Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-30


as follows: In private correspondence
schools, about 2.50O,000; in public eve
ming schools and extension classes, 900,-
600: in university extension courses,
$50 900; in workers education, 10000:
in educational work of such social or
gan cations as the Young Mems and
Young Women's Christian Association,
knights of Columbus, ETC., about 1885,
900 to 100000.
These numbers do not include the
many millions in So-called informal
adult education which lack the organ
lied character of the courses listed
above.
There is no other project in adult
education in the world that can be
compared to this work in extent or in
its beneflcent effect in raising the level
of living among so large a number of
the population. A further encouraging
aspect of this work is that there is a
prospect of enlarging its scope to in
clude more of the cultural phases of
education, in addition to the excellent
vocational instruction now being Of
fered.
Then there are the 3,00o,0 900 members
of women's clubs, the growth of which
forms so rich chapter in the Nation'S
development, particularly in the broad
ening of woman's influence. Not so
long ago it was the fashion for father
and husband and certain feminine
highbrows to smile tolerantly at the all
embracing programs of women'S or
CARNATIONS
Another important agency in infor-
NAL adult education, as in formal, is
the public library. Indeed, of all
agencies it must stand first in its in
fiuence. However, this is true only of
he, Aalxy
per cent of rural people are without
library facilities.
The American Library Association is
alive to its opportunities and through
its number has done much to stimu-
late reading and study in the general
public. The publication of the Read
ing With a Purpose" series Is an Illus
tration of this pregmatic interest. The
appointment of readers advisers is an
other example.
Among other agencies that deserve
recognition for pioneer and present eff
fort the Chatauqua Institution must be
mentioned. This is an organization,
characteriStically American, that for
half a century or more has made a
notable contribution to the culture of
American life.
Lyceums Reach Many.
Lyceums, forums, public lecture
courses, drama leagues, reading circles
all offer further means for the contin-
uing education of men and women and
often make the difference between a
starved intellectual life and healthful
mental activity. Museums, too, are TAX
ing on new life and are becoming Gull
tural centers for the community.
Now that a word has been said about
so-called informal types of adult edu-
cation, further glance may be given
to the more formal organizations which
were listed above. Private correspond
ence schools, with their 1850, 900 pupils,
the lions share of the registrations,
certainly pique the curiosity. What are
these schools? Who are their clientele?
Under what Jurisdiction are they work.
ing? What are they accomplishing?
To answer these questions satiSfac-
torily much investigation and many
volumes of explanation and interpre-
tation would be needed. No one can be
unfamiliar with the claims of some.
however, for they are blatantly articu-
late In most OF the current magazines,
in which they promise naive readers
that their salaries will be doubled after
a short course or two in this or that
subject, from aviation to short-story
writing
The annual revenue collected from
tuition fees is approximately $7O,0OO,-
600, sum which, even in these days
Of high finance, is not to be despised.
In some of the schools only a small
of this revenue Is expended
for Institutional costs, for most of it
must be used to entice new students to
the work. The percentage who finish
the courses Is very small, estimated to
be about 10 per cent.
However, the picture Is not all black.
There are excellent schools, as well as
the almost fraudulent, and these ex-
cellent schools are filling q real need
among thousands of adults who are UNI
able or unwilling to join large study
groups with direct personal teaching.
The Home Study Council, too, made
up of the better schools, is doing eff
fective work In raising the standards
in this whole field.
Labor Colleges Established.
The Summer school for women work.
ers at Bryn Mawr College, organized
some 10 years ago, is one of the in
teresting educational experiments 60
ing on in the world. Other similar
schools in various parts of the country
have been organized to meet local
needs. Several labor colleges, resident
and nonresident, have also been eS-
tablished. the best known of which is
Brookwood, at Katonah.
University extension is another con-
crete evidence that the modern con-
ception of education is changing, for
it is recognition on the part of COL
leges and universities that they have
a responsibility for the men and women
in the community as well as for the
young student body within scholastic
walls.
To be sure, this extra mural work
is not usually comparable in extent to
that done within, but in the last few
years 1t has gained in importance and
prestige. In addition to this community
work. higher institutions are now throw
ing their doors open to Summer stu
dents and an increasingly large num-
Der are travelling thousands of miles to
take work under famous teachers who
have vitality affected American educa-
ton.
The work done by such organizations
as the Young Mems and Young Wom-
ems Christian Associations has served
real needs, for often they can help
ambitious pupils who may not be at
tracted by less personal and friendly
educational efforts
Public evening school and extension
classes need more than the passing ref
erence possible in these pages, for often
they are doing a tremendously impor-
tant work, which is only fraction Of
what they might be doing If their i'm
portance were recognized and proper
public support given. They are unique,
in that they are publicly supported and,
therefore, open to all the people.
For that reason they have an ex-
tremelv cosmopolitan clientele. who feel
that these are peculiarly their own
schools. 1t is needless to say that often
they become disappointed and disillu-
stoned, for they sometimes find made
quate teaching and physically uncom-
Portable and unattractive surroundings.
On the other hand, occasionally they
have the nnnortlinitV To 90 into heallti-