Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-07-13
AEADJUs7 EDUCATION TO
MEET CHANGING NEEDS
Columbia University Professor Tells
OF Crying Needs in Schools OF
Country.
DEMAND TEAcHER EFFICIENCY,
Speaker Declares Millions Arc Being
Taught by Boy and Girl Teachers
With Less Than High School
Training

At The recent meeting of the Ma
t'onai Educational Association At Nil.
OF interest waS an address by George
y. StraScr. professor Of cducaI!on%.
Iumbia university. New York. on re
adjusting Education to The Changing
Needs OF Democracy" He said il Part
We have long been committed il
the United States to tn. priucipl" 81
universal free public education. That
VIC have not yet realized the ideal en-
common knowledge. Eut few Amcr;
cans reaiizc how far short We have
per cent OF ilhtcracy among our adulj
popula zion. one man out o. every
three Was found 10 be uh-sica!iy ann
for general military - zee Hun
dreds Of thousands of foreigners VINO
live among MS have had 10 orr9ri u"!iI
for that kind OF education when MCI,l
enable them 10 undcrs: and ouI govern
ment nor have they itd PROVIDED for
them the instruction. which mirnt lo3I
TO an undo rRtauding OF our iG@ils. tr'y
those children Who ti"c ~ tho r'p."
favored communities nav" auy aG,-
auate educational opDortu;s!t:'
Taught D.. Inexperienced D-rS"n>.
Millions Of American. boys mo
months school term by boy aan gin
teachers who have less than a h,eh
OF our children rcctiN. no education
beyond fourteen years OF age II rs "a
ms,tnr of common knowledge tu"t
ideals and purpose whlCi, govern ~
lifc ar. commonly dcveiopcA after four
:cen aud W" know tina; the int"l"ctu*i
maturity required 10 understand the
principles underlying ou' republican
form OF government is not developed
before that age
The future Of our American dcIuoc~
racy depends upon recognition ~ the
necessity OF developing ~ The United
states a system Of pnhlic education:
% which VIII remove il.itcrIcy: ~
which will provide for the Amorieani,,
zation OF every foreigner Who would
-
viii include q program % physical cciu-
cation and health service proy !itnt
for normal physical growth and dc
Nclopmont 90 whi"h vii guarantee
70. mako POSSIBLE wc -cptgppci
achool in Which propcr'y trained aud
ahern.l"ly Ph,d e., tSnaener WI iea'n a9f
90 which VIII make compulsory ciu-
,ation to eighteen years OF age on
tcer years ~ agc. and on part tam.
line for those Who worl. between
sixteen and eighteen yehrs of age.
Must Edurntc Public.
THE responsibility FOR educating our
tnllUw-ciijzons With respret so lur
short-coming % our school sys'cni and
>clop,ueut Of = program OF education
which VIII make good the promises IN
our democracy. rests upon our profcs-
We may not hope 10 meet our re-
sponsibility except as we organize our
profession 10 such way - 10 naH"
effective in our states and IN the ra
ton our den,Snd for Tho DEVELOPMENT
OF our pubic school system.
''Therc Is Immediate need FOR tho re-
organ ,.atio Of tho National ;duCA-
lipNal Association 10 the Cud tina every
lucsl group Of teacher tr.a
rcsponS !bIiity for the schools OF 'h'
state and OF the nation. and iu order
that The National Association may hu
+hle - accept responsibility! and 10
offer expert service IN tho solut'on Of
State and local educational problems.
Organize Powerful Force.
1T is possible 10 hiiue to pass an
thousand icach"re SUPERVISORS and nd
miaistralors Of our schools which viii
serve rs a powerful force !u bringing
30 INC intention OF every irur A,arr-
lean the needs of our pubic school
member ~ our profession 10 renewed
cndcavor IN Tho public service. This
reorrsuized y T.. ~ viii 10 "a WORK Ing
organization.
M the annual meetings. the rcp-c-
sentativ from ever! state and lc-
reii;y Viii meet for the consideration
~ current Nrohleu~ There IS gu ho DE-.
bate and discussion rs Il result OF
The deliberations Of thiS representative
profc onal group OF men ana womc...
there Will nc adopted a program for
the development OF ou- school which
viii challenge tho attention and com.
mand the respect OF every Intelligent