Sharp County record., 1918-01-04
MAKING GOOD CITIZENS
National Security League Would Revo-
lutlonize 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
It hopes will ultimately lead to the rev.
olutionizing and vitalizing 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 Be-
curity league has laid before the prin-
cIpal educational institutions OF the
country a 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
versities and colleges Of the country,
educational foundations and state edu-
cation departments:
I'm 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 expert
ence have convinced us that 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 to 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
tlnctly 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 ma
ton, and to the nations.
after a discussion Of various as.
poets of the problem how to preserve
our decentralized 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 year,
with full salary, one Of their ablest
professors to join with those from
other institutions In systematic study
o. this problem. There Is pressing
need for this work, and It merits the
best efforts Of all institutions estab-
ljshed 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 vltally inter
ested. These two lines OF activity
seemed to the members n 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"
"Thls Is q public service so great
and 80 important as to require the
whole time and attention Of 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
I being the accomplishment OF tho
work"
has undertaken the responsibility OF