Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-09-06
MANY EDUCATIONAL PROBLEMS
DISCUSSED AT NATIONAL
MEETING.
IOWA EDUCATOR REVIEWS
MEETING AT OAKLAND
Many Speakers Give Hygiene, Voca.
tionaI Training and Sex Problems jolt
-one State Shown to Have More
Members Of Boards Of Education
Than Teachers.
Special TO Times Republicar-

Can, inspector ol ScCoIiAS-s SSN-'
who has returned from the annual
meeting OF the National Educational
Association, held at Oakland. Cal. re-
viewed the work Of the association IN
an Interview today. He says THAI the
news OF the association as sent out
from San Francisco dealt only with
the sensational features which news
writers were able TO discover and dld
not touch upon some Of the big prob
lens discussed.
THE association the present year
had representatives from all the Lead
ing countries Of the world, saio
Professor McClenahan. In spite OF
the terrible war in Europe these coun-
tries we're able TO send repres entauTes
TO this greatest educational gathering
in the history Of our country. japan,
Germany, New Zealand, Guatemala,
Italy. in fact almost every country OF
the known world had some represen-
tative at this great association.
The subject OF sex hygiene re-
ceived the customary amount OF at
tention and as a rule Il was gwen
jolt by the speakers. Prof. Tho'nas
NJ. BalIiett. dean of the school Of ed
ucation of New York university. made
some foreful remarks in regard 70 TINS
subject He said that the parents and
the church had failed in this respect
and therefore people were trying 70
thrust the matter upon the schools
Blind enthusiasts. he said. we're insist
ing on giving II attention but At least
the present Is not the time for the
teaching of the subject. Teachers are
not trained and conditions are not ripe
for this type OF work in the pubic
schools
The problem Of how 10 teach the
Japanese who are in this country at
tracted quite a little attention. Some
educators thought the problem was
purely a political one. others thought
1t was racial, Still others thought it
was an economic problem. but practi-
cally ali agreed that dealing with the
Japanese IN this country vas an edu-
cat;onal problem that must be met IN
the very near future. Al the present
eme the japanese have very large
commercial interests in the western
states. as have the Chinese. but many
thousands OF Chinese are native born
American citizens, entitled to vote, and
are entirely under the control OF the
United States. But the great major
lty Of Japanese who live in this coun-
~ are not citizens and there is little
chance for them to become citizens
There Is practically 20 opportunity
or them to receive the kind Of edu-
cation which many feel they ought to
receive
Guatemala has organized separate
schools so that there is ore school for
each 900 inhabitants and So per cen,
Of their entire population attends ne
the public schools. However. no est!-
mate Is made Of the cost Of the school
system.
DR.. Anton AppIeman. exchange pro-
fessor from Prussia. asked for
pantheon Of education" where nations
might meet and have an international
educational clearance house. He eS-
planned that Goethe had an ideal OF a
world literature but It was only a
dream, as literature must be necessar-
tly national and local. But ne declared
that science and the fundamental Torin-
ciples Of education are international
and cosm opolitan ana Germany was
ready TO cooperate in this kind Of an
organization.
Opposed to Vocational Training.
Mrs Ella FTagg Young, sUperinrend-
ent Of schools OF Chicago, expressed
her disapproval of vocational training.
Mrs Young attacked what she termed
tine industrial propaganda Of voca-
tional education" and rehearsed the
fight which has been going on in Illi-
nois for six months. TO tnaugurate a
system Of schools which could take up
only vocational training and omit ele-
ulentary academic training.
II was urged by delegates 20 the
congress on romantic languages that
the Spanish language De taught more
frequently than 1t is now. 1t Is
claimed that the teaching Of Spanish
would aid in the comm ercfal world as
well as add to the educational value Of
the other languages. One educator
insisted on more attention TO the
Spanish and also suggested that the
United states send money into Mexico
70 finance certain projects, in order TO
further educational and commercial
interests
The work Of the Junior college, or
two years additional to the ordinary
high school, was given great deal
of attention. In a number Of cities
high schools are organizing work two
years in advance OF the present four
years of education. and this Junior
college work is attracting attention all
over the United States. Chica 90 has
three Junior colleges and will soon or
ganize others. California has large
number of junior colleges and the
work is going forward rapidly. In
cities as small as 1000 population the
junior college school is being organ
lied. Il Is claimed by the advocates
of the system that two years Of COL
1ege work can be offered which Is ac-
ceptable TO the institutions of higher
learning and that more pupils can at
tend than go away to college. that the
expense is small and the college can
be made to appeal directly to the local
interests of the community. It Il
claimed from the colleges and univer-
sites that It eliminates many fresh
men. thus simplifying many Of the
problems Of the university.
School Officials Active.
1t is rather interesting to note the
activity Of school boards and admin
istrative officers. In one state there
are 81 900 teachers but there are S..
900 members OF boards Of education
In rural communities and smaller cit.
les the teachers are under the cont1o
OF the board off education but In MANI
of our larger cities the teacher has Z
life tenure of office and Is not s1bjec
to removal. In many state boards o.
education inherit their teachers ant
many times they never inspect theil