The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1922-11-23
SCHOOLS BASIS
Of AMERICA s
STRENGTH
w. M. Lewis Says llliteracy
Costs v. S. Probably Bill
lion a Year.
by WILLIAM MATHER LEWIS
Educational director. United states
Chamber OF Commerce.

| Edueelooni director, United states
Chamber OF Commerce.
The future strength OF the Re
public depends upon the develop
ment OF enlightened public opinion.
1t is essential that all the children
OF all the people be taught how TO
think: how TO use their mental
equipment to the greatest advan'
! tage.
Furthermore. we must develop in
our schools citizenry which Is
physically fit The times demand
men and women who can stand the
| strain of the most trying CONNER
cial and Industrial conditions the
world has ever known. Health Is
the basis of efficiency.
Seek Model In Capital.
When communities set out on the
development Of vital enterprise
they seek for organizations which
! they may copy to advantage.
American cities seeking to improve
their school systems naturally turn
to Washington as place where
educational conditions should ap-
proach the ideal.
| The civic enterprises of Wash
ington are under the direct control
OF Congress. Surely Congress Will
wish to make them models for the
nation; in them are enrolled pupils
from every State in the Union.
These young people will some day
return to their homes carrying with
them for good or evil the impress
Of the nations Capital and its school
system.
- Schools Attract Visitors.
Then is not a week passes but
that Washington schools are visited
by school authorities from every
part of our land.
| Furthermore, representatives or
| foreign governments who come to
| Washington almost invariably In.
clude the schools in the trips OF
inspection. These schools there.
| fore have an international as well
as a national Influence.
There are $4,000 future citizens
enrolled In the elementary schools
Of the District of Columbia, and
II 900 In the high schools. But
| that doesn't mean that there are
only 1900 youths here who need
the privileges Of the schools. Thou
sands of boys throughout the
country are allowed to grow up
as business and industrial liabilities
and not as assets because attend.
ance Is not strictly enforced.
Five Million llliterate.
Five million people in America
| today above the age of ten years
cannot write their own names. The
! illiterate does not move up the ladder
of industry and business as fast as
! his literate competitor. The United
States is losing something like a bill
lion dollars a year IN. ough illiteracy
Is not this matter of sufficient i'm
portance to receive consideration
from those who hold the educational
fate of the District Of Columbia in
their hands?
1t is said that there are 500. 000
unnecessary deaths In the United
States annually. That would be hard
! to prove, but IL Is evident that we are
not paying proper attention to the
health Of those who will soon take
up life's toll.
Needs More Nurses.
| There is one nurse to each 5000
pupils In Washington. A nurse can.
not efficiently look after more than
half thatnumber. The school grounds
are not adequate so that each child
can have the essential exercise
Washington should lead the nation
in providing enough physicians and
nurses so that every child Is care
fully examined before II Is admitted
to the schools. When the State com
pels children to go to school II must
in fairness protect their health and
not introduce diseased persons among
them.
Proper play spaces should be pro.
vided. A physical education system
which provides for eleven players
end a thousand spectators will never
go far in raising the physical eff.
cheney Of America. The one thou.
sand must participate, those who are
weak and physically defective most
OF all.
Facilities Too Cramped.
The school buildings OF Washing
ton are overcrowded. What chance
has the child on q half-dP schedule
In room with sixty rs, com.
pared to that one who il in school
all day with only enough compan.
ions to provide the proper stimulus
through competition?
! Those who administer and those
who teach in the schools; those
whose children attend those schools
everyone interested In education In
every corner of the country-have a
right to insist that the education ia.
cilities of the Nations Capital be de.
veloped to the point where they arc
a credit to this great country and a
guide for its educational improve.
ment.
Conference Would Help.
In regard to a national confer.
ence In Washington to discuss edu.
cation, and the District OF Colum.
bia school system in particular, IL
would be vitality conducive TO sue.
cess that not only the educational
minds OF the country, but bus ness
and professional men Of national
rank should be asked to participate