Evening journal., 1917-05-30
URGES PUPILS 10 CONTINUE IN SCHOOL NEXT
FALL


A urgent appeal to pupils to remain in high school
IAnext Fall as patriotic duty. and that should
be needed by Wilmington parents, has been issued by
Or p p Caxon United states Commissioner Of
Education. DR. Claxton points out that there in
the high schools Of the United states this year more
than and one-haf millions OF boys and girls. and
somewhat more than 100000 OF them will graduate
this month and next In an ordinary year 10000 or
more Of these would next Fan enter college. normal
school or technical school TO be prepared for such
service to society State and Nation be
dcred only by those who have received education be-
yond that which the high schools give. He says
MANY college presidents and others fear that on
count Of our entrance into the few boys and girls
VIII enter college next Fall and that the total college
attendance viii be very small. The number ought.
however to be much larger than usual
"rhe more mature young men are, the more service
able they are I'm the army The selectiye draft will
take only those between twenty-one and thirty In
the total Of 6OOOOOOO people Of productive age in the
United States the 100000 students in colleges and
normal schools and technical and vocational schools
)of high grade constitute only about onehaf OF
] per cent More than half of these live in cities and
cannot be employed in agricultural production except
few Of them may find work the farms during
the Summer Their going to college win not lower
the productive capacity OF the country a whole in
any appreciate degree The colleges normal schools,
and technical schools will all be open with undi-
minished income from public funds and endoVments,
and the expense of their maintenance will continue.
It is quite probable that many OF the older students
will not return next Fall and the higher classes will
be smaller than usual The gradutes from the high
schools should it that the lower classes than
make up for this deficiency.
'Ihs appeal is made on the basis OF patriotic duty
n the should be long the country will need all the
trained men and women IL can get-many than
u has. There will be in abundance to fight
in the trenches but there will be a dearth officers,
engineers. and OF scientific knowledge and skill
in all the industries in transportation, and in many
other places where skill and daring are just as neces-
sary for in the trenches. The first call OF
the Allies is for 10000 engineers and skilled
repair the railroads OF France and England and other
thousands will be needed later Russia will probably
want thousands of TO repair and build her rail
roads. The increase in transportation and the tax
own roads will call for large numbers OF men OF
the kind New Industrial plants. shpyards. and
armies abroad will call for highly trained men
beyond all possible supply unless colleges and
technical schools remain open and increase their at
tendance and output
"When the is there will be made upon us
such demands for men and women of knowledge and
training have before come to any country.
There will he equal need for much higher average
OF general Intelligence for citizenship than has been
necessary until The world will have to DO re-
built and American college men and women must as
large part of the task all international ar
have in the past. For years must feed own
industrial population and large part OF the popula-
ton Of Western and Central Europe We must re-
adjust industrial and social and civic life and inst
tuQns We must extend foreign commerce w,
must increase production to pay our large wal
debts and TO carry all enterprises for the gen
cral welfare which have been begun but many o
which will be retarded the war continues Chini
and Russia with their democracies and their new
developments which will as a result will nee
and ask help in many ways. England, France Ila
and the Central Powers will all be going through
process OF reconstruction and we should be ready
give them generously every possible help Their col
leges and universities now almost empty. Thei
students their graduates their younger pro
fessors fighting and dying in the trenches ar
already dead; many OF their older scenuh
and literary men, artists, and others whose work
necessary for the enlargement OF the cultural an
spiritual life and for all that makes for higher civil
cation For many years after the is som
these countries will be unable support their
leges and universities they have supported tAer
in the past. America must come to the rescue. w
must be ready all the responsibilities an
perform thoroughly and well all the duties that vii
come 10 us in the and closely related wori
which Will rise out Of the ruins Of the Old Worl
which is now passing away in the restriction OF tn
war. To what extent and how well we may be abb
10 20 'hs VIII depend upon you young men and wome
"no are mis- year graduating from our high school,
ana upon those who win follow in the next few year
10 a larger degree than upon any other like numbe
OF people"
1t seems to us that such an utterance nv tho hipb
est educational official in the United states bimsoi
employe Of the Federal Government is v,ore,. -
the serious attention OF every educational onieal 4
Delaware.