Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1922-12-08

playing like veteran organization.
The orchestra was well balanced and
the music was played with good at
tack, rythm and shading. D. G. Tuttle
is director. The audience was also
favored with two selections by the
high school boys glee club.
The address by DR.. Brown was pre-
faced with an examination Of the orr
gin and purpose of National Education
Week. He stated that the idea was
initiated by the American Legion,
which organization subsequently sought
and obtained the support Of the Ma
tional Educational Association g CO.
operation. He named four outstanding
things which the American Legion men
found out through their experiences,
namely: Illiteracy in this country and
it's effect on democracy; physical inef-
dciency; Americanization; the gross in
equality in education in this country.
Taking the, position that it is no
more disloyal for citizens to point out
and seek remedies for existing wrongs
in education than for parent to cor
rect child. DR.. Brown went on to
point out the existing illiteracy, ply
steal inefficiency, lack of American
ization and the need for educational
equality in this country. He first
called attention to the fact that during
the world war, when the German army
was nearest the Marne Of any time
during the war, the English parliament
had up for consideration one Of the
greatest educational bills Of all time.
Not. long after the French parliament
passed an appropriation bill for edu-
cation which exceeded any previous
appropriation by 25 per cent. England
and France at that time were looking
into the future, remembering that GAS
Ye Sow, so Shall Ye Reap" Those
nations looked into the future and
looked wisely.
DIR. Brown maintained that the level
Of intelligence need not necessarily be
high for the success Of an autocracy
but that in the democracy success can
not be higher than the intelligence OF
it's people. The boys and girls who
are going to be the rulers of the nation
twenty years from now are in the
schools today and the future of the ma
tion depends on their proper education.
Here DR.. Brown called attention to the
statement once made by Abe Lincoln:
"Illiteracy is in my opinion one OF the
greatest menaccs to the American
democracy"
According to DR.. Brown the United
States, on the basi is of wealth, ranks
lower than the enlightened nations of
Europe, Germany, Sweden, Norway,
Denmark, Belgium, Holland, Franco
and England, in iteracy. In Germany,
Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Belgium
and Holland the percentage of litter
acy is less than one per cent. In Eng
land it is one: and one-fourth per cent
and in France about two per cent. In
the United States it is over six per
cent In other words six out of every
one hundred adults in this country are
unable to read or write. In 1920 there
were more than three million white
illiterates and more than one million
black illiterates, native born, in this
country. The number of illiterates is
greater than the actual number of
votes cast at presidential election. In
Minnesota alone there are more than
$4,000 illiterates according to the last
census >, =, -
Speaking of the physical inefficiency
Of the people of the United States DR.:
Brown called attention to the fact that
22.4 per cent Of the men called for mil
itary service in the world war were
rejected for physical defects which dis
qualified them. The figures showed that
majority Of the physically defective
came from the agricultural states;
that there were five times as many ply
sically defective from the agricultural
states as from New York and Chicago.
The loss to this country from physical
inefficiency alone is enormous, accord
ing to DR.. Brown, and he quoted one
doctor as having said that this country
loses ole billion eight hundred million
dollars each year on this account.
DR.. Brown spoke briefly on Ameri.
canization and then took cup the ques.
tion Of inequality in education. He
said that the inequality of educational
opportunity in this nation and state is
astounding. We are proud of that
part of our nation s constitution which
says that fall men are created free
and equal,' and we believe that this
is the essence Of democracy. This does
not mean that we believe that all
men are created equal in native ability
to acquire and learn but that they are
!! created equal in regard to the Oppor,
tunity and That q boy or girl should
not be penalized because he or she is
born here or there in this country.
Comparing Minnesota with North
and South Dakota, Wisconsin, Tow.
land Nebraska, DR.. Brown gave figures
as Ia. their relative ii educational rank
In, 1920 Minnesota was next to last Q,
these states IN the amount Of money
spent for each child enrolled in the
schools. Minnesota WAS next to- las,
IN is percentage Of population Of chill
dren Of school age IN the schools. Min
ttnesota vas lowest in theE lengt of the
school year. finnesota has spent tre
nendous sulns for 1T schools and Il
the last ton Iears this st has il
Iselsaeed 81 Cor achooh