The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1920-03-05
sMITH-ToWNER BILL

A move is being made to make tn
problem of education of all the chill
dren of our country national prob
lem. In the past we have all beef
inclined to thing that people havin,
the advantages of an education wers
particularly fortunate from a person
| al standpoint. while those who were
deprived of even an elementary schoo
education simply had to work 81
much harder to make living
Gradually change is taking place
probably partly due to the World war
and we are beginning to realize thai
it is national calamity TO have IL
lterates in our midst, and that IL we
are to make progress as a nation, we
must provide for the education OF
all the people.
In survey which was made In con.
| nection with the war, 1t has been
found that there are 100000 male il
literates between the ages of 81 and
81 years In the United States. One
out Of every seven IL our entire pop
ulation is foreign born. and we are
told that 20 per cent of the total
number of men actually examined
for military service were rejected be-
cause of physical unfitness. We be-
lieve that the problem OF combating
ignorance and physical defects is a
problem of education for all.
Montana, as yet, is not capable of
helping to meet this national prob
lem We are allowing LOO children
to go without school,
Only the most meagre school terms
are being provided for over 10000
children.
We have 1900 unframed teachers
in charge Of the future citizens of
the state.
Montana is paying more to dish
washers, sheep herders, and truck
drivers than to her teachers.
$500 teachers are working under
no supervision.
There are 14,457 illiterates iu the
state
We. have 94713 immigrants in the
state.
Congress is awake to the above
and bill has been pro-
posed which will provide for an ap-
of s1OOO,OOO,)1e to be
lsed as follows:
states, particularly in rural school
1. For the removal of illitercay.
2. For the Americanization of For
'igners.
3. For he equalization Of educa- |
ional opportunities within the several |
md villages schools.
4. To cooperate with the state in |
he promotion of physical and health |
IL.
5. To extend and improve the fac
titles for the preparation of teachers
or public schools and particularly the
ural school.
6. To Great an executive depart
lent known as the Department OF i
td,,n ~ ~, /
residents cabinet.
"The total Federal appropriation
Or Mintana would be, If this bill
asses, at least 100000 annually
'hich would be met by an equal
appropriation by the state If Montana
ishes to take advantage OF Its pro-
lsions, thus making total If at least
|, $500 available to meet our great
Vocational problem. School Bulle-
n.
We have recently found that very
w people are familiar with the bill
nd consequently not great deal
being done In our part of the state
encourage its adoption.
The Montana Representatives that
ill vote for or against this measure
e..
Senator Henry L. Myers,
Senator Thomas 3. Walsh,
Congressman John Evans,
Congressman Carl Riddick
A letter to each one of these four
ON all Montana voters interested
this would show our Congressman
at we regard this as a matter Of
lportance fs.
TOM WENT OUT OF HIS CLASS
Tom. the big gray cat that for sew