the need from their
homes to the school in places where
the schoolhouses are too distant for
them TO walk.
Advanced" School Systems.
In the most advanced" school sys-
TENS Of the day all children are eX-
amined free of charge to detect de-
fective .eyesight, adenoids, dental needs,
mental capacity. In needy cases ade-
noids are removed without charge and
spectacles fitted, TO be paid for by
charitable societies. Luncheons are
furnished at cost, while many prin-
cipals recommend that they be sup
piled free, and that more than one
meal be given. Fairgrounds, recreation
piers and dances are supplied free
now. Shall we 90 further? | am not
now Directing TO those things. mere
~ inquire, is there danger Of carrying
this too far? Will the poor children
get health at the expense OF feeling
like paupers? Or can we find some
other way of giving them strength
And II We are not doing too much for
little children, shall we compel the
taxpayers also to give men from twenty
TO forty years OF age the training TO
become engineers, or dentists, or bank
ers, or accountants? And how far shall