Evening star., 1927-09-11
BY WILL p. KENNEDY.

ter OF the western hemisphere,
stretching its helpful and guiding
hand into every State in the Union
and to far.iung foreign lands. For
the whole Nation looks to Washington
for educational leadership, and from
Washingtons institutions go forth
men to make and administer the Ma
tiOnS laws, TO direct educational ad-
vancement and research, enrichlng
life by increasing the sum total OF
human knowledge, and to be educated
leaders Of the people, and to ably
represent our Government at home
and abroad in the highest positions.
These Washington alumni treasure
in their hearts appreciation for their
teachers here, echoing Goethe's
tribute:
1.-The godlike man, the noble peda-
gogue,
Who cast a people in heroic mold"
Indeed Washington has been called
a university itself, because the whole
atmosphere here is one of liberal edu
cation to an eager, receptive mind.
Merely to live here with faculties alert
is highly educational.
Form Nobler Race.
Public education is a peoples de-
1iherate effort to form a nobler race
Of men. 1t recognizes that the way
TO improve society is by improving
men. because human beings are the
greatest resource of any nation, and
the noble mind of the race is renewed
and sustained by the education of the
young.
1t was this thought that President
Coolidge had in mind when he said:
America has but one great staple
product. We till the soil, operate our
industries, develop transportation, en-
gage in commerce. encourage the arts
and sciences-but these are only
means to an end They are all c., led
on that America may produce men
and women worthy of our standards
OF citizenship"
So it is eminently fitting that this
Capital City, the only city in all the
world designed exclusively for the
conduct of a nations business, should
have grown into the worlds greatest
center of we'll rounded and balanced
education, linked in with practical
business sense and efficiency.
Opportunity for Youth.
1t is eminently fitting that youth
from all over the land can come to the
Capital and while working as a page
hoy in Congress. or running an ele-
vato- in the Capitol building, or work
ing as a clerk in some Government
establishment, can have opportunity
to fit himself for any profession, to
represent the greatest of nations in
foreign lands, for any chosen line of
science, or to add to his general men
tai development and store of knowl-
edge.
"Before each one of us an image
floats of what he ought TO be,
IL, te
never full and free"
Though the Constitution of the
United States makes no mention of
education and the establishment of
schools was left to the individual
States as an unmentioned power by
the tenth amendment, ratified in 1891,
yet from the foundation of the Repub-
lie the Federal Government encour-
aged education in the several States
and made provision for schools in the
Territories.
Bureau of Education.
The necessity of some central office
for the collection and study of educa-
fional statistics and data was early
seen and appreciated by schoolmen.
In response to this need. the United
States Bureau of Education was insti.
NdtFo 4C4 AlAC pOi POSC VI COlIGtllllS
such statistics and facts as shall show
the condition and progress of educa.
tion in the several States and Terri
tories, and of diffusing such informa
ton respecting the organization and
management of schools and school
systems and methods of teaching as
shall aid the people Of the United
States in the establishment and main
tenance of efficient school systems and
nthpTVrica 10 of I'D,
cation throughout the country"
IT was first created by Congress as
a department of education on March
3. 1867, and continued as an 'indepen
dent establishment" until July /. 1869
when, according to provision con
tanned i'm one of the annual appro
priation acts. approved July 20, 1868
il was constituted an office or bureal
in the Department Of the Interior
Introduction of Reindeer.
The bureau has no administrative
functions except those connected will
the expenditure of the funds appro
priated by the Federal Government
for the maintenance of colleges o
agriculture and the mechanic arts il
the several States and Territories an,
those connected with the education
support and medical relief of native
of Alaska. The bureau was instru
mental in intrRducing the reindee
into Alaska from Siberia for the bent
fl Of the natives. There are nov
more than 400 900 reindeer in Alaska
two-thrds Of which are owned by NJ
tives. With it's system Of publ
schools for the natives, it has lifte
the abOrigines Of the Territory fror
an absolutely primitive state to indu:
trial and economic importance,
"a oil n
house for accurate and COMPREHENSIVE
information on education in the Unite
states and foreign countries. 1t az
ViseS legislatures, school offiCer
teachers and others in promoting an
directing education, and it conduct
surveys Of educational conditions
particular institutions, localities, cOu
ties and States. Such surveys haI
become in recent years a most vail
able method Of seeking out the veal
nesses in school systems and educ;
tional institutions and discoVe
ing programs of improvement II
quests for surveys have become 5
numerous thar the bureau has n
been able to comply with all of ther
IT has recently completed a survey
the entire educational system of II
State Of Utah at the request Of Il
state authorities, a survey of bull
ing program for the city of Portlan
Greg; a survey of the normal schoo
in the District Of Columbia, and
The present time is making surv'
of Rutgers University, New Brur
wick, y. j.
Home Education Promoted.
This bureau issues a monthly ed
eating periodical and biennially st
tieticql aud teXtual survey Of edut
,soo administers system OF