The Owosso times., 1922-09-22
EDUCATION BUREAU.
NEEDS MORE MONEY
COMMISSIONER THINKS IT'S Fu.
TILE TO CONTINUE WITH
INADEQUATE SUPPORT
SAYS THE CRISIS IS ACUTE
N''empt to Economic by Small .Appro-
Pr'ations Has Had Reverse Effect
summary of the Recommendation
Made to Congress.
BY JAMES p. HoRNApAY

education calls attention TO the fact
that there is urgent need of larger
appropriations for the work of the
bureau, Notwithstanding the present
program or economy In government ex-
pehaltures, for the following reasons !:
W Ihe bureau has not had for some
years past adequate appropriations to
make 1t efficient; (2) the crisis I'm edu.
cauon Is as acute as it is in business
ana the need of reorganization of our
educational systems is imperative (3)
our schools, especially the, rural
schools, cannot be financed on the
prewar basis; and the assistance of
the federal government in solving these
problems is essential; (4) the condi.
tlons respecting illiteracy and the prev
alence OF remedial physical defects are
matters OF national Importance; (5)
the attempt to economize by small ap-
preparations to the bureau has had the
reverse effect and has been wasted.
Because of the inadequate appropria-
tlon for the salary of person to ad-
minister the land-grant college funds,
amounting to upwards of $3,500,000,
this position is frequently vacant, and
has changed six times in ten years.
The commissioner questions the ad-
visibility of continuing the bureau on
the present basis of wholly inadequate
support and points out the futility of
expecting returns that will justify the
outlay.
His Recommendation In Brief.
The commissioner has formulated a
number of recommendations which
may be summarized briefly as follows :
O The returns on the investment
made by the congress and the efficien-
cy Of the service which should be
rendered by the bureau are seriously
impaired by the inadequacy Of the
amounts available for payment of
salaries; the duties of these positions
require the services Of men and women
of such native ability, education and
experience as enable them to demand
much larger salaries elsewhere; the
limit of salaries that may be paid from
lump-sum appropriations should be re-
moved.
(2) For printing the documents
which should issue from the bureau
each year there should be available n
much larger sum than that now allotted
for these purposes; changing cOndi-
tions have created a demand for such
information as is contained In these
publications in many and widely
varied fields Of education; much larger
editions of these bulletins are need
ed than is now permitted by law.
.(3) 1t would be tremendously waste
ful for every city and for all the 4S
states to conduct independently re-
search to establish the principles nec-
essary to formulate the constructive
programs demanded by public policy
in many important features Of educa-
tional activity; one can estimate the
saving In time, effort and money
that would follow the effective exercise
of leadership in these matters by the
federal government.
Value of Motion Pictures.
(4) The educational possibilities of
the motion picture constitute an i'm
mense field Of utmost significance as
vet practically unexplored; although
now there are more motion-picture ma
chimes in schools, clubs, churches, ETC.,
than in commercial theaters, conditions
are such that the industry Is organ.
ized almost exclusively to serve the
interests Of the commercial theater; no
producer or organization of producers
can afford to make the necessary In.
yestigation Of school needs and edu.
cational possibilities, and they all lack
the motive, personnel and school con-
facts which are essential to the sue
cess of such study.
(5) The several states are studying
the problems involved In the inability
of large sections of our population to
understand our language and in the
prevailing ignorance of the elementary
principles upon which our form of
government Is based and Of the ideals
toward which we are striving, but
there is urgent need Of central
agency which will make Immediately
available to all the results Of any ex-
pertinent which proves successful and
which can supply the constant stimu.
lus to better things which can come
only from leadership; this is obviously
the function of the federal govern
ment.
(6) In no way could the bureau rem
der a better service to the cause of
education I'm the country than by an
organized effort to promote better
school methods Of finance and account
ing: a reasonable sum expended In de.
veloping efficient systems of account.
ing and in aiding school authorities to
install and administer them will save
the taxpayers many times the amounts
thus expended.
Cd A comparatively large increase
I'm the appropriation for travelling ex.
penses is necessary to ebable the bu
reau to do its work effectively.