The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1919-01-27
FEDERAL AID FOR STATES PROVIDED
IN PROPOSED EDUCATIONAL LAW

1900 to 1910, large numbers of which
were illiterates. In New York alone
there We're, in 1910, 100000 foreign
born illiterates-a number probably |
greatly increased before the outbreak
of the war. The. total number of for
eign born llliterates, in 1910, was T.
65D,361.
| If these Immigrants are to be more
| than just SO much productive power.
they must become Amerfcanized The
first step in this process is acquiring
| the ability to speak and read English. |
| Those under ten years of age should 90 |
to the public schools regularly. Other |
/ provisions must be made for the adults. |
The bill now before congress pro.
vides s7,5O0,000 annually "to eooner-
ate with the states in the Amerieaniza
ton of immigrants. This sum.
matched by an equal amount bv the
states, is to be used ''to teach imnii-
grants ten years of age and over to
| speak and read the English language
and the duties of citizenship. and to
develop among them an appreciation
OF and respect for the civic and social
institutions of the United States The
money IS to be allotted to the states on
the forelgn-born population basis If
the congressional allotment of $751;,
cents for each foreign born person were
increased by an equal sum, there would
be available in each state Sill for
| each such person. If we consider only
foreign born illiterates, 1850. 36l
there would be available a little more
than 5000 for the Amerieanization Of
each foreign born illiterate. By enter
ing upon ten year program. each
state could probably Amerieanize all of
| its population.
e Vermont has 1921 immigrants ae.
cording to the census of 1910 The con
: gressional allotment would amount 10
81, 7O6.l5. The amount available for
Americanization work in the state
/ would be $50, 1920 annually.
The reasons why the nation should
/. cooperate with the states in an Amefi
Icanization program are:
4 |. Foreigners are admitted to the
e country under national law.
,. They are privileged to participate
> in democratic government.
q ). Their contribution to national vel.
fare is in proportion to the training in
e Americanization afforded them.
It (. The permanency of a competent
k democracy rests ON the intelligence and
O patriotism of its citizenry.
Equal Educational Opportunities
.c The per capita wealth is very un
:. even in the different states. In Nortl
Carolina it is s726.35. In Nevada il j.
ST. l35.S5. For the country as a whole
Ii it IS $l,Tl2.T7.
i The population back of each teache
,e employed in the public schools is ais,
), uneven. In Iowa, there is one teaehe
: for population of sl.52 persons. Il
u Louisiana, there is one teacher for ;
re population Of o40.o1. In the countr,
ne as whole, there is one teacher for
IL population of 1921.
The wealth back of each teacher ais
varies in the different states. In Miss
issippi there is wealth of $f19.27I.S
at for each teacher. In Illinois, there i
en- a wealth OF $437 1852 for each teach
y Ter. In Nevada, it is $67l.S15.56. 70
as the United States as whole, the fgur
10 lis S2s0,154.0 per teacher.
m 4 tax of two mills ON each dollar o
of wealth in the United States woul
: equal the salaries paid TO all publ
nf lsehool teachers of the country. To equa
= the salaries of teachers in Idaho
- IA mill tax is required. In Pennsy
y | yania, a tax Of LAP mills would pa
VI the salaries of all public school teaci
ne erS.
OF Similar computations may be mad
od for the taxing units within any give
We state, be they county or school distrie
on Consequently, the schools within a gi1
mt en- state vary almost as much as do til
~, schools of different states More mus
Nv be done to equalize taxation within TIL
he states to insure equally efficient school
nj in all districts. The movement mus
IL be toward a larger distributable fun
- raised by statewide taxation and di
~ tributed in proportion to eeononli
and educational need. Compare Lar
u caster and Tioga counties in Pennsv
~ vania, the Missouri River Valley an
the Ozark region of Missouri. Souther
ro and Northern Illinois, or the fertile be
be along Lake Michigan with the San
ro- belt of Adams and Marquette count,
tie in Wisconsin to sense the differences
nd ability to pay for good schools
err The bill before congress provid,
,u- S50,000,000 annually for the improv,
ID ment of public schools of less than co
10 lege grade, with the definite aim of e,
ed tending school terms and of stimula
81. ing state and local interests in impro,
AT ing, through better instruction an
No graduation and through consolidate
no and supervision, the rural schools an
-, the schools in sparselv settled local
81 ties. = An equal amount bv the stat,
10 would provide $1o0000,0O0 annual
ef- The fund is TO be distributed on Il
lper teacher basis. and amm,nts
$S0.34 for each, public school teach,
IL employed.
mt Vermont has 2,992 teachers al
his would receive from congress s240,377
tie. %. An equal amount by the state T,
bic these purposes would make availab
for $3.50, 75456 for the purposes mentions
in the bill
ear me ON pioNiues that no state sha