Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-11-19
EDUCATORS OPEN
WAR ON RED FLAG
Civics Conference Of State
School Congress Indorses
Patriotic Program
AMERICAN UNION SUPREME

Special Dispatch TO EUeHin0 Public Ledger
Harrisburg, Nov. 19.-"Let the Red
Cross beat the red flag" said j. n.
ference of the Pennsylvania Educational
Congress today "set the Jmblem of
America before the badge of any group /;
place the union of America above the
unions of labor or of capital; these are
the only means to bring back the con-
fidence and trust of our foreign popula-
ton
This is the program to organize a
twelve year citizenship course enabling
children to understand and to appre-
ciate American forms Of government,
courses will be offered in all Pennsyl
vania schools. as result of decisions
reached at the conference.
Leadership in industry and in com
munity life will also be furthered, ac-
cording to plans drawn up by the con-
ference following addresses by Miss Jes
sic G.. Evans. of the William Penn
High School, Philadelphia; Edward Il.
Adams, school superintendent of Rad
nor township. and j. VI. Gambrill, of
Columbia University.
Problems of Democracy" in Schools
Introduction of a new course of study
to be entitled "problems of democ
racy' will be the climax of the twelve
year program and will provide oppor-
tunity for every high school child 10
understand the real Importance of
events like the steel strike and the coal
strike. Explanation of such labor dis
putes will be given from a purely Amer
lean standpoint. according to Miss
Evans, who suggested its introduction.
Industrial civics studies to make clear
to all students the importance of the
activities of his own city, state and ma
ton are also to be added to the cur
ricula of schools through the efforts of
committee of which Mr.. Adams was
spokesman.
Combined with the new twelve year
course will be a wider use of school
buildings. as well as study classes for
foreigners who do not come to school.
Groups of foreigners will receive edu-
cational training in their lodge rooms,
church buildings and libraries. II the
plans of Mr.. Berkey are carried out.
Little Red SchOOlhouSe Obsolete
Farewell to time honored high school
courses school instruction in the fac
tory, the Office, the public library and
the swimming pool VIII take the place
of work inside the walls of the famous
little red schoolhouse. if suggestions
made by the congress are adopted.
Men like DR.. Emery r. Johnson,
University of Pennsylvania y. Il.
McNary, United States shipping board,
and Atreus Wanner, of York, all agree
that the mission of the school is now
in active business. Or as DR.. Daniel
Knowlton, Newark High School, says
"The school must fit its boys to take
their places in the world, no matter
when or where the child may grad
uate.'
But while the men who plead for in
duStrial and commercial education are
talking there is group of men headed
by DIR. Thomas Z. Finegan, state su
perintendent of schools, who are actively
pressing for the wider use of the school
plant by men and women of the neigh
borhoods as social centers in the after
moons and evenings. These men are
arguing that use of schools as com
munity centers would be an untold
blessing to thousands of men and women
who are without Il meeting place.