The Columbus dispatch. (Columbus, Miss.) 19??-1922, 1921-01-02

( Secretary in the Presidents sCabi-
net. 1t would provide an appropria-
ton of one hundred million $780,
600 OO0) dollars for combating illit-
eracy, Americanizing the foreign
born, developing a system Of physical
education and better system Of
training for teachers, and equalizing
educational opportunities for the peo-
pie Of all the states. These all are
worthy objects, and their achieve
ment constitutes basic problems in
democracy. The limited space Of
these columns does not permit of
arguments i'm favor of this Bill, and
Arguments should not be necessary.
The Bill merely contemplates the
elevation of the work of the Bureau
of Education, hitherto minor Blu
reau Of the Department Of Interior,
to the dignity Of separate Depart
ment, with Secretary of Education
! in the Presidents Cabinet. Such a
scheme would insure at once an in
telligent and wise participation of the
national government in educational
affairs and necessary financial aid to
all the states, the amount of such aid
to be proportionate to the needs and
conditions Of the particular State.
Education and Democracy are in
separable. Democracy must foster
education, but education must also
foster the democratic state and So
ciety. Education for democracy is
imperative. Education worthy of
democracy must rest upon the princi-
pie of equality of opportunity. This
cannot be achieved without national
aid TO education, without a wise and
comprehensive educational program
to be administered by the national
| government.
/ Illiteraey is widespread in the Uni
ted States. If the figures Of the draft
boards are dependable, and the same
proportion holds for the entire popula-
tion, one fourth of the people of our
country are illiterate. The Smith
Towner Bill declares war ON ilhteracy.
Its program of Americanization is
equally urgent There are from
twelve to FOURTEEN million foreign
born people in the United States, and
they are as yet largely un-assimilated
or un-Americanized. We must Ameri-
canize these millions and other mil
lions yet to come, or they, in time,
will Europeanize-and perhaps Boil
shevize us. The Smith-Towner Bill
contemplates that task, and seeks an
appropriation for that purpose. II
seeks also the promotion of physical
education as means of conserving
and increasing the health Of the PEG.
pie, the extension of recreational adj.
vantages to all the people, and ths
furtherance of sanitation. All Of
these ends are to be achieved
through the schools, and hence Thu
necessity of keeping the schools a
their maximum of efficiency, and O
increasing the standards Of efficienc,
and service through, and by mean
of, an adequate supply Of competent
ly trained teachers.
The teacher shortage throughout
the country presents a crisis in edu
cation, and the fact that the large per
centage Of the present teachers ar
but poorly equipped for their worl
presents a condition almost as seriou
During the last session some eighteel
thousand (18,000) schools in the Uni
ted States were forced to close thei
doors because of no teachers, an
other thousands have had to emplo
poorly trained persons, or person
with no training at all, as teachers
Only one out of every five Of Ameri
can teachers has had the equivalent 0
high school course and two years
professional training, and the remain
ing four-fifths fall miserably beloy
even that low standard. These con
ditions the Smith Towner Bill is de
signed to correct, and it would provid
adequate facilities for the training o
teachers in all states, thus equalizm
educational opportunity. II is base
on the theory that country's great
est wealth is its people, and that tn
providing of equal educational or
portunities for "all of the children O
all the people, is democracy's SUP
RENE task and its unique privilege.
II it be objected that one hundre
million dollars is too much to ask fo
these purposes, a comparison wit
expenditures in other Department
may prove enlightening. This amour
represents the cost of active partic
patton by our government in I'll
! great War for only two and a hal
days. We are annually spendin
many times this amount in our agr
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