Evening star., 1916-07-30

ties In typical establishments. The
types Of work will also be classified
what activities seem best adapted to
particular lines Of work.
The aim will be to present in the
completed book data from which en-
ployers not experienced in welfare
work may make Intelligent choice OF
the welfare activities they wish to In
troduce into their establishments. OF
special value for such purposes, it is
f1cations of buildings and equipment
which will be contained in the hand
book, together with carefully compiled
cost sheets.
In the vicinity Of practically all
large cities the problem Of furnishing
school facilities for COM
Suburban munities that are neither
urban nor rural, but a
0eAooAs. mixture Of rural and
suburban, is attracting the attention
those Of Uncle Sans bureau of edu-
cation with the others. The residents
in such communities are really city
folk. accustomed to the excellent
social institutions of the modern
American municipality. They desire
the best educational facilities for their
children. but often encounter the
greatest obstacles in seeking to obtain
them because the school machinery is
under the control of rural govern
ment unit.
Such conditions are frequently met
with. 1t is found, where, in growing, a
city's suburbs overlap into a neigh
boring county whose administration
is wholly independent and where COM
munities of commuters have sprung
up along railroads farther from the
city. The territory to the south of
San Francisco is to a great extent
typical in exhibiting such physical
conditions. and a careful educational
survey has recently been made there
in San Mateo county, the northern
boundary of the city. The results of
the study have just been made avail
able for educators by the federal bu-
reau of education.
One, of the outstanding facts dis
of many of the ills of rural educa-
tional administration is the district
SYSTEM" under which the county Is
divided into multiplicity of small
districts. each almost wholly a law
to itself. and few of which are f1nan-
cially able to more than maintain an
inefficient one-room. one-teacher
school. The energy of the San Fran
cisco suburbanites. it was found. how
ever. even with the handicap of the
district system, has grapplnd effective
ly with the suburban school problem
and has created quite creditable
schools in the districts near the city
and along the principal railroad.
The expert who surveyed conditions
trict system is a distinct handicap to
these schools and perceptibly lowers
their efficiency Even such success as
has been achieved in the suburban
schools, 1t is declared. serves by con-
trast to make more emphatic the un-
satisfactory conditions that have re-
suited from the prevailing system in
the rural districts which make up the
major portion of the county.
From the data obtained by the sur
vey, the investigator believes that the
salvation of educational conditions in
this rural county with urban fringes is
the total wiping out of the thirtysix
Independent districts and the substitu-
ton for them of the county unit. The
next step would be the consolidation of
the existing elementary schools, many
of them with single teachers. into thir-
teen schools. none of which would
have less than four teachers. and all of
which would have supervising princi-
pals. This would make necessary the
furnishing of free transportation for
some of the pupils and the erection of
number of new and substantial build
ings. With all necessary changes, how
system. giving school facilities COM
parable to those of cities. would ac-
tua1ly cost less than the amount now
expended with poor results.
The importation of students to the
universities and colleges of this coun-
try is a phase of our
Foreign commerce" with foreign
c4, nations in which the gov
"ueA'S. ernment is taking the
keenest interest, since by this means.
it is realized. most rapid progress can
be made in the establishment of mutual
interest and good feeling between our
citizens and those, of other countries.
Especial interest is being taken in at
tracing to our educational institutions
students from Latin America. and the
latest step in this direction taken by
Uncle Sam is the preparation of Span
ish translation of a comprehensive bull
letin of the bureau of education on op-
portunities for foreign students.
Translation into other languages will
probably be arranged later by the bu-
reau Of education, but for the present
energies will be centered on making
the information available to our closest
foreign neighbors who speak Ian
guage different from our own The
bulletin in its original form is of value
practically only to Canadians.
The governments Spanish bulletin
win contain some 200 pages, in which
will be discussed, with other sub
jects. the organization in general of
education in the United States. the or
Panization of a typical university, pro-
fessional and technical schools, courses
of study and entrance requirements,
the higher education of women. and
comparison of American and foreign
universities. The practical will not be
lost sight of, FOR the Spanish readers
will also learn of living conditions, ex-
penses and the factors in the intangi-
BILE thing known as college life"
Altogether, in the last normal year
Just before the war more than 4,20o
foreign students were attending edu-
cational institutions in the United
States--a number which exceeds the
total enrolment of such universities
as Yale and Princeton. The more than
1000 foreign students were from fifty
one different countries, and were scat
tered among 275 American universities
New York, with 697. led in the number
of the aliens enrolled in Its educational
institutions, and was followed in order
by Pennsylvania with 500, and Massa-
chusetts, with 442.
The bureau of education found that
Canada leads the individual countries
in the unmber of students sent to our
universities and colleges-more than
600 before the war. China held second
place with approximately 900 and ia
pan came third with 1896. When fourth
place was reached the first Latin Amer
lean country, Mexico, appeared with
223 students. Practically all of the
Latin American countries are repre-
sented In the list however. and when