The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1920-04-28
WIDE CAMPAIGN
FOR EDUCATION
To Measure Service of Teachers,
School Equipment and Courses
of Instruction
(Associated Press)

FTSSS1
New York, April 28.-A nation
wide campaign to measure service of
teachers, school equipment and
courses of instruction." so that every
municipality may know how to deal
with it's public school problem. has
been started, it was announced here
today, by a national committee COM
posed of secretaries of chambers of
commerce and superintendent of
schools representing "a American
cities.
On the ground that the public
schools of the United States are fac
ing a grave crisis due to the alleged
need of $2,5OO,OOO.OOO to provide ade-
qLate buildings, and $200,00O,0O0 for
raising salaries to stop the increasing
shortage of teachers, the national
committee says that it is enlisting the
aid of chambers of commerce all over
the country for the purpose of ae-
quainting every citizen and taxpayer
with the facts. .H
The committee was organized last
February at a meeting in Cleveland,
o., called by DR.. George D. Strayef'
Of Columbia University, chairman of
the Commission on Emergency i'm
Education of the National Education
Association, and the American City
Bureau. Officers of the committee
were elected as follows: DR.. Strayers
chairman; Herbert S. Weet. Roches-
ter, N. Y; Harold Davidson, Erie, Pa;
Fred A: Richardson. secretary, New
EUncnfiun anrnpniffnos HoVHru
Snyder, Jersey City. N. j.; r. G.
Jones, Cleveland, o.; J. H. Beveridge,
Omaha, Neb.; Raymond B. Gibbs,
Kansas City, Kan; S. B. Price,
Bridgeport, Conn; E. L. McColgin,
Dayton, Ohio.
The conference decided that the
chamber of commerce could render eff
fective aid only upon the basis of a
careful survey of local school condi-
tions for the purpose of comparing
them with other cities. the idea being
forces for the development of the
public school system.
The first QUESTIONABLE sent to
chambers of commerce and superin-
tendents of schools of all cities makes
the following inquiries:
"How much training do your teach
ers have? How we'll do you pay your
school employees? What special in
ducement to you offer the teachers in
your schools ?"
Later questionnaires will ask,
among other things:
"How well do you house your school
nh UAAA 6 nl. al
program? How adequately do you
safeguard the children's health? How
much does education cost your city
How will he rising costs be met ?"
The American City Bureau here
which, with DIR. Strayer, initiated and
in carrying out the present plans. an
nounced it's desire "to make the main
facts in the present emergency quick
ly available" for those cities where
school problems are pressing hardest
for solution. The question of getting
high grade teachers and school em.
-. ployes, he said. has become a more
perplexing one than ever before
Many men and women it is said, have
stopped going to normal schools anC
teachers colleges to prepare them
selves as pedagogues. In round mum
bers Secretary Richardson said, there
will be so per cent fewer graduates
from these schools in the Unitec
States in 1920 than in 1917.
"The United States is now actually
$4,000 short of the number of teach
ers required to fill positions" saiC
Mr.. Richardson: "This shortage ex
lists after about $1,000 makeshif
teachers have been employed; il
other words, the real shortage O.
trained and experienced teachers il
fully 100000. The cost of living ha
increased at least 80 per cent in tn
past six years and yet teachers hay'
had salary increase of less than 3
pei cent since 1914. Building pro
grams also have been held up by tn
war. Many communities have out
crown their school plants and over
crowded half day sessions, and tn
forced use of portable and temporar
school buildings have been evils whic
cry out for remedy"