, 1921-12-08

mat the american people are be
ginning to realize fully that educa-
ton is oue of the bulwarks of our
nation is evidenced by the fact that
President Harding has issued u proc
lamatiOn setting apart the week of
December 4-10 as American Educa-
ton Week. during which citizens OF
the United States are urged to assist
general efforts to reduce illiteracy
and give thought to ]remedying de-
fects in the nations educational sys-
tenn.
The proclamation Of the President
follows:
whereas. Public Education is the
basis of citizenship and is Of primary
Importance to the welfare Of the va
ton, and
whereas. More than 5000 900
boys and girls in America are not
availing themselves OF our free
school advantages and are lacking in
that youthful schooling so essential
to the making Of an intelligent citi-
zenship, and
whereas, The experience OF the
war reveals vast elements of popula-
ton that are i~lliterate, physically IN
tit or unfamiliar with American
ideals and traditions; and our future
strength and security are much de-
pendent on their education and COM
mitment to American ideals;
Therefore. l. Warren G Harding,
President of the United States, do
urge governors to set apart Dec.
4 to 10. inclusive, 1921 las American
Education Week, during which
"Citizens are urged to special and
thoughtful attention to the needs
and the aims of the public schools.
1t is particularly recommended that
efforts be addressed to practical ex-
preston of community interest in
education. To hat end organiza-
tions for civil advancement and
social betterment are earnestly re-
quested, when it can be made prac-
ticable, to provide programs which
will inform the people concerning
the vital needs in this direction, in
struct them regarding shortcomings
and deficiencies in present facilities,
and bring to their attention specific,
constructive methods by which, in
the respective communities, these de-
~ficiencies may be supplied.
1.-The subject of public education
has always been very close to the
American heart, and to the fact that
1t has been made a chief RESPONSE
bility of local government units we
largely owe the wide diffusion OF
educational facilities. 1t Is believed
that a widespread and earnest effort
at observance OF education week
would do much to emphasize this
feeling Of immediate responsibility.
Therefore it is suggested that the
pulpit. press schools and public gath
erings be enlisted in behalf of this
special effort"
Public education in the United
States is a big enterprise and touches
more or less closely the life of every
citizen. A few statements regarding
the scope and progress of this great
work will therefore not be amiss. 1t
Is an enterprise which has nearly
700 900 teachers and a little less
than 10000, 900 school children. and
requires annually the expenditure
Of about a billion dollars (s919,-
729.25S in 1919.
The sun Of money spent annually
for education might seem to be a
great deal at first, especially to the
man who pays the taxes, and it is a
large sum, but upon closer investiga-
ton it develops that relatively, this
is a small amount, i. e., when COM
parison is made with certain other
expenditures. In order to prove this
statement, DR.. Claxton, former U. S.
Commissioner of Education. about a
year ago prepared a paper in which
he showed that luxuries cost the
people of the United States more
than twenty times as much in one
year as did education. In other
words. something Like twenty-three
billion dollars was paid for Injuries,
while only one billion dollars was
devoted to education.
DR.. ClaxtOn made further COM
p%arison. saying that the country
spent more for luxuries in 1920
than 1t spent for education in all OF
the 800 years there have been
schools on this continent. Another
way OF putting 1t is that a saving of
five per cent on Americas annual
bill for face powder, furs. soft
drinks, cigars, cigarettes, chewing
gum and a few other things would
make 1t possible to double the ex-
penditure for education In the United
States.
Here is a part of the list of lux
usies as the governments returns
gave them for 1920, and which DR..
Claxton used as his basis Of COM
parison:
For face powder. cos
metics. perfumes,
6tC ,UUO
Furs 300, 1000, 900
Soft Drinks ----- 350,0O0,O 900
Toilet soaps ------ 400 100000
Cigarettes --------- 500 1000, 900
m n n n