The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-03-29
DON'T CLOSE THE
SCHOOLS: USE THEM"

Don't close the schools; use tn. m
TO maximum capacity says Secr~t4ry
OF the Interior Lane In approving a
statement jus, issued by the bureau
of education Of his depagtm mt,
wherein in presented the government $
need OF the schools in wsrt me az
seen by those in Washington caa ged
with the conduct Of the war. The
statement says
The entire spirit of The admins
f-Afion In Washington is, and has
been from the beginning, that the war
should in no way he used as an cT-
cuse for giving the children OF the
country any less educat on, in guam
tity or quality than they otherw Sc
would have had. Both the pres ID
demands Of the war EN- Urgency and
the prospective demands cS the ncCest
sAry Establishments inevitably To f'l-
low emphas re the need OF prov ding
in full measure for the education Of
all the people
Regarding elementary schools, the
statement says: There appears to be
nothing in the present OF prospective
war emergency 10 justly curtailment
In any respect OF the sessions Of the
elementary schools. or of the efuca-
tion OF boys and girls under fourteen
years Of age. and nothing when
should serve as an excuse for inter-
ference with the progressive develop
ment Of the school system. Teachers
and pupils should be e1CouraE 10
And ways OF performing IN the schools
some service having war vaue. such
as activities connected with The junior
RED Cross, war garden work Boy
Scouts, war thrift work, and the like.
Opportunities should he found to In
trodgce into the school activities haV-
ing real educational value. which at
the same time link up the public
schools with the ideals ~ service and
self-sacrifice actuating our people ana
bring home to the consciousness OF
teachers pupils and parents the es 10
sential unity of the nation IN TINS
great crisis
AZ to the governments need OF high
school students, Secretaries Baker and
Daniels point out that 'tbe amy and
navy do not want and cannon use,
boys under eighteeu ears OF aEe, Hor
boys nor men OF any age VINO are
not strong and well developed pny-
sically. So far as the army and navy
are concerned, there ~ nothing more
important that the p hools can do
than to keep gong a. fun cAIaC1tN.
and at the same time 10 emph size IN
every possible way their NO X In
physical education High school boys
will render the best service OF which
they are capable by remaining in
school until com pletion Of the high
school course.
Agricultural Ia Dor IS emphasized as
the most Immediate pnss bility for
high school days 1T cannot be toe
strongly urged. however" says the
statement that each pupils case
should he considered individually and
that no pupils be excused from school
for this purpose, except with the
written consent OF the parents, TO
accept specified employment for a
definite term under responsible su-
pervision by the school or by other
approved agencies OF the conditions
Of em ploymen
Civil service officials are equally
emphatic in their statement that moth
ing can be gained by shutting down
the schools or by cur ailing school
facilities, but they suggest that, since
civil service positions have been Il ed
by drawing workers from commercial
and industrial houses, and also by
dra wing teachers from the schools
! the schools could undoubtedly render
l q much-needed service by organ a
ing classes to train stenoRra pliers
typewriters. clerks and secretaries
Regarding the need IN industry
: government ofnCiaIs ma1ntB g that nc
emergency exists which Just fies any
relaxation OF the laws safeguarding
/ Che working conditions OF our younf
people. The official statement points
out that there are serious shortage:
in industry already and more are an
ticipatod. but boys and girls under
/ eighteen years OF age should not b'
used to make up these shor taEes any
more than can possibly be Helped, /
is easter TO provide approved workini
conditions on the farms than in thu
mill or ia Glory.