Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-02-24

fore the department of superintend-
ence today said:
Money is cheaper than character.
and it is easier to build a fortune
than a life.
There Is under way in this coun-
try a movement for economy that
should be welcomed by every
thoughtful person who is sincerely
interested in the country's welfare.
The chief cause of this need of econ
omy is not the lack of wealth In the
Nation. The cause is rather to be
found in the Importance or recog-
ntzing that the elimination of waste
and inetficiency from every type or
service is essential to the moral
health Of the Nation.
Chief Field Of Waste.
1.-THE chief field of waste and in
efficiency in the public school systems
of the country is to be found in the
grades that lie beyond the six grades
Of the elementary school. This Is
the inevitable result of the unprece-
dented numbers of children that have
literally swarmed into these grades
during the past quarter of century.
Neither the college above nor the
elementary school below has known
ondary school has faced in attempt
ing to make sanely and effectively
the readjuStments that it has been
called upon to make. During the 30
year period ending in 1920, the high
schools of this country had increased
l44 as rapidly as had the general
population. This Is in sharp contrast
to the 63 for the colleges and uni
verslLes, where, next to the high
1n rNs1f
marked. That waste and ineff1ciency
have manifested themselves under
these conditions is not surprising.
The eVer-preSent crl.lcISm that all
too many pupils are attending our
high schools IS increasing rather than
diminishing. No one, however. has
ever proposed. much less championed,
a means of cutting down these num-
bers. No one has as yet seemed
either able or willing to determine
for another just what sons and
daughters should go to high school
and what ones should not. We are
not to expect a diminishing demand
on the part .of parents and on the
part of life outside that boys and
girls shall have a high school educa
ton. The time is passed when the
American public high school deals
with the selected few.
Misflts in High School.
There Is today in American educa-
ton great waste to the community
and great injustice to the individual
which can be traced to the misdirected
efforts Of those who without the spe-
cial abilities and interests required
are crowding the high schools and the
colleges with a view to entering pro-
fessional life. We all recognize this as
a conditio: that needs correction. how
ever muo. we may differ as to the
best means of correcting It. Until it
IS corrected we shall legitimately sub
1ect ourselves to the charge that all
too many are being supported in high
school at public expense. Again. until
IT Is corrected we shall continue to
set before teachers in the high school
the wellnigh impossible task Of best
developing the type of leadership that
is possible with those who can, to the
advantage of all concerned, profit by
these college preparatory courses.
And. finally. but by no means of least
concern. until this condition is cor
rected we shall go on failing. through
the public schools, to meet our full re-
sDonsihilitY IT, developing leadership