Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-16
j. s.
EDUCATIONAL RULE
HIT BY COMMITTEE
Advisory Body in Report Fa-
vors Department With
Secretary, However.

Further DECENTRALIZATION in Washing
ton Of powers over the purposes and
processes of education" is vigorously
opposed in the final report of the Ma
tional Advisory Committee on Educa-
ton, which has Just been submitted to
President Hoover.
The report contains far-reaching rec
concentrations Concerning the policies
and activities OF the central govern
ment, laying greatest emphasis on the
preservation of local autonomy in edu-
cation, both in legislation and admins
tration.
The report urges establishment of
Federal department of education with
limited powers, but with secretary of
education in the cabinet, the abolition
of the Federal Board of Vocational
Education and the establishment of an
interdepartmental council to co-ordi-
nate the farf1ung educational activities
OF the Army ana Navy, Office of In
dian Affairs and Department of Agri-
culture
The committee advocates abandon
ment both of Federal appropriations to
the States for special forms of edu-
cation of interest to special groups and
Of the practice Of requiring that Fed
eral appropriations be matched by the
ventions to the States in support of
education Is Endorsed, provided that
each State is left free to use the money
as State authorizes consider for the
best interests of the people, without di-
rection from Washington.
Federal Relations Problem.
The committee, which is headed by
DR.. Charles r. Mann, director of the
American Council on Education, has
been engaged IN studying the problem
OF Federal relations to education for the
past two years. The problem, SAYS the
report, was found to involve questions
reachlng literally into every phase of
Federal administrative activity"
The report treats of the difficulties
OF education in territories, outlying
possessions and in special Federal
areas: in teaching the Indians and
other indigenous peoples; in training
the Government personnel and in in
ternational intellectual relations. In
each of these fields recommendations
are offered.
The outstanding recommendation is
that The Government establish a Fed
eral headquarters for education" and
by majority vote, but with IL men,
bers dissenting. the committee recon-
mendS that this take the form of
Government department, with Sec
rotary of Education in the cabinet.
The functions of such a department
would be limited to research and in
formation service that would foster CO.
operation with and among the States
on educational matters. 1t also would
act as center of coordination
through which the several conflicting
Federal educational agencies might be
co-ordlnated under one guiding policy
NucIaus Raoo.ouaudoI
The committee recommends that the
present Office of Education in the
Interior Department be made the
nucleus for this new department. The
existing Federal subsidies for voca-
tional education would be retained,
but some of their limitations removed
by repeating those provisions of the
Smith Hughes act that require State
matching of Federal funds and Federal
approval of State plans and standards
and that give Washington officials power
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