Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-05-08

rlglL OF SOieFelSNlls,
fencing calamity. Our p"pui"'4oii
was then made UP. as at the pie'etil
time. of various peoples without com
mon racial tendencies, common rem
gious ideals, common language COIL
mon literature, common government
al tendencies which became there
fore the duty Of the new repuolic TO
build out of this sort of a beginning
the greatest nation Of seh-goFerh1hg
people in the world.
This gigantic task could not nave
been completed without a system of
education in which rich ana poor,
high and low hal equal privileges.
The schools are the great melting
pot into which have been poured the
multitudes as lhcy have come to US.
and especially the children Of foreign
parents who have been taught to read
and write, to I'll her, to respect the
flag, to revere the country, in other
words. to become patriotic citizens.
If the SCHOOLS of our land should
be closed tomorrow and remain
closed for twenty five years at the
end of that period there would be no
democracy. We would be under the
rule Of autocrarv in this country as
absolutely as that which dominates
the Central Powers.
Today we have a vivid example of
a nation struggling TO establish her
self as democracy for the extern
sion of education TO all the people.
Russia has an illiteracy Of 50 per
cent. 1t does not seem safe and in
the light of recent events it is not
safe for a nation which cannot pre-
sent a low percentage Of illiteracy
to place in the hands of the people
the sovereign power of democratic
institutions and hope for success.
England and France are paying
special attention to education. To-
day a movement is on foot in these
countries to make their compulsory
education laws effective to the age
of 30. In this country there is a
movement based on the necessity of
a more complete education than that
which is required to read and write.
1t would make attendance upon the
public schools compulsory until the
individual has reached his maioEhy
or has passed satisfactory, if he has
mental capacity to do so. through
the elementary schools. The read
justine after the war will decide the
policy of the United States in this
particular. Many IF our states have
compulsory education laws but in
many instances these laws are not
effective.
The state If Maine has one of the
best compulsory education laws of
any of the states CT the union. In
fact the Maine law has been used
DIS q model in q large number Of
other states. 1t is simple. forcihle,
workable law. During the last year
there were practically $4,000 chill
dren between the ages of seven and
IL enrolled in our schools. There
are all told 1894 children between
these ages VINO are not reported: 8To
W CIV tAthSto tilNtI lIie IdhsS Oh illt
State. giving q missing number of
1122 for that Year. Many Of the
, children making up This 1922 are
from the islands along the coast and
. in the interior. in the great woods
region whore Isolated people ply the
! earth i'll search of. a livelihood. out
who are unable. therefore. to find
1f pInPatf,4p
! These children under our laws are
eventually discovered and means Of
education applied Every town in the
state has its .truant officer and if he
! is efficient the law is efficient. The
/ law IS. therefore. as efficient as the
human beings Who operate it make
1 it.
/ The United States is interested at
/ the present time in the problem Of
T wiping ont illiteracy throughout our
! land. Congress has before it today 2
bin bearing an appropriation for the
purpose Of studying the situation and
/ the best means ot Niping cut litter
/ acy from our national life Se' ell
and scNen-tenths Of the population o.
( the United States oyer ten years Of
| age cannot read or write in any Ian
/ guage making an annroyin,ate MN
/ her Of G eco 400 nersons who .annot
road ~ ,,,,,;ta t,f ,heso IA 0aa ill.,
notiva horn vbita noon. In Tho
/ ARM drafts ~ II Janpar, 1q1 !
there we're 50 400 yonnr men ha,veen
+ tbo ogas III u All a v.hn roI1l rn+
read or wife The Tinted Stotes
government il now engaged IL tha