The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1919-02-28
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: . request . ne American
Fsz|zratieH u Labor, the American
Federation Of Teachers, md the
National Education Association.
Following IS brief analysis of the
bilH
Title: - bill to create q Depart
ment OF Education, to authorize ap-
preparations for the conduct OF said
DEPARTMENT, to authorize the appro-
priaII0n OF money to encourage the
states In the promotion and support
Of education. and for other purposes
CHE bill establishes Department OF
Education. with Secretary at ita
head. thus giving Education recog-
nition Ia the Presidents Cabinet
along With Agriculture, Commerce.
Labor and the other Departments. At
present the administration OF eduea-
tionaI affairs Is parceled out among
more than eighty different bureaus.
boards and divisions of the several
Departments Of Government. The
Bureau of Education in the D5part-
men1 of the Interior was established
for the collection Of statistics and
Z the dissemination of information.
The bill transfers the Bureau of
Education to the Department OF
Education and authorizes the Presi-
dent to transfer such other educa-
tional bureaus, commissions, boards.
divisions and branches as. in his
Judgment, should be administered BY
the Department of Education. 1t Is
made the specific duty OF the Depart
ment to encourage the states in the
DEVELOPMENT of public educational
facilities. and authorizes inyestiga=
ton and research in the fields of
illiteracy; immigrant education, pub
lie school education. especially rural
education; physical and health edu=
cation and recreation. preparation
and supply of competent teachers.
and in such other fields as come with
in the provision Of the Act. Il
authorizes the encouragement Of
higher and professional education.
and the appointment of educational
attaches to foreign embassies TO IN
vegtIgato and report On the educational
systems of other countries.
The bill authorizes the appTdprla=
ton of 100000 annually to BE-
apportioned among the states for the
following purposes
To encourage the states in the re
moYal OF illiteracy. $500 0oD-
To encourage the states In the
Amerlcanlzation of foreigners, 81
100000.
To encourage the states in the
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tunitiea, and for the partial payment
of teachers salaries. providing better
instruction. extending school terms
and otherwise providing equally good
schools for all children, x5o.OOO,O0o.
To encourage the states in the
promotion Of physical and health edu=
cation and recreatlons. $20.0o0,OO0.
To encourage the states in proYid=
ing facilities for preparing and sup
blying better teachers. Si5.00O,0OO.
The APPROPRIATIONS are allotted q
the states Oh condition that The state,
or local authority OF both. shall fur
nigh an equal amount for each spsei-
fled purpose The administration aud
control of education ia LEFT entirely
TO the states. and To local authorities
the Federal Government exercising
supervision only 10 the extent neeeH-
sary to see that the several amounts
Appropriated are used by The states
for the purposes specified III the Act
The bill provides that The funds
allotted to The several states shall b.
paid quarterly to the respective state
lreasurerg. and disbursed on the order
of the states chief educational
authority. - designated By the state
legislature.
ARGUMENTS FOR THE BILL
The war demonstrated beyond :
doubt thai education is subject u
great national Importance. Tn
selectiye draft revealed tint there
were 700 110 illiterata males In Amer.
lea between the ages of Z and i
These were called out BY our greai
free country to defend principles ties
could not understand and 10 uphold
with their lives constitution thes
could not read Our American Off
GERS labored to make them efficient
soldiers: provision must nox be made
TO make them efficient American cit
zeng. In peace as in war. men are
valuable in proportion as they aTe
educated and intelligent. The iazi
census shows thai there are In thu
country more than Ave and one-haIi
million illIteTates over ten years d
age. The nation must encourage and
assist the states 10 remove this IN
fortunate condition which Is u menace
to our country. These ignorant mass
es lower American standards and are
exploited by greedy proflteers and
unprlncipled leaders. Anarchy and
social disorders thrive on Illiteraey.
Again, It vas found that more than
100000 Of those examined for mill
tary service we're physically unsonnd
and that . large proportion of the
defects discovered could have been
prevented Of removed by proper a.
tention in youth. This great problem
deserves more consideration than Il
has received In the past Here may
be found the source Of enormous econ
omie and industrial loss. and the
cause of much poverty and misery.
The conservation of the human re
sources of the nation Is certainly Is
important as the conservation OF is
other resources. Our people, par
ticnIarly the Industrial classes, are
vitality interested in the promotion Of
the physical welfare of al through
physical and health education and the
ton.
The Amerieanization. not only Of
the more than 10000 900 foreign-born
In our country, but of the many ma
tive-born Who are ignorant of their