The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1919-01-27
Measure Now in Congress
Would Give Vermont
Big Help
OVER $426,OOO WOULD
BE AVAILABLE YEARLY
Provided State Appropriated Like
Amount for Five Special Educational
Pursuits Including Equalization of
Opportunities.

On Oct. ~, 1918, Senator Hoke Smith
of Georgia introduced into the United
States senate the most comprehensive
and important educational measure
that has ever been put before congress.
The bin provides for an annual appro-
pfiation of $l00,ooo,000, provided that
sums in equal amount be appropriated
by the several states. for the purpose
of aiding the states to carry on more
successfully certain types of education
which most vitality concern our nation
al welfare The main provisions of the
| bill Is 1887 arc as follows:
| i. For the removal of illiteracy, 81
500,0o0 annually
.. For the AUGMENTATION OF for
ieigners, s7,5Oo,O0O annually.
8. For the equalization of education
al opportunities within the several
states, particularly in rural and village
schools, s5o,0oo0oo annually.
/ 4. To cooperate with the states in the
promotion Of physical and health edu-
cation and recreation, s2o,0oo,oo0 annu-
ally
/ 5. To extend and improve the faeil-
tiles for the preparation OF teachers
| for public schools, and particularly the
rural schools, s15,ooo,O00 annually.
6. The creation of an Executive De
Ipartment known as the Department OF
Education, with Secretary in the
President s Cabinet. This Department
il to administer the educational work
B of the government which is assigned &c
lit.
The reasons supporting the bill, the
facts which lie back of it, and the ben
Ie6e;al results that would follow itS
adoption are not written into the bill
itself This series of explanatory artl
elcs is written for those who want th'
facts that support the bill, and fo'
those who are so keenly interested II
education as related TO social weiiaf'
rs to desire the facts that led up to tn
!. preparation and Introduction of thu
I Ibill.
, The Renewal of Illiteracy.
The first selective draft showed ina
. i4,nrn were 100000 illiterates between
81 and 81 years of age IN TINS country
: That fact stunned us, but there wa
, no+b;no new in it. The census of lsl
n formed us that there were more tha'
r Ave and one-half million illiterates 0
/ ten wears of age and over in tins eonn
: try. 1t showed us that one out
everv thirteen persons of ten years 0
: age and over was an illiterate. Ever
s fanrth illiterate is native white o
t native white parentage. We have com
o TO appreciate that illiterates DO no
+ make GOOD soldiers. They are not goo
I citizens unless it is the plan to hav
c some citizens that can be imposed upo
u and exploited by others. 1t IS eviden
;. that an illiterate may earn ilvInt
i hut earning asliving is. after all. onl
: means to an end. That end IS tn
: living Of worthy life in our dav. an
0 generation. This can be done only
: those who can independently get mi
contact with the facts, ideas, and idea
: ,hat the printed page conveys. thu
: laving the foundation for independer
{ thinking.
: The bill now before congress PR
vides for $7,500.G00 annually. to
"apportioned to the states in the pre-
portion which their respective illiterat
populations of ten wears of age an
, over mot including foreign born illite
ates) bear 10 the total illiterate popi
ing outlying possessions, according
= the last preceding census of the Unite
States. = There were 3,762 ,003 illite
ates in the United States. in 1910. tn;
ere within the terms of the bill TT
allotment by congress would therefor
amount to 1885, for each illiterate te
wears of AGE and over. This amount.
1t lie available for the removal of illite
- acy, would have TO be equaled by
sum appropriated by the state.
Vermont had, IL 1910. 4.5s4 such i
i literates The congressional allofmcl
e, would be se.l00.6o annually. TIL
- would have to be equaled by the stat
= and there would then be availab
SIS. 0l,24 each year, or almost ST f
each illiterate.
= II the state should start. len We
, program for. the removal Of illiterac
and if i shon,d each year teach on
IS 4auth of its illitefates. there would !
* available $40 to teach each illiterate
OF read and write This nlan would elm
Y nate illiteraev from the state with
Is ten years.
:, The education of foreign horn illite
II ates is provided for in another sect,
II of the bill.
II The Americanization of Immigrants.
II Our population has been made /
II largely. of immigrants In 1915, the
II were in the United States l3,5l5,S
II persons Of foreign birth out of tot
. population of 91,912,226; or. rough