The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1915-12-29
Educational Preparedness
of United States.

ASoFoA III A1uiOPC 10 IiiC pCdSClul az
vance of education in the United
States as recorded in the 1915 report
Of the commissioner of education.
Educational preparedness is the
dominant note of the commissioners
report. The upbuilding of systems of
industrial education, whereby Amer
ica's natural resources are to be con-
served and developed through techni-
cal trade training, to the end that the
nation may render highest service in
the markets of the world; the estab-
lishment of stronger commercial
courses in public high schools, de-
signed to meet the new international
trade situations involved in the OPEN
ing of the Panama canal, the Euro
pean war, and the closer relations be-
tween the countries of North and
South America; the Improvement of
rural education, so that boys and
girls in the country may have equal
opportunities with boys and girls in
the city, and that the significance Of
agriculture and country life in ma
tional well being may be fully under
stood. These and other national
problems wherein education plays
fundamental part are discussed in the
report and progress during the cur
rent year outlined.
In general, the report finds there
has been real increase during the
year in progress toward that equality
of educational opportunity which is
essential in democracy. This is in
Dictated, declares Commissioner Clax-
ton, in his introduction to the report,
in greater interest in the health and
care of young children and in bet
ter type of home education; in the
revival of interest in the kindergar-
ten as an integral part of the public
school system; in increased appropria-
tions for longer terms and better sal
aries for teachers, particularly in
rural communities where school terms
have been short and salaries of teach
&rs have been small; in the enactment
of school attendance laws in some OF
kLa e&,+ar xr,b;ob hove ,,o+ ,,p%sl poxr
had such laws; in the adoption Of the
larger unit of administration of rural
schools in several states; in the rails
ing of standards of required prepare.
ton for teachers in some states ano
in the extension of the means of pre-
pairing teachers in normal schools, in
departments of education in colleges
and especially in teacher-trainine
classes in high schools; in the in.
creased attendance in high schools
and in the differentiation of work and
the adjustment of courses of study il
schools of all grades to meet the
needs Of children of varying ability
and the vocational life of the com
munities."
"Some progress has been made
within the year in the reorganization
of the twelve years of elementary ane
high schools on the basis of two equa
periods of six years each. There is {
better understanding of what college
standards should be, and colleges art
trying more and more to adjust them
selves to these standards. This il
made easier by the constant improve
ment of the public and private higl
schools and especially of the publ,
high schools.
@pThe elevation of the standards O.
professional schools is due largely Il
the demand for higher standards il
professional life. This has been &C
CELEBRATED by several surveys of pro
fessional schools made by some Of th
great educational foundations"