Evening star., 1927-11-06
SCHOOL TEACHER TO GIVE
ACCOUNTING OF HIS WORK
Activities of Educators and Exposition Of
Modern instruction Methods Will Be
Discussed During Education Week.
BY THOMAS r. HENRY.

pacR'Stage region of the ac
tivities of people, chats briefly or
his work and aspirations and gets hi.
merited and dignified applause.
For the past 10 years he probably
has worked harder here in the United
States than he ever worked before
and has accomplished some tangible
results which are wholly deserving
the attention of the country during
National Education week. which starts
tomorrow and continues through next
Sunday. He has improved his tech
~ and widened the circle of his
ties. His work, after all, repre-
considerable investment OF
hnth time and money on the part OF
he Nation. He feels that the citizens
should be willing to devote at least a
week to talking things over with him
finding out the actual condition of the
schools. and thinking about means OF
Improvement and advancement.
War Reveals Illiteracy.
The World War was d dividing line
IN the history of American education
~Aas in SO many other fields Up to
that time it was customary to talk
about the schools in we'll accepted
platitudes. Nobody questioned that
schooled Nation in the world. that it
had the lowest percentage of illiteracy.
and that at least an elementary edu-
cation was the birthright of every boy
or girl born under the Stars and
Stripes THE little red schoolhouse, :"
ccreamed the Fourth of July orator,
the foundation of our institutions"
Yes. American citizenship was set
on the firm basis of the little red
schoolhouse.
The last census had shown an
flliteracy of only about per cent
easily eXplainable as due to the
heavy immigration from lands which
were not blessed with the little red
Schoolhouse.' But that would be
remedied i'm single generation.
figures of the draft boards and those
of the census takers were quite diff
ferent. Here was a selected group
where the results of American edu-
cation should appear at their best.
And 25 per cent of the men of the
United States between the ages of
IS and 81. the examining officers
found, couldn't read and write. The
figures were almost unbelievable. but
they led to deductions even more
alarming. If SO many of these young
men were illiterate. what must be
the condition among their fathers,
mothers and sisters. whose educa-
tional advantages had been somewhat
less. The percentage would run to
35 per cent-perhaps even higher.
Nobody knew. and nobody knows to
this day just how great is the
fgnora nee of the body polite. upon
the general intelligence of which a
Il Tn
for success.
The census takers per cent. at
least was shown to be ridiculous.
The error was not hard to explain.
The busy young man would rap at
the door. his census blanks and
sharpened pencil ready. The hard
worked mother would answer the
summons. How many in the family
10. ANY illiterates-no. Down went
two answers. But these 10 indi-
viduals. it might be. all were Hitter
ates They would be shown up by
such a test as that applied to the men
drafted into the Army.
Worst of all. by no means the
greater part of this illiteracy came
from the big industrial cities with
larger elements of recent immigration
in the populace. It couldn't be blamed
Bulgaria. It couldn't even be blamed
on the hated Kaiser. The illiterates
were pouring in from the farms and
the country villages-the stronghold
Of the little red schoolhouse. Some
thing had gone wrong with the key
stone of the arch of American
democracy.
Progress Since War.
These figures, the future may proves
were the outstanding benefit America
obtained from its participation in the
war. The cancer of ignorance had
been discovered in time when it still
was possible to bring about a cure.
The schoolmaster, who had been taken
for granted before, assumed a new
Importance in the economies OF the
people. II the school system was
breaking down it was only step to
the breaking down of the Government
itself.
. since the war the upward progress
h.s heen steady and considerable. Not
hit that Americans still must keep
their tongues in their cheeks when
they boast of themselves as citizens OF
a literate nation. Some Of the smaller
countries of Europe can anord to
laugh at them. But without any defl-
mite statistics IL is safe to assume tnat
iliiteracy is notably less than was the
case 10 years ago.
During those 10 years "the little red
schoolhouse" largely has disappeared.
IL has been replaced by the conson,
dated country school, offering to rurai
children real opportunities Of learn
ing AT least to read and write. Schools
have been opened in virgin territory
and facilities provided for the immi'
grant who came in before the present
fteracy bars were established.
American Education week is the an
nuai stock-taking, when the teacher
renders an accounting to the public
and the public renders no less of an
accounting TO the teacher. 1t Is
sponsored this year by the American
Education Association and by the
American Legion and ends appro'
priately on Armistice day.
The essential purpose OF the week
IA 70 acquaint the public with the ac-
t,iai work of the schools, their Ideals.
their achievements and their needs.
zach of the seven days is devoted TO
enc of the cardinal points in the Ma
tion's educational program. develop,
uoent of which is considered essential
TO sound citizenship.
TOMORROW VIII Dc iic"iSh '"S'
zens are invited TO visit the school
rooms and see just what the establish.
n1ent IL accomplishing in the line ot
.o,,nder bodies. which are fully as es
SenttaI as sounder minds. 1t is a
.oynnaratiyeIy new departure. The
"IjttIe red schooihouse" and its more
rresuming city sisters had thought lit
lie before the war OF this field Of ed
,,cation. They assumed that thf
child's body would take care OF itself
II the pupil was sick. school was nc
place for him.
Hygiene Now Emphasized.
Now nearly all schools In the coun
trv which are under the direction o.
competent educators emphasize ny
ciene and health habits. regular exer
else In gymnasium and out OF doors