Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1919-01-22
GOV. HARDING
TAKES OATH
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said, This is America. If you come
to be one of US. learn and use our
language, acquaint yourself with our
traditions and ideals, become a part
of our life and thought and then We
will make you a citizen of our coun-
try. If you are not here to be one of
It's. you may tarry for time, but not
in a colony, and then you must go
back 49,.
English is the official language
of the United States and of the state
of Iowa. Freedom of speech is guar
anteed by both state and federal con-
stitutions, but this is not a guaranty
of the right to use language other
than the official language.
Asked it Last Year.
By proclamation, as the chief ex-
ecutive of the state and with the
authority vested in me as such, and
as a war measure, last year I asked
the people of the state to observe this
principle of law during the period of
the war. For all practical purposes,
the war is at q close. / therefore
leave the matter in your charge for
further action.
II recommend that the least you
Gal, 2 HAUGEN.
do be to provide that each child be
required TO be taught in English and
no other language in every school up
to the grade of high school. After
that, they may be permitted to study
foreign languages as they choose
but that all schools use English as a
medium of instruction in all branch
es.
If it should appeal to You and
there is demand for it, provision can
be made for the study of English by
those who are past the school age"
On the subject of freeing teach
ers from "the bondage of poverty"
which is their present lot, the gov
ernor stated:
School houses and Equipment are
but conveniences toward the edu-
cation of the people, The fupdament-
al factor in all education is the teach
er.
Standard for Teachers.
"You can be very helpful in de-
termining the quality and standard
of the teaching force of the state by
along certain lines. May ]
suggest that a fixed, definite stand
ard be established, and once the in.
dividual attains that place that then
he be made a member of the teaching
profession and for life. This, be-.
lieve, will encourage more people to
make this activity their HE work.
The salaries of teachers are now
largely inadequate both for the SER
vice rendered and the Importance of
the work performed. A partial, if
not complete remedy for this situa-
ton lies in paying for a years work
which the teacher already performs, 4
Some advocate pension or an
nuity to make up for the shortage in
salary and the inadequacy of it in
the past. To my mind, here lies
grave danger to individual initiative
and our representative form of gov
A pension as part pay for
services rendered in ordinary voca-
tfons is, to say the least mild form
of slavery. 1t hampers the freedom
OF the individual and of contract.
81 bespeak, therefore, from you,
for the teachers, freedom from the
bondage of poverty under which they
now labor.
LET Iowa be pioneer in unshack-
ling the youth Of the. state to mine
the riches of education under the
guidance of an adequately paid help
full, forward looking teacher, with
the right to contract for a period OF
time long enough so that he may bec
come an actual resident of the place
and have part in the activities OF the
community"
To Protect Farmers.
The need of state aid to protect
farmers and consumers from the
effect of price manipulators and pro-
duce gamblers. was thusly summed
up by the governor:
'In the past, agricultural policies
have largely dealt with the subject
of increased production. In the future
the agricultural policy of the state
should include the larger field OF
81 hold that the farmer is entitled
to sell what he produces on an honest
and the consumer Is equally
entitled to buy in an honest market.
At the present time, this privilege Is
not granted to either class.
"There are two general nation
wide obstacles in the way or an