Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-06-30

Of teachers normal schools). ST., oO0,-
900.
The supporters Of the measure de-
clare that the need of federal CO.
operation is based upon the recogni-
ton of the fact that the safety, the
prosperity and welfare of the coun-
try, as a whole, depend upon the in
telligence and education of its citi-
zens. 1t is just as truly the, duty of
the whole people to contribute to
the education of all as it is of the
property owner to be taxed for school
support, regardless Of whether he
himself has any children. Illiteracy
In one state concerns every other
state, because the illiterate may, and
often does. remove to other localities:
Even If he remains in the state of
his nativity, his ignorance reduces
the production Of cotton in the south
ern states. and thereby affects the
cotton mills of Massachusetts. The
illtterate of Massachusetts affects the
output of her mills and increases the
cost OF overalls for the cotton grower.
Above all, ignorance is national
menace, liable to flame out in de-
structive influences in times of stress.
For self-defense, therefore, every
eracy, not alone within it's own
boundaries, but also in all other
states, for from the other states each
is contaminated with the shifting
illiterates. Furthermore, since the
federal government controls the ad-
mission on iIliterate immigrants, it
should cooperate with the states to
which these immigrants go.
:: x = 4
OF ion
greater than the public realized prior
to the world war. Most citizens re-
sent the idea that their own COM
munity holds many who cannot read
nor write. Officials of New York
State contradicted the statement that
the great Empire State held many
illiterates, yet investigation by the
census demonstrated that 1t had more
than any other state in the Union
$4,000 confessing to no schooling
whatever.
Census returns on illiteracy are
misunderstood by the public, for they
show only the confessed cases where
no schooling whatever is claimed,
whereas Army tests in connection
with the draft proved that 24.9 per
cent of the men in prime of life. be-
tween twenty-one and thirty-one
years Of age, were incapable of read
ing newspaper paragraph, of writ
ing a short letter to their home
folk or Of adding 2 and and
giving A correct sum. A quarter of
our population, male and female,
over ten years of age are illiterate.
A third of the population is
physically deficient. mostly due to
ignorance OF the ordinary rules of
health and nutrition. The draft re-
jected as physically unfit for any
mi n nrx-t.
found qualified only for special serv-
ice 1914 per cent. Only 10.41 per
cent of the men of twenty-one to
thirty-one years of age were found
really fit for full military duty. If
unfit for the Army. although the
standards of peace times were lib
eralized SO as to admit them, then
they are not efficient in industry.
Three million of our citizens are
sick all the time. and it is estimated
preventable. This is a national waste
of efficiency in the loss of thirteen
days d year for every worker-a
total of 350.OoO,OO0 days a year. esti-
mated to cost production not less
than s1.S00.000,000 annually. If the
use of s20,000,O0O d year of federal
funds and an equal sum of state
funds will tend to stop this wasted
efficiency. costing 81, 100000. it is
urged as wise. as an economic in
plished best through teaching in the
public schools the laws of health,
nutrition and sanitation.
!: x *
The education bill has the indorse-
ment of President Coolidge and is
supported in the platform of the Re-
publican party. A strenuous effort
was made to obtain equal indorse-
ment in the Democratic platform, but
was defeated. except SO far as a
that the government
should give advice and aid to states
in the cause of education. 1t appears
that the fear of centralizing educa-
ton control-however unwarranted-
brought a rally of state rights sup
porters against a federal Depart
ment of Education.
Copyright 1924. by Paul V. Collinsl