The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1922-03-16
AN APPEAL TO ALL CITIZENS
The Editor Nezperce Herald.

The Editor Nezperce Herald.
Dear Sir: The Sterling Towner Ed
ucational Bill is now in committee of
both houses of congress. Never be-
fore in all the history of America was
a more opportune time for the support
of such a bill as now. The Supreme
Council is Intensely interested in Sc
curing the passage of such bill. Red.
blooded, consecrated American citizens
must lend their support right now in
their own interests.
The main purpose of this bill is to
remove from our national civilization
the disgraceful blot of illiteracy which
now oppresses it, and it proposes to do
this by ~ Education of American
born illiterates IA years of age and
older; (2) Education of foreign-born
illiterates IA years of age and older;
(3) Requiring all children between the
ages of and IA years to attend some
school at least "a weeks each year; (4)
Physical education of all children in
the principles of health and sanitation,
and removal of removable physical de-
fects, to the end that the children may
become well and healthy citizens when
their turn shall come to replace the
present adult population of the coun-
try; (5) Provide educated and trained
<oo aho~a - avff,o.on& x,ry,ha~ &o al,,
cate and train the children. The bill
provides that the entire management
of the schools of the state shall be and
remain in the control of the authori-
ties of the state, who shall determine
the courses of study, plans and meth
DDS for carrying out the provisions of
the bill, and that the funds appropri-
ated shall be distributed and admins
tered in accordance with the laws of
each state, and that the English Ian
guage shall be the basic language of
instruction in the common school
branches in all schools, public and pri
vate. In other words, that this act
shall not be construed to imply FEEDER
al control Of education and manage
ment within the states, nor to impair
the freedom of the states in the con-
duct and manner of their respective
school systems.
The bill provides for department
of education, with secretary of edu-
cation at its head, who shall be a mem
Der of the cabinet. The bill provides
for $15,OO0,00O for the removal of il
literacy among our native-born and
foreign-born illiterates. Is this too
much in nation that has 4,847,473 of
its people who cannot read and write
the English languages
In 1920 America spent for cigars,
cigarettes and tobacco $2,ll0,000,000,
and in the same period we spent for
chewing gum, toilet soaps, soft drinks,
face powders and cosmetics $2,050, ,000,
900 more. Do you realize, sir, that
nearly 25 per cent of the men between
the ages of 81 and 81 who were called
to the colors were practically litter
atess Do you know that the average
American adult is only fifth grader,
and the average American teacher isl
only an eleventh graders
In 1918, out of 81 million boys and
girls of school age only 20 million were
enrolled in our schools and of these
Is million were in actual attendance,
and only SO per cent were in schools
where they were required by law to be.
The National Educational Association
estimates that one in five teachers is
competent. In the high schools. of|
America in 1921 only 81 per cent of
the teachers were college graduates
and only 80 per cent of the teachers
were normal graduates. And 35 per
cent were graduates of no institution
of higher education.
Mr.. Editor, is it not time we were
laying more stress on educationf
earnestly appeal to the readers of your
valuable paper to write to Senator w.
E. Borah and Congressman Burton h..
French at Washington this night and
support the Sterling Towner Educa-
tional bill now before both houses of
congress.
Thanking you for space.
Mark Pike.