The Minnesota fiery cross. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1924-19??, 1924-03-07

The assoc iation endorsed the feder-
al department Of education bill, TAX
ing the stand that American schools
should be represented in the presi-
dents cabinet. A resolution was
passed calling upon congress to make
the public schools of Washington, D..
C. a model from which the entire
nation could copy. Arguments were
advanced by many speakers against
the reduction of school taxation. Ii
educ alton is to be brought to it's pro-
per plane in the United States,
school boards must have the requis-
lite funds with which to do it.
Seek World Peace
Other resolutions advocated world
peace and pointed to the schools OF
the nation as the best possible place
in which to inculcate an understand
ing between the children OF all ma
tions, thus insuring the future wei
fare of humanity. Law observance
especially of the dry laws, was also
strongly advocated by the educators
In arguing for the congressional
bill to establish a national depart
ment of education, George ID. Stray
.er of the Teachers College, New
York City, said:
"For five years those interested in
public education throughout the
United States have proposed meth
DDS by which the federal govern
ment may contribute to the develop
ment of a more efficient system OF
pubiic education. The bill which has
been before congress, providing
department of education with a sec
retary in the presidents cabinet, for
research and investigation in educa-
tion, and for federal aid for the pur-
pose of encouraging the states TO
meet certain deficiencies which are
commonly found throughout the ma
tion, has been repeatedly Endorsed by
this department and by state, dis
trict and local educ ational organiZa-
ton.
During the past month hearings
have ben held before both the sem
ate and the house committees. Pos
sibly the most striking fact in con-
nection with these hearings was the
number of laymen representing ma
tional organizations who appeared in
support of the measure. twenty
one organizations, having member
ship running into the millions, sent
their representatives to Washington
to ask that congress, through the
passage of the education bill, take
the next step in the development OF
our public school system.
Public Sees Need
During the period that the educa-
ton bill has been before the public,
there has been developed clear re-
cognition of the need for the support
of federal agency competent to pro-
vide leadership and to undertake re-
search and investigation that will be
significant for the guidance of those
charged with the responsibility OF
administering education in all of the
states.
ave have long been accustomed to
the idea of research undertaken by
the federal government in the fields
of agriculture, engineering, COM
merce and industry. The benefits
which have come to all of the people
from these activities are commonly
acknowledged. Many inquiries should
be undertaken in education with re-
pect to curricula, methods of teach
ing and of learning problems of Or
ganization, administration and fin
ance, the results of which when made
available will contribute in a large
degree to the development Of more
efficient public school system"
E. w. Butterfield, state commits
sioner of education for New Hamp-
shire, declared that money placed in
schools and educational projects was
an investment from which the ma
tion would reap larger and more
beneficial returns, than it would on
expenditure for another purpose.
He said in part: