The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1918-06-06

Education and others for advice as to
what the schools should do to render
the utmost service of which they are
capable during the war emergency.
They desire to know specifically whe-
Their they can be most helpful by short
ening the daily or weekly or annual
school session, by closing down entirely,
by continuing as in the past or by in
creasing school activities in various
ways.
With admirable loyalty and patriot
ism, the schools stand ready and eager
to do their full duty, whatever that
may be. The greatest need at the pres
emit time is for some authoritative state
ment which shall make the path of
duty and service plain.
Tt may be noted that in 1915-16, the
latest year for which figures are avail
able, there were in public and private
high schools in the United States 1885,
$50 boys and s77,34O girls; total, l.
161, 1896 report, Comm. of Ed, 1917,
Vol. III, Table /, p. 513; Table Is, p.
527.) OF the $4,000 boys, it has been
estimated that approximately 100000
were 16 years of age and over. 4
The Administration.
The entire spirit of the Administra-
ton in Washington is, and has been
from the beginning, that the war
should in no way be used as an excuse
for giving the children Of the country
any less education, in quantity or quail
ity, than they otherwise would have
had, but, on the contrary, that the
schools should do everything possible
to increase their efficiency, to the end
that the children now in the schools
may at she conclusion of their course
be even better qualified than ever be-
fore to take up the duties and respon-
sibilities of life. Both the present de-
mands of the war emergency and the
prospective demands of the necessary
readjustments inevitably to follow en-
phasize the need Of providing in full
measure for the education of all the
people.
The Need in the Army and Navy.
The Army and Navy do not want,
and can not use, boys under is years of
age, nor boys nor men of any age who
are not strong and well-developed ply
sically. So far as the Army and Navy
are concerned, there is nothing more
important that the schools can dc
than to keep going at full capacity
and at the same time to emphasize
in every possible way their work in
physical education. High school boys
will render the best service of which
they are capable by remaining in school
until completion of the high school
course.
AS soon as the Army is able to an
nounce definitely its need of men pos
sessing certain technical and trade quail.
fications, it will be necessary for large
numbers of young men IS years of age
and over to respond by taking the
training courses that may be provided
to prepare them in the shortest possible
time. But, in the meantime, nothing
can possibly be gained by boys doing
otherwise than to continue in school
laying the very best possible founaa-
tion for such subsequent training. If
they are wanted, they will be called.
IF the schools will carefully select
boys having suitable physical develop
ment and other necessary qualifications
prepare them for the various branches
of agricultural work, and send them
out to service on the farms under
proper auspices during the approaching
vacation, they will undoubtedly be of
fermg greater relief in the present EN-.
Urgency than would be possible by at.
tempting to carry on any work inme-
diately under the Army or Navy.
Vigorous physical training under dis
cipline furnishes excellent preparation
for civil or military usefulness later on
Such value as formal military drin in
the high schools may have, however, is
more likely to be through keeping the
boys satisfied to remain IN school than
as contribution to the immediate mill
tary strength of the country.
The Need in Civil Service.
There is strong demand for nlerks
stenographers, and typewriters, but
the places can not be filed by boys and
girls under IS years of age. No adj
vantage would accrue to the civil ser
vice in any way by shutting down the
schools, or by curtailing school facil1
ties.
Many civil service positions have
been filed by drawing workers frsm
commercial and industrial houses anc
also by drawing teachers from the
schools. All of the positions thus
made vacant must be filed from some
source. Therefore. schools could un
doubtedly render much needed ser
vice by organizing classes to trair
stenographers, typewriters, clerks, anC
secretaries.
Many industries and commercial es
Establishments could use canab1a hov,