The Denver Jewish news., 1924-12-04
EDUCATIONAL PROBLEM
MENACES ENTIRE COUN-
TRY.
Pref. Baaahergcr Of Ssesas nspklus In.
forms Council Of Jewish Women Of
Unequal Facilities.

1
New York City-Profcsso Florence
r. Bambergcr. OF the Department of
Education Johns Hopkins University.
In study Of educational opportunities
that she prepared At the Invitation Of
the National Council OF Jewish Women.
declares that the educational policy OF
the United States Ia fundamentally un.
sound, because the children In poorer
states and districts enjoy poorer fa
cilities than children In our richer
states. Equal opportunity for the child
means that as much must he spent for
the education Of child In Missippi as
for II child In Illinois.
| Prof Banibcrger's plea contains the
following analysis Of educational con-
dltions In America:
During the past fiscal year, II billion
and one half doilars were spent for
public education in the United States.
Even with his expenditure. which
seems overwhelming In size. It has been
estimated that 100000 children be-
tween ten and sixteen years Of age who
should be in school. were gninfully, and
Frequently painfully. employed When
the last census was taken. O per cent
or 1000, 900 persons, Of our adult popu.
lation confessed themselves illiterates
1t is the duty OF the states to blot out
this ignorance.
Millions Of American boys and girls
attended school during the past year in
dangerous and unsanitary buildings
Since more than 80 per cent OF the
teachers now employed throughout the
country have less than the standard
minimum training, many Of these boys
and girls were taught by uncducated
and unframed teachers. Books, lab.
ratory, and shops are found only in few
and progressive localities
'These boys and girls, cheated Of
that Kind OF education to which they
are entitled, will in d few years con-
stitute large part OF the adult popu-
lation Of the United States. They Will
Inevitably be called upon to make de-
cisions which will determine the future
policy Of our country. Upon them will
rest the responsibility for developing
our national resources, for maintaining
our national ideals.
IF any generation fails to receive
the proper educational training, there
Is bound to come decrease In technical
skill and a lowering Of civic and ma
ticnal standards. This must Inevitably
weaken our civilization.
Never before has the menace Of
inorance been as great in the United
States as it now is Only last year
the states allowed 100000 of their
own people to enter upon full adult
citizenship without education.
The encouragement and support Of
education is peculiarly the function OF
the several States. Each political unit
such as the district, the township. and
the county should, and in many in
stanccs often do. make all the contri-
DutIOHS " cuuCutIuu lOT luelT hcNeIdI
communities of which they are capable
Nevertheless, while the wealth and re-
sources of the different communities
vary enormously, the educational needs
of the children do not In poor COM
munities their needs are greater than
those Of rich communities, and the
j obligations OF society toward them are
exactly the same.
1T is clear then that to finance
schools on a basis Of purely local taxa
tion Is undemocratic because 1t does
not actually AFFORD equal opportunities
for education to all children in the
country. Eventually the United States
will have to accept the principle of ma
tional responsibility for the support Of
education"