Evening star., 1919-03-30
BY G.. GOULD LINCOLN.

depends to greater extent
than upon any one thing the
future development of the nation and
its ability to resist the menace of
bolshevism which is threatening the
qua non for an intelligent people is
education. The need of the estab-
lishment OF a national education sys-
tenn Is vital, in the opinion of leading
educators and la wmakers of the coun-
try. This means federal aid-money
in a generous way.
Today there is no national system
OF education in this country. The
matter has been left entirely to the
states. and in some cases to the sub
divisions Of the states. Recent de-
velopments. as shown by the selective
dl aft. clearly indicate that if the best
results are to be obtained the federal
government must lend a hand in the
education of the children OF the ma
ton. The draft revealed that there
are 700. 900 illiterate males in the
United States between the ages of
twenty-one and thirty-one. The last
census showed that there were more
than 5.5oo.oo0 illiterates over ten
years OF age.
. Other Nations Aroused.
Other nations have realized the need
Of giving particular attention to the
needs of public education since tne
beginning Of the great war. Particu-
larly is this true of Great Britain
The problem in this country Will DC
tackled in the next session OF 70"
gress, when legislation Will De sero"s
ly urged providing for liberal appro-
priations for this. great end. IL mas
been urged in the past. with justice
that the United States government
has given more thought to advance
ment of agriculture and commerce
than to the education of the chiioreh
of the country.
No one in the country has given the
question Of public education ana ,he
mart the federal government should
play in this important work more con
sideration and careful study than .he
United States commissioner OF eou
cation Philander p. Claxton. He IL
Arm believer in the idea that the
federal government should come &c
the aid of the states in the education
Of the children. This does not mean
that he believes that the cniidreh
should receive the same kind OF teach-
ine in the same subjects the country
over nor that he believes in rigid
system Of national education, ou-
reaucracy centering in the Natioha'
CAPITAL. DR.. Claxton is just as pos'-
tive in his belief in what a nationa'
system of education should not CONSIST
As he is positive that such a system
should be created.
Adapt System to Needs.
What DR.. Claxton does believe in Is
a system which shall be adaptable to
meet the needs Of the different sec
tions Of cities and rural districts. In
fhe matter Of education, with the ut
most control Of educational matters
left in the hands of the states. the
counties, and the municipalities. lie
believes that it is essential, however
that the people of all parts of the
great republic should be equally in
tellieent in order that the citizenship
should reach its greatest emciencs
and worth. =;
The national system of education. IN
the opinion of DR.. Claxton. shouio ple
vide adequate federal aid-no hah-
wav measure would be of any mate
rial benefit and would result merely IN
the expenditure of SO many miiiiohs
of the peoples money without any ap-
preciable result.
THE federal government snoulo sp ~
propriate oo,eoo.ooo a year TOT the I,e
vouth OF the country" he said. This
money should be turned over 70 tne
states with the provlso tnal eney
should rut up twice as much.
M. claxton said that the federal
money could not well be used Tor the
construction and maintenance OF ~.
school and college buildings, out lhae
A. shouId be used for actual educa-
tional purposes. He would oppose the
ownership of the school buildings oy
the federal government ThereIore
there would be considerable sum
provided by the states In adaition 10
the dollars they would match with
the eovernment-on the ratio of two
to one-for merely educational pur-
poses. vs..
Billion and a Half Annually.
He estimated that 100000. 900 should
he exepnded annually for educational
purposes and that this sum shouio
probably be- increased to $1,5o0.oo
900 when the construction OF scnool
and college buildings. their cxten-
taken into consideration. The country
today is expending about $3.50; 600, 600
for educational purposes. Under the
man of federal aid he proposes inc
expenditure 70. the education OF the
children and youth OF the county
gested that the appropriation the first
year be $125.0o0.o0o with increasing
amounts for six years uRtfl the Iuil
$500, 900, 900 is reached.
The governmental control of the
educational system would rest on it's
financial contribution to the schools
and colleges The states would re-
ceiye this aid only when they agreed
and performed the task of matching
each dollar received from the Ted
eral government with two dollars of
their own. They would receive this
aid only when they enacted and en-
forced laws which would provide that
ALI children must have a standard
amount Of schooling each year. DR..
CIaxton suggested that it would DE
desirable to require that all chill
dren between the ages of six and four
teen years should have eight months
of schooling each year, and that those
between fourteen ana eighteen should
have a certain amount Of high school
education each year, perhaps $50
hours.
Teacher Standards Vital.
Another condition for receiving this
s,ovetnment aid. he said. should be
OF teachers He pointed out that to-
day one-half Of the school teachers
in this country have not had more