The Carlisle independent., 1918-01-03
SHAKING GOOD CITIZENS
National Security LeasRe Would Reyo-
 Iutionize Civic Education.


 Impressed by a surprising lack of individual responsibility in the govern ment among citizens in all parts of the country which has been startlingly demonstrated by the nationwide cam- paign of Patriotism Through Education which it is conducting, the National Security League is taking steps which 1t hopes will ultimately lead to the rev olutionizing and yitalizing of the en- tire civic teaching in the schools of the United States. This question was one of the principal matters considered at the recent conference of educators held under the auspices of the League at the Bar Association in New York recently. Carrying out the concensus of opinion of the leading thinkers of the country who attended this conference, the Se- curity league has laid before the prin- cipal educational institutions of the country plan for the creation of National Civic Education Faculty for the consideration of this problem.
 The Leagues idea is embodied in the following letter, which has been sent by it to the heads of the principal uni versailles and colleges of the country, educational foundations and state edu- cation departments:
 "In response to an invitation issued by the National Security League, dele gates from eighteen important col leges. universities and other educa- tional foundations recently met at the Association of the Bar in New York City. The meeting was called by the League because three years of experi- ence have convinced us that a work of vital importance can be done for America and for the cause of free gov ernment everywhere if the great edu- cational forces of the nation can be brought 10 bear upon certain definite problems which can be evolved only by national and international thinking.
 System Has Failed.
 Our educators have been intent upon local or upon strictly technical problems of education. No consider able body of them has been charged with the duty of thinking upon the educational problems which are dis tinctly national or upon those, every day more apparent which may be called international Our decentralized system. admirable in many regards, has failed seriously to attack the greatest side of public education, the relation of the individual to the na- tion. and to the nations
 After a discussion of various as- poets of the problem how to preserve our deeentralized system of education and yet face these questions, the dele gates by unanimous consent instructed the officers of the National Security League to request certain of our great colleges and universities to consider the question of delegating for a year, with full salary. one of their ablest professors to join with those from other institutions in systematic study os this problem. There Is a pressing need for this work, and 1t merits the best efforts of all institutions estab- lished to foster education for a free people
 "It was also the unanimous opinion of the delegates that the problem of in- terpreting the meaning of the war to the American people is one demanding the constant labor of able leaders of thought and one in which all educa- tional institutions are vitally inter ested These two lines of activity seemed to the members of the confer ence ample justification for requesting the donation of intellectual leadership from the great educational establish ments of our country. The problems Of the war are great, but the problems Of the coming days of peace will be no less so, and the educators of the coun- try should form their plan of campaign with the least possible delay.
 Public Service"
 This is a public service so great and so important as to require the whole time and attention of a body of our ablest educators, and we ask you to do your part We should be glad to cooperate in any way, our sole aim being the accomplishment of the work