The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1921-01-29
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g LETTER TO THE EDITOR. C
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Cleveland, o., Jan. %.

Editor Daily Ledger. - sometimes
1t is the case in the mad rush Of life
and the insane pursuit Of wealth and
honor, that we criminally neglect and
forget the very things most conducive
to our happiness and welfare as peo-
pie and a nation. In every age Of the
worlds history where illiterasy pre-,
vailed, crime has been unrestrained
progress practically unknown, life
has been lived with purpose in view
and superstition has ruled the people
with on iron han din place Of intelli-
gent legislation.
Since the Civil War the South has
been marching steadily towards a
higher and better education. At times
1t is true, that our progress has not
been so rapid as 1t might have been
but it is encouraging to realize that
no real retrograde movement has YET
closed the door of the little red school
house of the South. The East has long
regarded the South as incapable, of at
tanning to that high mental altitude
that they 80 proudly claim as their
own inaccessible pedestal Of wisdom
and learning. But a change has come
over thei regotistical dreams, and ig-
norance is no longer confined to the
Southland, but is walking like a pesti-
lence at MONDAY beneath the shade
of old elms that dot the college
grounds of New England, as well as
beneath the shade Of the beautiful
Magnolia, of the dewy Blue grass OF
our native state. Joseph H. Defrees
president of the United States Cham
Der of Commerce has this say OF our
public schools: Conditions in the
public schools are contributing to un-
rest throughout the the country, Our
short-sighted policy in failing to. rec
ognize the dignity of the teaching pro-
fession has led to class consciousness
and has left its indelible imprint upon
the minds of the young" Mr.. Defrees
declared that of the 50O,OOO pupilc
school teachers in the United States
one hundred thousand was under u
years of age. "Thirty thousand nave
no education beyond the eighth grade
Found hundred and eighty thousand
fourt-fifths of the total, have not mad
two wears of special training. One nun
dred and fifty thousand no education
bevond the third year Of high school
Eighteen thousand class rooms stood
idle last year through lack OF teach-
ers." Taking an average of twenty
five to each class room, means that
$50 900 children were denied education
altogether. Now, these conditions, ac-
cording to Mr.. Defrees are not con-
fined to any particular locality, ana
consequently the East like the Athens
of old, claims the high distinction OF
being the seat and source Of learning,
art and science of our America. 1t
would be interesting to know just
what percentage these Eastern states
contributed to the retrograde condl-
tons that Mr.. Defrees describes.
II has been known for years that
the Eastern sweat shops have been
emptying the public schools in order
that their pockets might be filled by
the toll and sweat of the mentally
starved innocent childhood. The curse
of slavery for years hung like the pail
of death before every Southern home
that was an advocate Of free public
schools. ducation was dangerous to
the institution of slavery, but 1t was
the lack Of the fgree public schools
that was blighting the manhood ond
womanhood Of the great common
masses of the South.
Today the dollar policy Of the East
is doing for the childhood Of the poor
just what slavery did for the South
prior to the Civil War. We are not at
all surprised that 'ne hundred thou
sand teachers are under 81 years OF
age. When we come to compare the
meager salary paid our public school
teachers, is 1t any wonder that hun
dreds Of teachers who have families to
support are compelled to seek more
remunerative employment. Eighteen
thousand empty school houses. -Four
hundred and fifty thousand children
denied education in 1920. Why is this?
Because the richest nation Of the