Pueblo chieftain., 1921-12-29
BY FREDERIC j. HAsKIN


children OF Alabama are to be taught
practical citizenship so that they will
grow up to he intelligent voters. This
is tho latest step taken In the cam
paisn to educate the voting public.
It is tho women. mainly. who are
insisting that the voter should play
politics intelligently. They find that
the public is sadly In need OF educa-
tion along political lines For years,
men have taken the vote casually.
Their knowledge OF voting systems
was based on such facts as they hap
pened to pick up in conversation with
other men and what they read in
newspapers and magazines
When 3n,000.Ooo women were
handed the ballot, n largo percentage
of them turned TO the nearest man to
find out all about it, and good many
were disappointed by the meager in
formation they could set So they
stopped consulting amateur politicians
and engaged experts to lecture to
! them.
The League Of Women Voters.
which sponsors the idea Of an intelii-
gent voting body. organized a course
in citizenship at Chicago as an cs-
pertinent. 1t was so successful that
the plan OF having schools in citizen
ship spread all over the country. Al
ready. we are told. the league has
held literally thousands OF courses.
Pennsylvania alone has had 500
courses, or schools. as the league calls
them. in tho past year.
The schools OF citizenship were in
stituted year and a half ago, hut
OF late a new impetus has been given
to the project. Educators have be-
gun to advocate that IL schools train
for citizenship there must be some
practical courses given. Then. when
the newly ficdsed voters are turned
loose at an election. they will know
what sort Of power they hold.
Until women sgitated this subject,
tho League of Women Voters claims.
practical education in the voting and
political systems was not included in
school courses. such subjects as
civics and political iaw were taIght,
but from an academic standpoint.
The league has succeeded in i'm
pressing the importance Of courses in
practical politics on a number OF coll
leges. ono professor OF political econ
omy at state university endorsed
the plan for schools OF citizenship.
saying, The women have done what
the men should have done 100 years
ago-oducatc voters
A COLLEGE COURSE
Yale University held its first citizen
ship school last summer Tho Ala
bama State University held an cxten-
sion course In practical citizenship.
and It proved so popular that lec-
turo course was given last fall, and
two more are planned.
Alabama is to be the pioneer state
to carry tho system one step farther
and Introduce similar work into the
grammar schools. Tho league re-
CARDS this as progressive move and
believes other states will follow.
Not all OF the courses are given In
connection with colleges and schools.
however. Baltimore aud other cities
have held citizenship schools in diff
fcrent wards, generally around elec-
lion time. when Interest is keenest.
Chicago held one of these courses last
month. TO which men and women
alike came. to acquire information on
such subjects as: why men do not
vote. what Ia the matter with the
ballot? Ballot forms. Nominating
processes. Your own election laws
and how to study them. How poli-
tics handle electoral machinery
During some Of these courses. II
election time is near, the local can
didates are invited to speak at the
last session 40 that tho students may
Judge them in the light OF newly ac-
quired knowledge OF politics
Candidates, It Is said have como to
respect and fear these students of
politics. They cannot he easily won
over by sob story or by fiery elo-
quence. They wait patiently for
promise and a platform, and If tho
candidate goes off the stage without
coming to the point he generally
learns his mistake ~ the polls
Women's steadfast interest in tho
platforms rather than smies has been
a blow to many candidates. but they
have finally accepted the inevitable.
When the League OF Women Voters
first sent out questionnaires TO New
York candidates asking their views
on certain matters there was indigna-
ton among the aspirants to office
Many felt insulted that they should
be questioned so definitely. Less
than one-third OF them sent back
answers
At the next campaign over halt
answered the questionnaircz And