Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-01
COMPLETELY OF u. S. SCHOOL
PROBLEMS AMAZES BRITON
Large Enro|Iments and Stiff
Tests Also Ast0und
Woman.
Courage of America in Plot
ting Education Course Is
Commented On.

the large school enrollmentS, the
completely of intelligence tests of pu-
pills, the magnihcence of the newer
school buildings, the extent Of free ed
ucation here and the courage with
which America has plotted her educa-
tional course to meet the demands of
a population gathered from the four
corners of the earth are the things
which most strongly impress at least
one English educator on a visit to the
United States.
Miss Edith A. Ford. his majesty's
staff inspector of schools of the Gen.
trail Board of Education of England,
who has been in Washington since
Monday, today cited these phases and
factors of American educational life as
being most interesting to her. Miss
Ford, who Is touring this country on a
program arranged for her by the Eng
disappearing Union, had visited New
York, Philadelphia and Baltimore be-
fore coming to the Capital. and in those
cities she received impressions that have
been amplified and confirmed mere.
In her discussion Of the educational
differences between her own country
and the United States. Miss Ford said
that while her impressions pertain TO
particular factors. these phases cannot
be separated. She was amazed" at
the intelligence tests which now arc
being made Of American school children,
for instance, she said, but the tests
cannot be regarded without considering
also the astoundingly large school en-
rollments In American schools.
Completely Amazes Her.
ct am amazed at the completely Of
these tests to which your children are
submitted and l am somewhat of the
opinion that closer personal contact
between your teachers-your school
officials-and your children could pro-
vide better grounds for the weighing
Of the respective abilities Of various
pupils" Miss Ford declared. Continu-
ing, she said:
But am not willing to contend
that the necessary personal contact
between your children and your school
officials can be attained as we may in
England. for. while you have enroll
ments of 1000 to 5000 and even 5000
500. So, while the outsider is apt to be
amazed at the utter elaborateness of
your I. O. tests. he cannot be unmind-
full that. with such great enrollments,
il Is necessary to reduce to paper the
mental characteristics Of children"
Having visited the new Mckinley
High School here and the new Garnet
Patterson Junior High School-the lat
ter the first all-colored school which
she ever had seen-Miss Ford was i'm
pressed with the elaboration of school
buildings here and expressed the fear
that Washington schools were almost
too permanent" in the face of educa-
tional developments.
Cites Progress Of Ideas.
"In the face of progressing ideas on
educational systems. I should think you'd
be afraid to build quite so permanently
for fear Of having your structures quite
Anticipated in year or two by an
entire change of educational system"
she explained. But, since safety to
children is a factor and since environ
nIent in which children must study is
of most mportance-culture is SUBJ
consciously instilled in children's minds
by surrounding of architectural splendor
and physical magniflcence-I am not
willing TO say you have not the right
idea. If such buildings can be afforded,
then ! am sure you have"
Learning that free education is pro-
vided through the secondary school
grades In Washington, Miss Ford point
ed out that a child in England may
proceed in school without cost until
he Is Is years of age, but that social
distinction is apt to prevent every child
from entering the free central" schools.
The educational laws in England re-
uuire school attendance of children
between the ages Of and Is and the
government Is careful that education
without any cost whatever Is made
available to children within those
limits.
This "free education" includes not
only tuition, but text books and supplies.
and when Miss Ford was told that
Washington, with a compulsory at
tendance age of 16, requires its high
school children to buy their own books
she was visibly surprised.
That is one point We are careful
about; requiring a child to attend
school and at the same time making
it possible for him to do So" she as
serted.
The variety Of subjects which pupil
may study in American schools was
characterized by Miss Ford as evidence
of the courage" with which the United
States. in its brief history, has planned
its educational field. Confronted with
races from all over the world, the United
States has set up an educational sys-
tenn which suits them all and vet es-
tablishes high standards, she said.
Schools Are Systematic.
with such a short history. the United
States has set out to begin all over
again in the educational world. What
1t found that didn't suit conditions 1t
changed entirely. It's teachers are con-
fronted sometimes with many races in
a single class. yet there is no hesitancy.
The course goes on. Your schools are
study In optimism" Miss Ford declared.
Miss Ford will leave Washington to-
morrow for the Virginia home Of Lady
Aston. Following a visit there she will
go to Chicago, where she will continue
her observation of American schools
and American life. She said she was
grateful for the program which the
English Speaking Union had set up
for her, since it gave her opportunity
TO know not only American schools,
but the society for which those schools
prepare Americas children.
Without knowing your home life.
your club life, your industrial life,
could not know what your schools were
trying to do, and without knowing their
purpose. certainly / could not know
them" she explained.
Miss Ford is a member OF the Cen
trail Board OF Education OF England,
which may be comparable to depart
ment OF education in The American
cabinet. 1t has jurisdiction over all