Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-11-28
STATE HOUSE
Mex, Meeting Of oev.rner Council. Friday Dec 10 A. NJ

tie children play and that which may
be taught them from the kindergarten
to college becomes their creeds Of life.
We cannot hope for permanent peace
until the sentiment is well taught to
the children Of today who might
otherwise become the warriors of
tomorrow.
1.-THE dynamic forces which make
for either peace or war are trained
when the young are taught. The
teacher. whether mother. clergyman or
schoolmaster is the real maker OF his
tory. The objects of the world unity
ing movement can be brought into
worldwide conformity essential to
peace and good will among men by
teaching tho children the common
history Of their kind and the common
future Of their descendants. The
school, therefore, is the initial deci-
sive factor in the future Of civilization.
"A wise physician. who having be-
come familiar with the disease does
not seek merely to allay the pain but
to reach the seat of the trouble and
apply the remedy thereto. SO will
get the fundamentals which can make
its work lasting. The National Edu-
cation Association will present its pro-
gram directly to the conference, but
viii ask President Harding to extend
an invitation on behalf of America to
the nations represented to participate
in the World Conference of Education.
Matters of every educational! phase
will be included. but we expect to i'm
press the delegates by statements like
the following:
THE average American students
idea of the peoples of other countries
is found almost wholly from his ele-
mentary school textbooks and this idea
is often inadequate. For example.
some Of our textbooks in speaking of
the Latin-America republics, represent
the peoples as mostly Indians uned-
ucated, unprogressive. with no en-
phasis on the fact that there is a con-
| siderable body Of highly cultured
white persons. This fact is resented
and believe the delegates will appre-
ciate the point. The same is true Of
instruction received by children III
other lands regarding America. We
are sometimes depicted to other PEG.
pies to be certain types, as Indians.
cowboys and money changers which
do not represent the true American. 1t
is only when emergency arises thai
the children and even the adults of
other lands get the true impression OF
cur real character.
ERRONEOUS ideas Of the United
States. as of other countries, are
spread to an>alarming extent by films.
The movies is the popular form OF
amusement in other countries, as here.
| Most of the American films sent to
other countries, i am informed by thel.
| representatives. depict the lawless,
immoral elements of life and create a
very unfavorable and untrue idea OF
the people of the United States. Many
h, Of those pictures could not be shown
here.
"1t Is charged also that there are
In pictures shown in America, import
! ed for the purpose OF propaganda,
things that deprecate the people of
trivial countries. We should use our in
,fiuence against expectation and impor-
tat!on of these most powerful agents
, of defamation.
| We shall advocate the exchange of
teachers. to create good fellowship and
correct false notions; the interchange
/ or students-.thcre now being aboue
1900 foreign students in the United
States-and we believe American stu
dents will be as cordially received
abroad. The exchanging of letters by
+, students will be favored-the broad
iening effect of such correspondence is
evident. Now is the time when new
and good impressions are to be made
we shall try to impress the delegates
! to the Armament Conference the i'm
portance of International education
and its bearing on the future OF all ma
TONS