Evening star., 1932-04-19
Secreary of Interior Talks to
D. c. Congress of Parents
and Teachers.
DEPRESSION DESCRIBED
AS NATIONS RENAISSANCE
Cabinet Member Holds Present
Economic Conditions Will Restore
Ties of Family Life.

Adversely was described by Secretary
of the Interior Wilbur early this after
noon as helpful factor In re-establish-
ing the home on its own traditional
principles-cloSe alliance of parents and
children and the proper training of
children.
Speaking at the annual convention OF
the District of Columbia Congress of
Parents and Teachers in the auditorium
OF the Interior Department, Secretary
Wilbur also denied that prohibition is
responsible for the crime wave among
youths.
Pointing out that the schools during
the prosperous years had assumed many
OF the responsibilities which rightfully
belong to the home, Secretary Wilbur
said:
"A little adversely helps sometimes.
1t brings the home little closer to-
gether by making the problems of chill
dren more intimate"
Must Train for Future.
The present depression and the at
tending confusion in the economic
world, the Secretary declared, consti-
tuteS a kind of renaissance for the
I'VE are headed" he said, "for some
thing finer than we have yet had. Yet
l see no future for the Nation unless
the home does its part. while the
school Is important, 1t cannot assume
all the obligations of the home" The
schools main job, the Secretary con-
tended, Is to train children for their
work in the future
And in that connection, the schools
tasks are most difficult," Secretary
Wilbur continued, "for they must pre-
pare children for a future that is de-
cidedly hard to read by virtue of the
rapidly changing order Of things. They
must keep the children from being all
dressed up educationally with no place
to go. In other words, the schools must
figure out where we're going and then
fit the children to take their places"
Commenting briefly on the increase
of crime among youths, the Secretary
blamed "the war;" with its attending
upheaval of emotions.
There have been efforts by some to
blame the efforts to control the liquor
| traffic" Wilbur asserted. This is not
| so, however, because we had the same
kind of crime waves for us to observe
] in England, Sweden, France and other
countries abroad"
Reports Are Presented.
The Secretary was introduced by
Selden M. Ely, supervising principal OF
the fifth division in the public schools.
This mornings session included the
presentation of reports by officers.
Prominent among these was the an
nual report of Mrs. Joseph N. Saunders,
president. Mrs. Saunders pointed out
in her report that the D. g. Congress
of Parents and Teachers during the
past year has undertaken to adhere
strictly to its principles. "to give every
child the best possible education
mental, moral and physical"
One of the bitterest battles of the
parent-teacher history is anticipated for
tomorrow at the biennial election. MIS-
Saunders is the formal candidate of the
Nominating Committee. Strong agita-
ton, launched by Mrs. Giles Scott
Rafter, former president, who held Office
for 16 years, however, is expected to re-
suit in the nomination of Mrs. E. c.
Rittue. Mrs. Rafter and Mrs. Saunders
had their relations strained more than
year ago, when, following Mrs. Rafter's
public statements with respect to the
need for free lunches for school children,
Mrs. Saunders and the administration
generally repudiated the former head by
pointing out publicly that Mrs. Rafter
no longer was an officer of the organ
iZation, and that therefore her state
ments could represent only the personal
views Of an individual.