Evening star., 1933-09-17

that we are not practlcln8 WnaC we
preach. Reports received by the United
States Office of Education sho.y that
there is more need for safeguarding the
health of children than ever before: But
at the same time that thousands OF
school health staff, doctor, nurse and
dentist, are classed as a non essential
and cut from the budget.
The necessity for continuing school
building program arises not from the
desire to house the public schools in
structures of more SumptuouS propor-
tions and design, but mainly from the
need for space to care for the yearly
increase in enrolment. This increase
is normally about l per cent, but the
depression has accelerated it by reduc-
ing the opportunities for employment
for young people and so leaving them
in school, In view Of the present trend
away from child labor there is a prob
ability that the increased high school
enrolment which resulted from the de-
preston will become permanent
But school building programs are
practically at standstill. Not more
than l city In 20 has any class rooms
under construction this year. There
has been delay in construction of ap-
proximately 1000 needed rural school
buildings, and about $4,000 rural school
districts are not making the necessary
minor repairs to keep their buildings
and equipment from deteriorating. It
can hardly be said that this is enon-
ony. since in most cases the delay in
repairs evidently results in greater
destruction of school property Needed
school buildings must be built some
time, however long postponed, and in
general dollars can actually be saved
by taking advantage Of the compare
lively low costs of labor and ma
terials which prevail at present.
Many Part-time Pupils.
A recent survey of city public schools
has shown that about $4,000 children
are attending school part time or are
housed in portable buildings in cities
where there is not single class room
under construction. In other localities
classes in the high schools are SO large
that teachers are obliged to resort to
such eXpedients as seating pupils on
the window sills.
The present condition of American
public school teachers has been called
a national disgrace They have borne
the brunt Of budget balancing. They
have taken cut after cut in their SAL
aries, waited months for their pay. ac-
cepted tax anticipation warrants, scrip
and room and board in lieu of money
and have taught for months at a time
knowing they would receive no re-
muneration for it. One Southern State
has fixed the minimum salary for
teachers in public schools other than
State-aid schools at S8l0 a year for
high school teachers and $675 for ele-
mentary school teachers. A Midwest
ern State has set the minimum salary
for all public school teachers in the
State at $40 for each month of the
school term. And this in the same
year that the minimum wage for un-
skilled labor in many industries is set
at SIS a week.
The practice by teachers Of providing
shoes and clothing, food and carfare
for needy children out of their own
pockets has become Well-nigh univer-
sal during the last year. In cooper
alton with parent-teacher associations
they have given every imaginable serv-
ice to the children of unemployed fami-
lies. They have supplied soap towels
and haircuts. spent their time preparing
breakfasts and lunches for the young
sters who come to school hungry and
paid for medical and dental service for
boys and girls whose families were un-
e.o4\ W P-ONAoC ~ llC AL d
West Virginia school helped raise a
fund to bury child who died when
the parents we're destitute.
Direct Aid Given.
Some States are giving their schools
direct aid and helping them as we'll
| through special services. The Univer-
sity Of Kentucky has been doing a
valuable work in reaching, through the
radio, children who otherwise would
have no contact with education. The
extension service Of the University of
Nebraska is sending out correspondence
courses to high schools of the State
which have had to curtail their pro-
grams and lessen their number of
teachers
Education does not need or ask an
unreasonable amount of the public
funds. For instance, the average citi-
zen of Wisconsin. where schools rank
high. spends about per cent of his
income for education, and for eyery
dollar he spends on the schools he paws
out six for his automobile.
Ihe education of all children must
be the concern of everybody, for no
child grows up a citizen of his COM
munity only. He is a citizen of his
State and Of the Nation. A closed
school in rural district affects not
only that locality and those children
who would attend it; its influence will
extend throughout the country and
Will be felt for generation.