New Britain herald., 1918-04-05
No Loweri6 of Stand E Secretary Lane

rschools: use them to maximum
 sacity," says Secretary of the ln-
 Aor Lane in approving a statement
 Est issued by the Bureau of Educa- 8nn of his department wherein is pre-
 Nnted the governments need o1 the &chools in wartime as seen by those Fir Washington charged with the con- duct ofthe war.
 The statement says: The entire spirit of the administration in Wash gton is, and has. been from the be- ginning, that the war should in no way be used as an excuse for giVslg A the children of the country any less &aducation, in quantity or quality, than they otherwise would have had Both the present demands of the war emer gency and the prospective demands of the necessary readjustmentS inevitably to follow emphasize the need of pro- viding In full measure for the educa- tion of all the people,
 Regarding elementary schools, the statement says: There appears to be nothing in the present or prospective war emergency to justify curtailment In any respect of the sessions of the elementary schools. or of the educa- ton of boys and girls under If years of age, and nothing which should sGrvo as an oXcuSo for interference with the progressive development of the school system. Teachers and pupils should be encouraged to find ways of performing in the schools some serV- ice having war value, such as acu- vitieS connected with the Junior Red Cross, War Garden work, Boy Scouts, War Thrift work and the like. Op- portunities should be found to intro ducc into the school activities having I, Y, ;.,l, E,t hn same time link I'D the public schools with the ideals Of service and self sacrifice actuoting our people. and bring home to the consciousness of teachers, pupils, and parents the es- sential unity of the nation in this great crisis"
 As to the government need of high school students, Secretaries Baker and Daniels point out that "the Army and Navy do not want, and cannot use boys under 1 s years of age, nor boys nor men of any age who are not strong and well developed physically. So far as the Army and Navy are concerned, there is nothing moro important that the schools can do 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 serV- ice of which they arc capable by re- nlaining in school until completion 'f the high school coursc.'
 Agricultural labor is emphasized as the most inm mcdiate possibility for high school boys. "It cannot be too strongly ;sl tcd, however" says the statement, ''taat each pupils case should he considered individually ana that no puI ilS be excused from school fer this purpose, except with the writ ten consent of the parents, 10 accept specified employment for a definite term under responsible supervision by the school CT by other approved agen- cies of the conditions of cmplOym ent.'
 Civil service officials arc equally enI- phat!c in their statement that nothing can be gained by shutting down rnC schools or by curtailing school facil- ities. but they suggest that, since civil service positions have been filled ny drawing workers from commercial and industrial houses, and also by drawing teachers from the schools, the schools could undoubtedly render Q nuch-needed service by organizing classes to train stenographers, type writers, clerks and secretaries.'
 Regarding the need in industry, gov ernment officials maintain that no emerg gency exists which justifes any relaxation of the laws safeguarding the working conditions of our young people The official statement points out that there are serious shortage in industry already and more are an ticipated, but "boys and girls under IS years of age should not be used tn make up these shortages any more than can possibly be helped. It is easier to provide approved working conditions on the farms than in the mill or factory