The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-03-12

with careful thought out opinions. he
said we had acquired the punch OF ex-
trayagant statements rather than the
deadly punch OF deliberate statements.
He said that newspapers were extra
VACANT in their statements but at the
demand Of tho people. He placed up
on the schools the responsibility Of
teaching the morals Of dignity OF state
Iment and claimed that one OF our
greatest needs as nation was the
need of dignity and responsibility. He
said we need to do well not as little
as possible. as soon as possible. and as
extravagant as possible.
Foundation for EnglIh.
The next forenoon's program was
given up to the discussion OF strong.
er foundation and better command
of spoken and written English. Mar
tin C. Potter. superintendent OF
schools Of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
made very forcefuI address showing
III very clear way the need oi put
ting the children in position where
they had something to talk ABOUT anu
had a very strong desire to talk about
il and then through this spur to Great
i've English, much might be done In
the way of stimulating work for effect
i've expression both oral and written,
especially the oral.
Wednesday evenings session was
given up to discussion OF STANDARDS.
standards in school house construction
standards Of individual health, stand
ards OF personal ethics and standards
of achievement.
Thursay mornings program had one
very strong address on the relations
between public school education and
philanthropy. This address was CIV
en- by Superintendent J. H. Frances OF
Columbus, Ohio. formerly OF Los
Angeles, California. His attitude was
very advanced stand as to what
should be done for the pupil. he
seemed to think that if health stood
in the way Of pupils getting the most
out Of school possible, anything that
could be done to improve the health
was within the province of the schools.
IL lack OF proper food stood In the
way. IL lack of anything stood in the
way OF that chiid's getting the best
possible results of his school work,
it was perfectly legitimate for the
schools to relieve those conditions.
One session was given to the dis
cussion of the Smith-Hughes Dill re-
Gently passed by congress, which pro-
vides for national aid for vocational
schools. The commissioner Of edu-
cation, Hon. p. p. Claxton. gave .
very complete discussion Of the bill.
its purpose. etc. There followed
spirited discussion in which the de-
STABILITY of national aid which car
ries with 1t greater or less power
Of dictatjon rs to the policy OF the
school was questioned. There was
tendency to feel that while 1t was
very evident that the old district az q
unit was too small for desirable school
purposes, still on the other hand, 1t
was easy to make the unit so large
that we would lose sight OF the needs
of the local community. This was
urged as reason for doubling the de-
STABILITY OF national aid as 1t carried
with it too much power In debating
the policy of the schools.
Soldier Training.
The most important discussion OF
the last days session was the report
OF the committee appointed q year
ago to make study of military train
ing in the schools. 1t was commits
sion of nine members, leading educat-
ors OF the country. appointed to study
this question, and report at this meet
I ing. At the summer meeting OF the
National association. held in New
York City last summer tenth mem
Der was added to this commission.
Seven of these educators got together
in Kansas City for final action on the
work of the year which was to be pre-
scented to the convention. These sew
en- men were unanimous in the recon-
mendations carried in the report OF
this commission. The convention
adopted the recommendation as pre-
scented and ordered them printed for
distribution as early as possible so
hope to be able to present to you the
printed report at an early date which
will give a full discussion OF the sub.
|ject. A number of definite recon-
|mendations were made. Among. these
were the following: we recommend
obligatory training of all physically mt
who are from nineteen to twenty-one
years OF age, this training to be under
national direction and at national ex-
tpense. They sighted the fact that Ger
many the nation that is looked, to as
being the strongest In its military pre-
paredness requires universal military
training but not until the age of TWEEN
ty years, while France and England
set the age Of military training at
nineteen years. They recommend
that military training be not given in
the elementary or secondary schools.
One reason was that II they required
military training OF all high school
students they would simply be de-
manding military training of picked
few rather than UNIVERSAL training.
They held that were people subjected
to military training, It would tend to