Evening star., 1924-11-17

This IS American EducatlOn "eeh
throughout the country. The idea of
devoting a week to the general re-
vival of interest in education of the
masses must be credited to the Amer
lean Legion. A letter written by DIR.
J. VI Crabtree, secretary of the Ma
tional Education Association, ad-
dressed to socialistic opponents of the
American Legion, contains this para
graph:
THE American Legion deserves the
credit of taking the initiative in ar
ranging for the American Education
week. In the first place, the legion,
Influenced by the revelations of the
World War as to the extent of Hit
eraCy, physical unfitness and the
number OF n-AmeriCanized citizens
throughout the country, appointed an
Americanism committee. This COM
mittee early discovered that the sit
uation could be remedied only through
the schools of the Nation. The next
step was to propose to cooperate
with the public school authorities,
and among the eight or ten points in
the cooperative arrangements was
that of having American Education
week, mainly to acquaint the public
with what the schools are actually
doing and with their outstanding needs
x !: x x
The initiative of the American Le-
gion is recognized and approved by
many branches of the Young Woman's
Christian Association, in that they
have refused to be controlled by the
influences alleged to have actuated
the national officers, as reported in
news from New York. 1t is said that
the Y. W. c. A. had protested to the
United States commissioner of edu-
cation, DR.. Tigert, against permitting
the "militaristic influences" of the
American Legion or any World War
veterans to take any part in the edu-
cation program. At the Office of the
commissioner of education. however.
it is announced that no official word
has come from the national officers of
the Y. w. c. A. in such alleged pro-
test. but that, on the contrary, several
officials of branches Of that organi-
zation have indicated full sympathy
with the movement and desire to as
sist in cordial cooperation.
That the National Education Asso-
citation appreciates the work of the
American Legion in the cause of the
schools is attested in a letter from
Secretary Crabtree to the, national
commander. Gen. John A. Drain, from
which I quote:
TT will be great for the legion to
fight for the public schools the foun-
dation Of democracy, as 1t fought IN
the World War to save democracy to
the world
The seriousness Of the illiteracy of
Americans was never comprehended
by the public until the Army tests in
connection with the draft disclosed
the utterly misleading character of
the United States census upon the
subject. The census figures show
that only per cent Of the popula-
ton are illiterate, but it transpires
that that means only that that pro-
portion had confessed to the enumer-
ators that they had had no schooling
whatever and could not read or write
anything. Self-pride caused many to
conceal their ignorance, and If they
could write their names or read
single phrase, they would deny IL
literacy. No test was ever made as
to their illiteracy until the Army
test. This required the person to
read a newspaper with some degree
of understanding of its sense, and to
write a short and simple letter to
their home folks, and 24.S per cent
of the soldiers between 81 and 81
wears of age could not do 1t. In some
States 61 per cent of white soldiers
were proved too illiterate to stand
such a test. Such soldiers would be
unable to decipher a written order
and were a menace to their comrades
They are equally deficient in civil ac-
tivitfes.
The American Legion, since 1921,
has undertaken, not to educate the
masses directly, but to enlighten
communities, school boards, parents
and statesmen as to what menace
such ignorance is to the country.
X X
Less attention has been accorded to
Education week in the District of
Columbia than in most of the States.
Practically all governors of States
have issued proclamations setting
forth the Importance of the weeks
program and calling upon school off,