Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-02-24
DEFEND.
BILLS AT HEARING.
Senate and House Committee
Hears Merits of Separate
Department.

Several hundred persons. including
many Of the delegates to the National
Educational Association convention.
crowded the conference room Of the
Senate Office building today when a
joint committee Of the Senate and
House held hearing on pending bills
to create a department of education
in the Federal Government with q
cabinet officer at It's head.
During the morning session DIR.
George D. Strayer of Columbia Uni
versity. DIR. Charles H. Judd Of the
Capen Of the University of Buffalo
testified In support Of the proposal.
Relates Bills Advantages.
DR.. Strayer told the members Of
Congress that, except for q small mi
nority, those familiar with educa-
tional problems today are supporting
the proposed legislation. In addition
to creating an Independent depart.
ment with a secretary In charge, Dr.
Strayer testified the bill would do the
following things:
Transfer the existing Bureau of
Education and the Federal Board of
Vocational Education to the new de-
partment; coordinate in one place the
educational activities Of all depart
ments of the Government through the
medium of an unofficial conference on
education and empower the new de.
partment to collect statistics and con-
duct researches Of educational meth
DDS and problems to be made avail
able to all of the States. For this
last mentioned purpose. the bill au.
thorizes an appropriation of 81. 500, 900.
Senator Copeland of New York and
Senator Bingham of Connecticut ques-
toned the several witnesses at length
as to the advantages they expected to
gain by having a department Of educa.
ton instead Of the present Bureau Of
Education in the Department of the
Interior. Others also questioned the
witnesses as to whether they favored
Federal aid for education. DR.. Strayer
said he favored Federal aid in prin-
ciple, but declared 1t is not contem-
plated by the pending legislation
Other witnesses said they did not
favor Federal aid.
Asks About Health.
Senator Copeland asked DR.. Strayer
why there should not be a depart
ment of health in the Federal Gov
eminent, adding his belief that there
is sentiment in the country against
increasing the number of depart
ments. DR.. Strayer replied that he
would have to leave to the physician
the question of whether there should
be a department of health.
After he had questioned two or
three of the witnesses. Senator Cope
land indicated his belief that the ex-
iSfi Nf
complish the aims sought by the sup
porters Of the bill. provided the bu-
reau was given more adequate appro-
priations with which to carry. on in
vestigations and research.
DR.. Judd declared that this country
should not set up national control of
education. but he said there is a DEM
ocratic substitute for national control
by furnishing information as to the
best methods of education to all Of the
States and that the function Of as
sembling such information is a ma
tional one.
Senator Bingham asked the witness
II there might not be a disadvantage
in having a secretary of education
in the cabinet who would be subject
to change with each administration.
DIR. Judd said he had no anxiety on
that point, expressing the belief that
there would be a permanency in the
staff Of the bureau.
Senator Phipps of Colorado. chair
man of the Senate committee on edu
cation and labor, asked DR.. Judd to
compare the United States with other
nations in educational progress.
Best and Worst Schools.
DR.. Judd recalled that a foreign
visitor once said of America that it
has the best schools and the worst
schools. Explaining this, the witness
said what was meant was that there
is such a variety of methods of educa-
ton in America as to include the
best and the worst and that from a
study of these facilities it would be
possible to make great advances.
DR.. Capen emphasized in his testi-
mony that the educators in America
have been compelled to appeal to
private foundations for the necessary
funds to carry on Investigations into
outstanding educational problems.
There are a number of other wit
nesses to be heard during the day.
Witnesses told the committee this
morning that If the creation Of a de-
partment Of education Is not favored,
Congress should at least expand the
facilities of the existing Bureau Of
E6nrot jon