Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-11-18
GOVERNOR WILL
AID SCHOOLS
Says Pennsylvania Can Do
Nothing Better Than
Advance Education


every part of Pennsylvania, gathered
in the hall of the House of Repre-
sentatives last night for the opening
of the educational conference, cheered
Governor William c. Sproul when ne
declared: What better thing can
Pennsylvania, one of the great self
contained republics of earth, rich
beyond calculation. do than provide
the best school system" in his ad-
dress formally beginning a notable
congress for advancement of .edu-
cation.
The keynote of the opening ses-
sion was better business methods for
TIE upbuilding of education. DR..
William d. Lewis. deputy State SUI
perinteudent, sounded it when. re-
GREETING the absence because of ill
ness of DR.. Thomas l.. Finegan.
State superintendent of Public In
struction. he presented Marcus
Aaron, of Pittsburgh, member of the
State Board of Education, as a busl-
ness man who was studying the
schools. Mr.. Aaron, after saying
that a common tongue would be one
OF the greatest advantages for this
country, urged that steps be taken
TO safeguard the teachers and that
conferences of business men be held
along the lines of this educational
congress to discuss TIE financing of
the schools and that legislation be
prepared to correct the conditions
Which had not been wholly helped by
the enactments of the recent ses-
sion. He presented the Governor as
an expert business man" who shared
his time from early manhood with
the public, and then DR.. f. p.
Graves, of Tie University of Penn
sylVania, introduced resolution en-
pressing qualification at the Cover
nors' educational policy and the
selection of DR.. Finegan. 1t was
enthusiasticall" adopted.
Ihe Governor said in opening that
ne was not one who accepted every
thlng that was decided by the Sage
toundation and other agencies. but
that he did realize that the State
was not up In education as in indus
try and other lines of modern life.
lie said that he hoped this congress
would be the forerunner of Others,
IN which all elements of our daily
life would take part.
The radicals who had been inves-
tSated said he had been found 10
nave failed to take into their calcu-
lahons for disturbance the influence
OF the American public school. some
thing which he felt was a great in
centive to make it better No radi-
cal apprehended. he said he had
been informed, was a public school
product.
IF we can get people to realize |
how rich this State is and how little /
they have given to education. we
VIII be accomplishing a great deal. |
For State so rich" said he. what |
it has given for school is sham efully |
negligible. This State does not levy |
any state taxes on real estate or on |
many other lines. There are sources
or taxation that have not been |
tapped. Now l say that as a bust !
ness man, manufacturer and a !
Quaker, and it may get me into !
trouble. But L have. been told by |
many men like myself that they are
willing to help get more State aid.
This State has given to the Federal
Government in taxation this year
what 1t would receive from State
taxation in a generation. 1t amounts
to about 100000, 900"
The Governor closed by saving that
the principal business of his admins
trat1on was going to be to get back
OF and help the public school system.
Dr. John Martin Thomas. presi-
dent of MiddleburY College, Vermont.
was the final speaker of the evening.
discussing general educational move
ments and the importance of Ameri-
canization and of foundation for
citizenship.
In the course of his remarks, DR.. !
Thomas said that the war had made
education a new problem in Amer
lea, which has the shortest year, the
shortest day and the shortest hours
in schooling. The Nation has been
more or less wasteful of resources, |
but the war has taught lessons OF
economy and thoroughness, and from
now on the educational system must
be more thorough so as to obtain
the best results and for what the
people pay.
Pennsylvania, said he. has paid
into the war treasury four times the
value of its school properties and
should begin to realize what it has
and what it must do for the better
ment of its educational facilities and
to care for the stranger within the
gates.
Owing to inability of speakers TO
get mere, the proposed Americana
ZZation meeting for Tuesday night has
been abandoned. but this topic will
ne taken up in every sectional meet
ing and considered in its relation to
the specialized lines. One hundred
per cent American will be the theme,