The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1920-07-15
FEDERAL AID TO EDUCATION

women delegates to the San Fran
cisco Convention resolution urg-
ing the establishment of a Depart
ment of Education with an officer
in the Presidents Cabinet was
adopted.
BY unanimous vote the students
of the South Carolina Summer
School at Winthrop College endorsed
the Smith-Tower bill, and DR.. ID. B. |
Johnson notified Chairman Homer S.
Cummings of their action by tele-
graph.
We shall have greater state and
a greater nation when we have
greater concepts of public educaton;
when all the children of all the people
is not neigborhood problem, not
state problem; it is a national
problems. Voluntary work, parochial
schools and private schools are some
times excellent, but they cannot ac-
complish the result
The Smith-Tower bill, which has
been introduced in Congress and is
| now in committee in both senate and
| house, should be adopted at the next
session. Immediate relief is neces-
| sary.
The bill provides for department
of education with cabinet officer
| at it's head and federal assistance to
education in the several states as fol-
| lows:
|. For the removal of illiteracy
z. For the Americanization of i'm
| migrants.
B. For equalizing educational op-
portunities.
a. For physical and health educa-
| ton.
5. For better and more teacher
preparation.
No one who knows conditions as
| they exist in portions of our coun-
try today can doubt the wisdom Of
| this proposed law The coming of
| the war was not altogether bad. The
country was astoundd by the facts
brought to light by the war draft.
In the nation as a whole z per cent
of the drafted men were illitcrate.
In our own state lG per cent Of them
could not write their own names; men
! who could not read bulletins-the
| posted orders of the day-wcrc ar
rested for disobcdiencc and humi-
lated. Many brave boys failed Of
promotion because of a lack of
schooling. If the matter were left
to Il vote of cx-SoldicrS they would
demand universal education. There
have been several Instances in nv
city of returned soldier. bringing
their truant brothers to school
In the diSEraccful riot on ArmiS-
tlcc Day in Ccntralia, Wash, when
the ]. W. VS. shot into Il parade Of
cN-Soldicrs and killed four Of their
number, the cnragcd citizens tried to
| lynch the murdcrcrS. The soldiers,
companions of the murdered men,
arrested the snipcrs, prevented the
lynchlng, and insisted upon having
the law to take its course This
was the result Of their training.
The Smith-Towcr bill offers a
pi ogram of education which provides
universal training, rot for military
service only but for general service.
Our safest statesmen, as well as our
best military leaders are opposed to "A
large standing army. But all are ad-
VocateS of comprehensive training
for general service which will get men
FOR military service when needed.
| The biggest factor in cotton grow
ing today is public education. The de-
partment of agriculture issued last
year l25 bulletins on the subject
of cotton growing. Sixty per cent. of
the cotton growers were unable to
read comprchensively those bulletins.
The South has been too long ham
i pcrcd by tradition and superstition.
1t has been said that this bill, if it
should become law, would interfere
with state rights. Politicians who are
eager To get federal money to destroy
the cattle tick and the boil weevil who
DO not hesitate to ask for appropria-
tons to make Bush Creek" naviga-
bic, think they see very grave dang
or in accepting federal aid to educate
| their children.
An Illinois politician who heard
me discussing the Smith.Tower bill
asked me what state / was from.
When ] said South Carolina he held
up his hands and exclaimed "Statc
rights. Aren't you going back on the
teaching Of your fathcrs?" NV reply
| was: MY father owned SlsvrS rod.