Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-08-09
FEDERAL EDUCATION.
PLAN IS DEBATED.
Miss Williams Urges New De.
partment-Prof. Latane
Fears Bureaucracy.
Nv THOMAS Il. HENRY,
stan Correspondent of The Star.

UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA. Au-
gust "A spirited debate between
Miss Chari williams. field secretary CT
the National Education Association
and Prof. John Fl. Latane OF JOHNS
Hopkins University over the need OF a
Federal Department of Education fea-
tured the open forum meeting OF the
Institute of Public Affairs here today.
Miss williams characterized education
as the most important activity OF the
Nation and said that adequate research
work In this field could be conducted
only by a Federal department with
Secretary in the cabinet.
Illustrating the extent of American
public school activities, she said that
million teachers now are employed FOR
the instruction of 2T.000000 children.
at an annual cost OF about $4,000 600
600. The need of research work. she
emphasized. Is shown by the ffgh
American illiteracy rate.
Latane Fears Bureaucracy.
DR.. Latane insisted that. while De.
partment of Education might bring tenn
porary advantages, in the end 1t simply
would mean an increase IN Federal
bureaucracy
bureaucracy" ne said, lis the dis
ease from which all old governments
die. and unless we can devise some
method of relieving the National
Government of the innumerable
agencies that have been concentrated
In Washington, the Government soonsr
or later will break down and democ-
racv will prove failure A Secretary
of Education would be constantly In
creasing his jurisdiction, and there Is
no limit to the schemes which would
be presented to Congress-.
1T would increase Standardization.
This. to my mind. Is a very dangerous
tendency In the educational field. We
are known to the world as a country
of large scale production. In order TO
nave large-scale production we must
have more or less homogeneous popu-
lation. and SO by clever advertising the
big business concerns are trying to
make the American people eat stand
ardized breakfast food wear standard
iaad clothes. attend standardized nov-
les, think alike and act alike"
Writers Run Gantiet.
All progressive colleges. ne said, are
trying to get away from standardiza-
ton He insisted that Federal de-
partment of education would provide
machinery for carrying on propaganda
and would recommend text books under
political pressure,
I'VE writer's nf text books" he said,
have to run the gauntlet Of the Grand
ARMY of the Republic the Daughters
Of the Confederacy. the Sons of the
Revolution. the American Legion and
other organiza tons whose activities In
this line are unthought Of by the gen.
erat public !"
I'm spite OF compulsory education
laws and free unsupported schools, !"
Miss Williams insisted. on her side Of
the debate I'VE still have In our coun-
try a higher percentage of illiteracy
than any of the other leading nations.
Every dav approximately one-fourth OF
our children of school age are absent
from the classroom. while at least an
equal number belong to the retarded
groups not delinquent or defective. but
below the grade where they should be.
IF the farmers cattle are sick he
can write to the Department of Agri-
culture for practical help. Animal and
plant culture have come to BE- con-
sidered duties OF the national Govern
r1ent. while child culture Is neglected.
Individual States can command neither