Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-23

JAMES J. DAVIS.
an auditorium, a library, gymnasium,
stadium, etc.
THE Department of Agriculture now
has number of small tracts about
Washington which are being used for
experimental purposes. With model
farm included in the high school sys-
tenn, the experiments now made by this
department might well be carried on
at the school and the students receive
the oeneht. The expense to the Gov
eminent OF conducting the present ex-
per1mental stations about Washington
could be reduced or the appropriations
MADE available to the high schools.
washington is noted for its wonder
full park system. This new high school
would be part of it and would be-
come not only nationally but inter-
nationally known. 1t would be one
of the great things for which Washing
ton is noted.
Visual Education Intended.
There is nothing more beneficial in
educating the young mind than visual
education, that is, by moving pictures.
Facilities for such visual education
should be provided on the campus.
The greatest possibilities lie in the
ington high schools of the vocational
courses now given and which might
later be added to the curriculum. Mod
ern machine shops would facilitate and
greatly improve the work being done
by mechanical students. There would
be power machinery for the crafts in
wood and metal, with power supplied
from a central power plant.
There would be consolidated labora-
tories for. the study Of physics, chem
istry, agriculture, botany, etc, and for
such uses as might be needed.
rs 1t easy to study agriculture in a
class room in the heart of city? The
answer need hardly be given. A farm
equipped with a diary, stables, silo,
stock and proper fencing would make
the studies much more practical, and
In my opinion more of the young men
In the city would be induced to follow
the farm as their life's work. Agri-
culture properly taught will make farm
ing, IN truth, gainfui occupation. But
the farm must be a real farm, with
the cows and chickens, horses and
swine and the many other tlIngs that
go with them. In this way only will
It be possible to teach animal hus-
panory. Furthermore, considerable
snare OF the expense of maintaining
the farm would be betrayed by the sale
OF the products.
All Of the courses covered in the vo-
cational field of instruction should be
unoer the supervision of a specialist
IN the particular line in which the stu
dent is interested, and facilities should
be provided whereby the student would
be guided in his selection of the occu-
patton which he intends permanently
TO follow. Fewer square pegs in round
noies should be the aim of vocational
instruction.
"A volume might be written as to the
possibilities of consolidated and CO.
ordinated school system. I can visual
lie right now the completed campus
with all facilities available. The stu
dents would come to the school at the
regular hour of 8. They would leave
at the regular hour of 4:30 or 5. Their
classes in physical training and sports
would be part of their daily routine.
The students would not 60 home for
lunch. For those who did not bring
their lunches a cafeteria or restaurant
would be provided, where meals could
be obtained at actual cost. In short,
greater regularity in the daily routine
of the students life than is possible
under the old system could be accom-
plished.
Names Advantages.
Among the advantages of the scheme
are: Centralized administration, CO.
ordination Of courses; centralized opera
ton of heating and lighting plants, re-
pair facilities, etc, resulting in economy
OF operation better and more Sys-
higher public estimation and respect
for the schools, and opportunity for
expansion, for additional facilities could
be added from time to time as
needed
THE greatest thought in my mind is
that Washington, now the capital of
the world, should have the worlds most
modern facilities for secondary educa-
cation. The system would be pointed
out and copied, with few exceptions,
by not only the larger cities of our
own country, but by practically every
educational center Of the world. Our
program should be the last word in
the development of educational facil-
tiles.
quite properly, the expense of oper-
ating this model high school system
would be borne jointly by the District
of Columbia and the United States
by the District because the citizens Of
Washington receive the benefits of the
education derived, and by the Nation
because it would be model for educa-
tional facilities to be copied in prac-
tically every section of the country and
because it is a part of the Nations de-
sire for the best for its Capital.
1.-The added expense to be borne by the
taxpayers of the District over the sys-
tenn now in use would come back to
them in another form. Washington is
not an industrial center and probably
never will be. A vast amount of its
business is derived from visiting tour
Il 800 -
the world. The fact that the most adj
vanced methods of secondary education
were in use in this city would bring to
it delegations of educators from every
center interested in higher education"
Cites MOOseheart School.
The letter concludes by calling Sen
ator Capper's attention to the Moose
heart institution, the school which
trains for life, where orphans of de-
ceased members of the Loyal Order of
Moose receive a high school education
and a trade which 1T them for their
place in the world.
THE plan as outlined is but the
adaptation of this institution, recog-
nized as the best of its kind in the
world. to the needs of growing city
like that of the Nations Capital" Da-
Wis wrote.
cat Mooseheart we have demonstrat-
ed that st is practicable to the nth de-
gree.
1.-The cost of one battleship will do
this"
Davis handed the letter across the
desk to his interviewer.
Those were my ideas in 1921" he
said, land they are my ideas now.
IT agree with Henry Ford that trade
schools are one of Americas chief
needs today. In deciding to devote his
| fortune and his life to meeting this
need he has taken a magnificent step
and I'm going to tell him so II should
see him down in Florida"