Milford chronicle., 1921-12-23
REPLY TO DR..
LAYTON'S LETTER

] nG lOllOWAAAs5 ACBAJ ~ -
out by Congressman Layton OF Dela-
ware, asking for expression OF puDic
opinion on the law now before the
United States Congress, which aHects
Dublic school education in all the
states. The writer's of these letters
have sent their reply to the Congress
man aud also copies have been given
to the newspapers for publication
The reader can size up the situation
by reading the replies Editor.
December 14th, 1921.
Subject -Smith-TOwner Bill.
Hon. Caleb R. Layton,
Member of Congress from Delaware,
House of Representatives,
Washington, D. c.
Dear Sir
Your letter of the 9th inst, inquir-
ing whether or not l favor placing ed
ucation under a central authority of
the government, and taking it out OF
the hands of the communities and the
states, presumed to be provided for
in the Smith-Towner Bill, is at hand.
am very glad to have this oppor-
tunity of expressing to you the atti-
tude of this Department in regard to
H. R. Z, now known, as l understand
it, as the Towner-Sterling Bill.
In answer to your question, l beg
to quote the following provision on
Page II, Line %, of the Bill above re-
ferred to:
provided that the courses of study,
plans and methods for carrying out
the purposes and provisions of this
Act within a state shall be determined
by the state and local educational au-
thorities of said state, and this Act
shall not be construed to require uni
forrnity of courses of study, plans and
methods in the several states in order
to secure the benefits herein proVld-
ed"
| The traditional policy of education
in this country is that of state con-
| troll. This has been so engrafted into
the hearts and minds of our people
that they could give but one answer
| to your question, but inasmuch as
this answer could be interpreted as
against the Towner-Sterling Bill, 1
have taken the liberty OF quoting
from the said Bill in order to show
that the Bill itself cannot be inter-
preted either directly or indirectly as
placing education under the control
authority of the government.
Representative Towner, in speaking
on the Bill January 18th, makes this
statement:
ut cannot be too strongly stated
that this Bill is to aid and encourage
and not to control. The Bill, instead
of granting power to the Federal Gov
ernment to control education within
the states, in the strongest possible
provisions guards against it. The
Secretary of Education is denied the
right to establish standards or to ex-
ercise any power over the conduct OF
the schools"
This Bill provides first for the crea-
tion of a Department of Education.
To any one who. recognizes the inn
portance of education in our national
, development, there could be no pos
sible question as to the deslrablllty
of putting education on an equal loot
ing with Agriculture, Labor and COM
merce, or even War.
1t also provides that the Depart
ment shall conduct studies and inves-
= LEGATIONS in the field of education;
that research shall be undertaken in
, illiteracy, immigrant education, pub
lie school education, with special ref
erence to rural education, physical
, education, including health education,
recreation and sanitation; the prepa-
ration and supply of competent tea
chers for the public schools; higher
education, and such other fields as
the Secretary of Education may think
necessary. 1t also authorizes appro-
priations by the Federal Government
to assist the states in the removal OF
: illiteracy, in the Americanization OF
foreigners, in physical education, IN
the training of teachers and in the
, equalization of educational opportun-
tiles. The amounts so appropriated
must be matched by the states for the
purpose above specified.
President Harding, in a statement
made by him on October l. 19zI'
said:
"The Federal Government has es-
tablished the precedent of promoting
education 1t should extend ald
to the states for the promotion OF
Physical Education, the Americaniza-
tion of the foreign born, the erad1ca-
ton of illiteracy, the better training
of teachers, and for promoting free
educational opportunities for all the
children of all the people"
In the excellence of the program
outlined by this Bill, and the safe
guarding of the rights of the state
provided for therein, it would be diff
cult to conceive a more admirable
piece of legislation that could be sup
ported by you or by any other Con-
gressman or Senator at Washington,
and I am taking this opportunity to
express the hope that after careful
consideration of the Bill in all OF its
details, you will be able to give it your
support.
Yours very sincerely,
H. V. HOLLOWAY,
State Supt. of Public Instruction.