The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-08-07
Governor w. L. Harding Makes Proc
Iamation In Which He Urges
Value of Looking Into
This Program.
is PART OF WAR WORK
School Programs Must> be Arranged
and Revised to Give Service
Necessary for Best
Training.

Governor w. l.. Harding is urging
on the people of Iowa the Importance
of realizing the value Of education. To
that end he Is issuing proclamation
naming the week Of August IL to IL
as Educational Week, and asking that
the people Of the state consider school
programs during that week. His proc
lamation follows:
There is before our country now one
mighty task, that of winning the war.
From present indications, this task
will take some years and tax every re-
source of our country to the breaking
point While We are In the hurry OF
the early days Of preparation for this
mighty contest, there Is danger that
we neglect some important duties at
home.
Your attention is therefore directed
to the matter of education and the
vital place it holds, not only in the
work of preparation but in the final
victory that ought to come to our
cause. Every activity, every energy,
every resource, every institution
should be directed toward the one OBJ
jective point. Precedents, customs,
and even habits should be broken If in
any way they interfere with or hamp-
er the prime cause for which our peo-
pie now strive.
Schools, colleges, and universities
exist for the individual and not be-
cause Of some inherent institutional
virtue. These institutions should now
be made available for the accommo-
dalton of the individual as his need
may be affected by the war. Those
al nrit<- in 10
ment Of these institutions have a
grave responsibility as well as a Won
derful opportunity to adapt the insti-
tuition now to conditions as they are
shaped by the war.
Extra work will have to be formed
bv every patriot. The school pro-
gram should be arranged to accommo-
date at night sessions those who are
forced to work during the day.
Courses Of study should be arranged
for those who want to prepare for
some special place. Credits should be
given for study even though the time
spent in preparation be short and at
broken intervals. The attention OF
boards and teachers Of all educational
institutions is directed to this matter.
and yau are urged to give your best
tnOuSnL TO IUe subject VI diopLiiito
courses that will prepare student for
present emergency needs. Our young
people must be educated, and it Is 60
ing to require special effort on the
part of all officially connected to bring
this about during these trying times.
If the victory We hope to win on
field of battle yields full measure OF
success, It will be because our educa
tional institutions have prepared
those who survive to utilize the fruits
of peace. Education is an absolute ne
cessity both in times of war and in
times of peace, in order that We do
not temporarily, in the hurry of prep.
aratfon, forget these facts and allow
the great investment already made
both in property and tradition to be
wasted.
Therefore, by virtue of the power
in me vested as Governor OF the State
of Iowa, set apart the week begin
ming August Twelfth and Ending Aug
ust Nineteenth, 1917 as Educational
Week" and 1 earnestly are that you
make this week a time in which the
thought of all our people will be direct
ed toward the educational work for
the coming year
In testimony whereof, / have here
unto set my hand and caused to be
affixed the Great Seal Of the State
Done at Des Moines, this second day