Evening star., 1921-06-12
HELP TO EDUCATION
URGED ON CONGRESS
Place in Cabinet and Financial Contribu-
tion by the Government Pressed by
Proponents of Legislation.
BY WILL p. KENNEDY.

~ ROPONENTS of legislation which
- will intensity the federal gov
ernment's encouragement to
a universal education and dignity
the teaching profession with a represen-
tative in the cabinet are making a new
drive on Congress. They have been
heartened: % BY President Harding's
interest in reorganization of the ad-
ministrative branch of the government,
shown by placing a personal repre-
sentative on the joint congressional
committee on reorganization. (2) by
President Harding's declaration TO Con-
gress for new department of social
welfare. education being a prime func-
ton of such department and his direc-
tions to Brig. Gen. +. c. Sawyer. his
personal physician, to make recommen-
dations for such department.: t3) by
Representative Siemon D. Fess' intro
duction of a bill for a new department
Of education and social service. and 90
by the appointment of a new United
States commissioner of education.
The statement is frequently made that
we have no national system Of educa-
tion. but that we have forty-eight dif-
ferent systems. In the main this is
true and as it should be, according to
those who have studied the problem
most closely. Our system Of govern
ment education is, in the main, state
rather than federal. Each state prop
erly has it's ewn system of education.
The part that the federal government
v,l cd, inva he y11nr u
cooperative with the states, leaving
each state unhindered in its control.
This is point that is not infrequently
overlooked.
Factor in Public Welfare.
Educa ton, however. has always
been recognized as fundamental. and
the federal government cannot over
look its importance. Before the Con-
stitution was adopted at least two
specific acts recognized the national
Importance of education as funda-
! mental in popular government-sec-
tion ls, school acts of of 1855, and the
| famous declaration in the ordinance
of 1887. Attention is called to this
| by Representative Fess, who is chair
man of the House committee on edu-
cation. who has been urging upon the
President the wisdom of creating the
department of education and public
! welfare. thus giving to education its
proper and logical place in any
| scheme of public welfare. as it is the
1 one constructive factor in all public
| welfare, the other diviSions-public
health, social service and veterans
service-in the new department pro-
| posed By the President being re-
| medal.
The land grant college act of 1868.
| with various amendments, was the
| most important example of the use
of federal funds for educational pur-
poses. This act substantially served
as the foundation of most of our
vastly important state universities.
The latest amendment to the act ex-
tends agricultural training to local
| communities by virtually placing the
university on wheels in the form of
extension schools conducted through
the states.
Smith-HuEhes Act.
The Smith Hughes act of 1917 was
the result of a conjunction of forces
that had been operating for more
than a dozen years. A commission
was finally appointed by the Presi-
dent Under this act the federal gov
ernment will, when We reach the
maximum appropriation. contribute
for vocational training of our yeoth
81, 600, 900 annually, to be matched by
an equal sum from the states. This
law requires s3,o0O,O00 for agricur-
tural, 100000 for industrial GO per
cent of which goes to home econom-
ics) and s1,0O0.0O0 for the training
of teachers for these subjects. An
amendment is now before the COM
mittee on education providing $3.O0O,-
600 additional for home economics in
lieu of the 20 per cent apportionment
The purpose is to place home econom-
les on plane with agriculture and
Industrial education.
There is also before the committee
the much discussed Smith-Towner
bill, providing for a department of
education. 1t authorizes annual ap-
preparations as follows: C) $500, 900