Evening star., 1922-10-26
GL|MPSES SCHOOL:
CRISIS IN AMERICA
DR.. BaIIou Lays Serious Edu'
cational Conditions to
World War.

Education in America at the pres |
ent time is facing real and serious |
crisis. DR.. Frank w. Ballou, superin-
tendent Of the public schools or the
DISTRICT told the faculty and students
Of the George Washington University
in his address at their fall convoca-
ton held this morning in the audi
torium of the Concordia Church., 2oth
and G streets northwest.
Education in the public schools Is ,,
in an extremely critical situation,
he said, "and it is due entirely TO tne
late war. Revelations OF the cond'-
tions prevailing in the school system
of this country created demand Tor !
more thorough and more compiets
educational system for the youth OF
America, and at the same time tne
financial burdens of the war ana tne
decreased worth OF the dollar caused
by the war are making it more dim-
cult to obtain sufficient appropriations
for school needs. Present school ap-
propriations are not enough to keep
education at d higher level than II
was before the war. and the needs
have been shown to be much greater.
War Reveals Illiteracy.
"The state of affairs in the United
States were brought home in the war.
of the first draft were illiterate. or
nearly so, and of the second draft
100000 men could neither read nor
write. The last census showed that
over. 100000 native born Americans
are iAiterate and many more millions
ulation. From these statistics. re-
vealed by the war. a demand for more
schools was created and yet the war
brought schoolhouse building to
standstill because OF a lack OF sup
plies and a pinching OF ,appropria-
tions"
Dr. Ballou continued by pointing
out that the present supply Of teach
ers was not adequate to meet the In.
oreasing need, a great proportion OF
the instructors were far from prop
erly trained and all were underpaid.
Although the school appropriations
are twice what they were in 1911, the
purchasing power Of the dollar IS
now only half as much. so that 10
progress has been made. and until
better salaries are offered the num-
ber and caliber of teachers required
will never be realized.
Dean Hodgkins Speaks.
mas. Dean Hodgkins. president OF the
university. addressed the graduates
on the part they were to play in the
world and the great present need for
wisdom rather than education. Edu-
cation in itself is worthless" he said.
unless 1t is put to q practical use
by the application Of wisdom"
Rev Edward E. Richardson OF the
Congress Heights Baptist Church
opened the convocation with a prayer
The following were awarded diplo-
mas:
b. A. Degrees.
I Dean Wilbur presented the follow
ing candidates for the B. 4. degree:
Georgia Mae Brown. Minnesota:
Frank J. Cavanaugh. New York; New
ell Baisden Davis, Florida. John
Charles Frey. Indiana: Ulysses 5.
Gray, Alabama: Joseph William
Hszell, District Of Columbia with
distinction); Samuel Theodore Holm
gren, New Hampshire: Kenneth
KitcheN Johnston. Nebraska: Dorothy
e Kingsbury, Michigan; Gilbert o.
tenberg. District of Columbia: WI
liam Vereen Smithwick, Florida;
Clarence NJ Updesraff, Iowa: Teng
Yum Wang China: Malcolm Boyd
Wiseheart. Pennsylvania. and James
William Shea, District Of Columbia.
Bachelor Of science in medicine
wilbur Lorenzo Bowen, Virginia, and
NJ D. 1920, George Washington Uni
versity.
Dean Ruediger presented the fol-