The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1922-03-08
AS Others See II
TO AID THE SCHOOLS
miami Herald.)

The National Educational Association was told
the other day by John ]. Tigert, federal commits
sioner OF education. that retrenchment in expendi
lures is seriously threatening educational prog.
ress in the United States. Mr.. Tigert particularly
emphasized the Importance of maintaining higher
salaries for teachers in order to- retain in the
profession men and women of particular ability
who being constantly lured away from the
school room.
There is another phase to this question that is
rather serious. Retrenchment in educational
costs would seem to indicate possible readjust-
ment of emphasis in the minds of the whole people
Time when the little red school house was
the very center of the life of America. Whatever
else had, it was considered essential that there
should be, as the very basis of civilization, the
school. 1t is true that the school in those days
was not as efficient in many ways as it is today
1t is true that the school term was short and
that the textbooks were not always of the best
But in spite of these manifest deficiencies the
school was held in a sort of reverence which it
does not seem to command today.
Officially, the public school system is one of
the first considerations. In the hearts of the peo-
pie there seems to be several other interests
which have primacy over the school house. The
Independent a few years ago listed number of
these including the stock ticket, female apparel
baseball, yellow journal headlines and COMICS the
prize fight, to which might be added today, gasoline
1t will be decidedly unfortunate when the school
house is set aside as the symbol Of America by
any one of these interests The only safe basis
upon which to build a democracy is an educated
citizenship. 1t is not healthy condition when the
school system is allowed to get into such con-
dtion that its teachers poorly paid, its course
of study restricted it's credit vitiated by failure
to pay current bills. This condition must be over
come If America is to survive.
In this connection the Sterling Towner bill pro.
viding for federal aid for the schools is of great
interest by reason of its recognition of this fun
damental truth. An attack against the bill was
made in the meeting of the national association by
Professor 1nglis of Harvard university on the
ground that it is further step in the centrali-
cation of government and offers opportunity
for federal control of the schools of the state
There is, of course some merit in this crticism
The bill is in line with the present tendency to
centrallzation but that tendency is under way
and cannot be stopped apparently. If there is to
be federal control in any direction, the safety Of
the whole people would seem to call for it in con-
nection with the schools.A 1t is not a desirable
thing to have high educational standards in one
section and very low standards in another.
The sterling-Towner BILL follows. very closely
the method of the federal road law. 1t proposes
the establishment of educational department
which shall cooperate with the states, mot con-
troll them, in meeting their school problems 1t
seeks to raise salaries to point which will at
tract the strongest teachers. 1t will conduct in
vestigations of educational methods and render
advice to the state authorities. 1t will add fed.
eral moneys to the state funds in certain cases
to insure better salaries and better equipment Of
schools.
The purpose of the bill is altogether commend
able 1t has some vicious possibilities, but the
experience of the states and of the federal gov
eminent in handling the matter of road building
under the read aid bill leads to the confidence
that federal oversight of our educational systems
will not only bring it to a higher degree of eff
cheney but will aid in restoring the school to its
rightful place in the hearts of the people.