Evening star., 1933-02-05
American EducatiOn's Crisis
the Problems
BY ROBERT M. HUTCHINs.


education in America is now in
such an alarming stage that the
i President of the United States
had no difficulty in securing a
response to his call TO diverse interests
to assemble in Washington to consider
it. The conference that resulted was
significant in its membership, In Its
temper and in its conclusions.
The reports of the committees to
which I shall refer indicate the scope
and consequences of the present plight
OF public education. On the other
hand they reveal the tremendous faith
which our people still cherish in edu-
cation, All the various elements In the
conference shared this faith. They
united in declaring their belief that
education must be preserved. Their
resolutions show how they think this
can be done.
Whatever may be the temporary con-
sequences of a financial stringency 1t
is clear that educational services must
The National Child Labor Committee
has announced that 1t proposes to take
100000 children out of industry. What
will it do with them when 1t gets them
out? If we cannot put our children to
work we must put them in school.
Furthermore, we must, sooner or
later, realize that we cannot force all
high school students into the same
mold; We must offer them opportunities
which have some relation to their indi-
vidual qualities and individual destiny.
And these varied opportunities must
extend through the junior college Pc
riod
The conference considered with some
reluctance these long-term trends, and
of course considered also the present
emergency. In both cases, however,
they directed their attention not to the
negative task Of reducing public ex-
penditures, but to the positive under
taking of showing our people the place
of public education in our society and
the relation of educational costs to
other Governmental costs and to the
system of taxation. This emphasis was
wise and constructive, but we may have
no doubt that In general the schools
of America have been undernourished,
rather than too richly fed. The edu-
cational system must be maintained If
not by the local communities, then by
the States; if not by the States, then
by the Federal Government.
This is not to say that waste and in
efficiency should not be eliminated
wherever they are found. The pressure
under which the schools are now work.
ing is a sufficient guaranty that their
administrators are getting rid of ex-
of them could do much more If they
were free from political domination.
Debts Problem Studied.
Since the problem of financing the
NJ hn
problem of financing government and
since the problem of financing govern
ment becomes acute through the pres
ent financial situation, the conference
properly devoted much attention to the
central phenomenon of the depression
the disparity between debts and
prices. 1t pointed out, In effect, that
If prices cannot be raised debts must
be reduced. 1t requested that immedi-
ate attention be given to these and
other serious maladjustments. This
emphasis, too, was, in my opinion, proper
and constructive. The group was rep
resentative, earnest and intelligent
Their verdict on the most pressing
question Of the day is OF more than
casual value.
Representatives of the American
Council on Education, the American
Farm Bureau Federation, the American
Federation Of Labor, the National As
sociation Of Mapufacturers and the Ma
tional Grange attended this Citizens
Conference on the Crisis in Education.
The occasion was significant because Of
the participation of these numerous and
important organizations outside the
educational field. President Hoover
opened the conference and set the tone
M 1ccio htyh cfofo 6ot
'our Nation faces the acute responsible
ity of providing right of way for the
American child"
The conference then got down to
work under the Craftsmanship of Dr.
Ray Lyman Wilbur, Secretary of the
Interior. The first afternoon was de-
voted to formal statements by repre-
sentatives of the five participating or
CARNATIONS. Albert S. Goss of the
Grange and Charles E. Hearst Of the
Farm Bureau Federation, both insisted
on the preservation of educational op-
portunities for the American child and
indicated their willingness to cooperate
in maintaining present standards. They
pointed out that the agricultural stu
alton was now so serious that in order
to save the educational system 1t would
be necessary to restore the capacity of
the farmer to make that contribution
which they admitted to be a proper
one. Dean Charles H. Judd of the Uni
versity of Chicago, representing the
American Council on Education, in
sisted that the development of educa-
tional opportunities and the creation of
new educational units in recent years
had resulted from a popular demand,
which in turn was consequence Of
economic conditions. DR.. Judd did not
expect this demand to diminish in the
near future because the economic situ-
alton. he said, would inevitably force
a still further increase In the number
and variety Of educational advantages
Howell Cheney, speaking for the Ma
tional Association of Manufacturers,
said that we are now on permanently
lower level of prices and that education
must recognize this fact and adjust its
operations to it. The community must
deal with the schools as father deals
with his family in times Of economic
stress said Mr.. Cheney.
Labor Stand Given.
Frank Morrison. secretary Of the
American Federation OF Labor, pre-
sented a carefully prepared statement
Of unusual significance from that Or
ganization, signed by William Green,
its president. It demanded the main
tenance Of educational opportunities
throughout the depression and through
out the country. Mr.. Green said, I'VE
believe that the judicious use of avail
able resources and the use Of Federal
credit will enable the country to weather
the emergency without such injury to
our children as would result from
lowered educational standards" Re-
construction Finance Corporation loans
for educational purposes at low interest
rates were urged by Mr.. Green, who
declared that the Federal Government
should bear the burden Of equalizing
educational opportunities during the de-
preston.
The propositions stated in the
agenda and the opening discussions
of the conference indicated that many
members had entertained the view that
retrenchment in education was neces-
sary, and that the sole purpose Of the
r.