New-York tribune., 1922-12-04
Legion's American Educa-
lion Week Opens With
Sermons on Schools by
Ministers of All Creeds
Program Calls for Study
Of Citizenship, Patriot
ism, .Iliieracy. Oppor.
inniIy and Hygiepic $

iuniiy and ii Hygiepics
American education week. initiated
by tho American Legion for n better
eitizenry. Ia now In full swing. II
started Yesterday when sermons were
preached in churches throughout the
country urging true Americanism
Regardless OF creed. ministers were
urged 20 preach on education in the
home, church and school. The appeal
Of the Legion was accepted and every
where education was spoken OF H. the
Sunday sermon.
The program for the week In this
stato has been arranged largely
through the cooperation Of the le-
gion's Amerieanism committee. Of
which W. W. LefBngwell. Of Watkins,
Y. Y. is chairman. and John l.. Riley,
Of Albany. is secretary. The National
organization formulated its plans in
cooperation with the National Educa-
ton Association and the United StatcL
Bureau Of Education. State Com
mandcr Callan has personally urged
every post in his command 10 ai1 in
the promotion Of education week and
declared that organizations should feel
free 20 call on the various posts sor
speakers
John J. Tger, United States Com
missioner Of Education. declares our
nation will stand or fall with its
school system. Then he adds as sOi-
emn warning:
mo patriotic American. with thc
sense Of square deal and with faith
in the doctrine that all men are
created equal can look with equanim-
ity upon educational discrimination
such as exists in our country to-day"
The United States Commissioner is
cooperating with the American Le-
gion, as Is the National Education As
sociation, 70 bring 20 the attention OF
the entire nation the need Of better
schools, better teachers. the elimina-
tiOn OF illiteracy, the duties OF citizen
ship. and the value OF physical train
ing.
"The American Republic will stand
or fall with It's school system. James
Madison asserted this i'm effect when he
said: A popular government without
popular information or means OF ac-
curing IL u but a prologue 70 a
farce or a tragedy. or perhaps both.
knowledge will forever govern igno-
rance; and a people who mean to be
their own governors must arm them
selves with the power which knowl-
edge givA.'
"We are justly proud Of our uni
yersal free school system; no other
nation has anything like IT, While no
boy or girl is denied education az
public expense in America yet Il must
be confessed that the opportunities Of
fered vary within the widest extremes.
Some OF our public schools cannot be
excelled; others are SO deplorably
lacking as TO be almost useless. II Is
our purpose 20 show briefly what some
Of these inequalities are"
Program for Week
The program for me week a. out
lined by the Legion follows:
To-day.-Citzenship day--children
to-day, citizens tomorrow. Naturali-
zation for all men and women. Help
the immigrants 10 become Americans.
The duties Of citizenship. Slogan:
Americans all by 1921" Visit the
schools to-day
Tuesday. Patriotism day-the hag,
emblem o. freedom. Music as a nation
builder Universal use OF the English
language in the United States. The
citizens duty TO vote. Slogan: pa
triotism is the basis Of happy nation
Wednesday-S and teacher day
the necessity OF schools. Ine
teacher as nation builder. The
schools influence on the coming gen
Grafton. America az an educated ma
tion. Slogan: Better trained ana
better tpaid teachers; more adequate
Thursday. -Illiterscy day illiteraey
a blot on our nation. 10 illiteracy IN
1927. A citizens duty toward the un-
educated. No immigration until IL
Iiteracv among native and foreign born
is removed. Slogan: Let every citi-
zen adopt and teach an illiterate 70
read and write"
Equality of opportunity
equality Of opportunity in educstio9
FOR every American boy and girl. kgra'
schools- city schools. High schools
colleges. American institutions. slo-
gan: "a square deal for the country
SATURDAY Physical education day,
Fairgrounds. Physical education ana
hveiene. The great outdoors no
country need In conservation ara ue,
veiopment of forests, SOIL ROADS ana
other resources. Slogan: "A Hgh
boav makes a sick mind. Playgrounos
in cverv community. Athletes all