The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-06-30
EDUCATION AND THE WAR.
There Should Be No Lowering of School
Efficiency.

p. Claxton, United States commissioner
of education, discussing education anc
the war
SCHOOLS and other agencies of edu
cation must be maintained at whatever
necessary cost and against all hurtful in.
| reference with their regular work ex'
cept as may be necessary for the nation
al defense, which is of course our i'm
mediate task and must be kept constant
ly in mind and have right of way every
where and at all times. From the be-
ginning of participation in the war we
should avoid the mistakes which some
other countries have made to their hurt
and which they are now trying to cor
rect.
IF the war should be long and severe,
there will be great need in its later days
for many young men and women OF sci
entitic knowledge, training and skill; and
it may then be much more difficult than
it is now to permit them to attend
school. Therefore no school should close
its doors now or shorten, its term un-
necessarily. All young men and women in
college should remain and use their time
to the very best advantage, except such
as may find it necessary to leave for
immediate profitable employment in
some productive occupation or for the
acceptance of some position in some
branch of the military service, which
position cannot be so we'll filled by any
one else. All children in the elementary
schools and as nearly as possible all
high-school pupils should remain in
school through the entire session.
s'When the war is over, whether with
in few months or after many years,
there will be such demands upon this
country for men and women of scientific
knowledge, technical skill and general
country. The world must be rebuilt. This
country must play more important part
than it has in the past in agriculture,
manufacturing and commerce, and also in
the things of cultural life-art, litera-
ture, music, scientific discovery,
Russia and China are awakening to
new life and are on the eve of great in
dustrial development. They will ask OF
lis steel, engines, and cars for railroads,
agricultural implements, and machinery |
for industrial plants. They will also ask
for men to install these and to direct |
much of til If development in every line.
England, France, Italy, and the central
empires have thrown into battle very |
large per cent. of their educated and /
trained men, including most of the young
professors and instructors in their uni
Versities, colleges, gymnasiums lyceums,
and public schools. Their colleges and
are almost empty. The
young men who would under normal con-
litions be receiving the education and
raining necessary to prepare them for
leadership in the future development of
hese countries are fighting and dying in
he trenches. All these countries must
reeds go through long period OF recon
industrially and in many other
Our own trained men and wom-
N should be able and ready to render
very possible assistance. 1t should be
emembere6 that the number of students
n our universities, colleges, normal
chools, and technical schools is very
mall as compared with the total num-
er of persons of producing age-little
lore than one half of one per cent The {
Majority of these students are young !
len and women who are becoming more !
nature and fit for service. The older of I
he 6o,000,000 men and women of pro- ;
ucing age are growing more unfit and r
re passing beyond the age of service. It
lould also be remembered that the more Z
nature the young men who volunteer r
,r service in the army, the more valu- /
Bile their services will be. In
Therefore a right conception Of patri- !
cers and teachers. The salaries OF !
Lnnot render some immediate service OF .
eat value to remain in college, concen- =
ate their energies on their college work, o
Id thus be all the more ready and fit =
hen their services may be needed either :,
II war or for the important work Of r
and development in our !
vn and other countries when the war a
all have ended. 4
All schools of whatever grade should n
main open with their full quota of of
.ers and teachers. HE salaries of a,
achers should not be lowered in this o.
me of unusual high cost of living When :,
,ssible, salaries should be increased in \,
oportion to the services rendered. Since a,
e people will be taxed heavily by the !;
deral government for the payment of =,
e expenses of the war, teachers should ;.
willing to continue to do their work, =,
d do it as well as they can, as q pa n,
iotic service, even if their salaries can =,
t now be increased. All equipment ~
cessary for the best use of the time :,
teachers and students should be pro-
led, as should all necessary increase of 90
ON, but costly building should not be y.
dertaken now while the prices of Z,
ilding material are excessively high -
d while there are urgent and untitled 20
mands for labor in industries pertain -,
I directly and INN 1diately to the ma ~
nal defense. Schools should be contin. +
d in full efficiency, but in most in =.
,nces costly building may well be o.,
stponed. :.
During school hours and out of school.
mornings, afternoons, Saturdays, and -,
ring vaca ton, all older children and -
nth should be encouraged and directed Al,
do as much useful productive work ~ ~
they can without interfering with
,ir more important school duties. This .
,ductive work should be so directed as
give it the highest possible value. both -.
and educationally. For chill -,
n and youth in schools of all grades 9o'
re will be need of more effective NOR !,
and provision should be made -,
this. While the war for the safety %
democracy is in progress and when II ="
over, there will be greater need for
'ctive machinery for the promotion of PC
elligent discussion of the principles of es'
nocracy and all that nerfains 70 fba W