Evening star., 1921-04-30
ENDORSES SCHOOL
BUILDING PROGRAM
Mother-P Parent Teacher Con-
gress Urges S5,co0,000 Ex-
penditure in D. c.

Ry unanimous vote before ad-
journmcnt last night the twenty-fifth
annual convention of the National
Congress of Mothers and Parent
Teacher Associations went on record
as indcrSing the proposed S5,O0O,00O
school building program for the Dis
trict of Columbia, as drafted by local
school authorities, and urged Con-
GreSS "to appropriate. without delay,
that sum in full for such work in the
District.
The congress also declared. through
resolution, that the organization ia
vored the enactment of Legislation
calling for the complete adoption of
The international metric system of
weights and measures to replace our
present cumbersome system"
tIa>~rd rs Time Saver.
The resolution stated that prac-
tically one year in the school life of
every American child could be saved
by the adoption of the decimal metric
system.
1t was pointed out that the pro-
posed system was being used almost
exclusively in thirty-siX nations of
the world. and that action advocating
its adoption in this country had al
ready been taken by the National
kindergarten Association, National
Consumers League and the National
Catholic Welfare Council.
Board meetings were conducted to-
day at the national headquarters of
the organization. 1901 10th street.
during which those delegates remain
ing in the city availed themselves of
the opportunity of inspecting the
places of interest in Washington.
Addrcss by Representative Fess.
Strongly advocating a combined de-
DArtment Of education and public
welfare. Representative Simeon d.
Fess of Ohio addressed the congress
last night. He said he would have
included in such a department gen.
craI education. education for public
health. social hygiene and veteran
service and would write the clauses
into the proposed department OF edu-
cation bill.
The mental and physical def
Ciency revealed in the last draft must
never be found again in this coun-
t:"" Representative FesS said.
He stressed the necessity OF keep
ing salaries of teachers up in order
to get the best teachers procurable.
and pointed out the Importance Of
-Americanization. declaring that many
Americans were in need of it as
well as foreigners. He then outlined
the various educational welfare bills
rcrding in Congress.
Mrs. Maud Woods Park. legislative
chairman of the National League of
Woman Voters. told of the work her
organization is doing in furthering
bills for women and children.
Poster Prizes Awarded.
Prizes won in the nationwide
scHool children's poster contest were
awarded. The first prize for high
school students was won by Della
Bowie of Oakland, Calf, for a poster
entitled. Cultivate to Educate The
grade school prize went to Edith
Overstreet of Hollister. Calf.
Resolutions indorsing the Volstead
act and the work Of the home demon
strators OF the Department Of Agri-
culture were adopted.
The delegates presented Mrs. Giles
Scott Rafter. president of the local
branch of the organization, with a
gold-trimmed gavel
Rafter spoke Of the needs for more
Fairgrounds. classrooms in both ele-
nentary and high schools. and more
dental clinics. She also brought to
the attention OF the congress that in
the capital Of the nation there were
no mothers pension laws and no in
stitute for the feeble-minded.
A sapphire and pearl pin was pre-
sented TO Mrs. Frederick Schoff of
Philadelphia, former national presi-
dent, in the name of the convention
Of last year. Resolutions of appre-
citation OF Mrs. Schoff's service also
were adopted.
Mrs. Kate Waller Barrett report ed
on Americanization and said that
patriotism must be taught to mothers
first.