The Waterbury Democrat., 1933-01-23

New York, Jan Ed-EEebent breakdown of traditional methods of financing public schools is dee priving approximately $500, 900 American children of essential schooling and threatening the well fare of millions of others in states throughout the Union, Professor Paul R. Mort, director of the School of Education at Teachers College, Columbia university, de- clared yesterday in announcing the results of a national survey. of school finance, conducted under the auspices of the United States of- hce of Education. tsa
 Survey Aughorised By Congress
 The survey, authorized by Con- gress Tn 1881 was conducted by Professor Mort underline direction of Dr William John Cooper, United States commissioner of education, and was made by an impressive group of educators, economists, and experts in public finance.
 Members of this group included Lotus D. Coffman, president of the University of Minnesota; Fred R. Fairchild, professor of Political Economy, Yale university; Mark Graves, director of the budget of New York state; Robert M. Haig. professor of business administra- ton at Columbia university; Arr thur N. Holcombe, professor of government at Harvard university; !; Leonor F. Loree, president of the Delaware and Hudson railroad 1; Harley L. Lutz, professor of public finance, Princeton university; Felix M. McWhirter, president of Peo. ple's State bank, Indianapolis, Ind; !; Henry C. Morrison, professor of education, University of Chicago; and Fletcher Harper Swift, profess sor of education, University of Cal- ifornia.
 Tax Revision Necessary
 Drastic tax revision in virtually all of the 4S states Is indicated by the survey as immediately neces. sary if tho poorer local commun- ities are to be relieved of present crushing burdens and if Q min. lmum program of care and educa- ton Is to be set up for the chll- dren of those communities.
 Professor Mort yesterday de. ciared that vast "barren areas" ex- ist in the United States where schools have gone quito out of ex- istence or are distinctly inferior"
 "Thousands of communities throughout the country" he de. clared, find themselves unable, under present methods of taxation, to make even eiemontal provision for the care and education of their children and youth. Scores of thousands of youths of high school age are wandering about tho coun- try. An even larger number, in- cluding hosts of younger children, are suffoing fom mal-nutltion and inadequate care in both rural and urban sections. So serious are tho dangers to American children and to public welfare that immediate steps should be taken by state leg islatures to prevent tho deepening of tho disaster"
 Prof Mort, nationally known as an authority in public school finance, stated that printed copies of the survey findings and recom- mondations would he sent to tho governors and legislative leaders to help guide the way to needed legis- latien.
 Survey Started in fe8l
 Tho survey began in. July, 1881, following appfopriatioh by Con- gross of funds for that purpose. IL extended to every county in every state in tho union. When con- gregs last year, as part of It's econ- omy program, cancelled tho appro- priation for the continuance of tho survey, tho General Education Board of Now York city provided the funds necessary to complete the basic study. This 10 being pub- iished by Teachers College, Colum. bla university, for distribution by tho American Council on Eduea- ton of Washington, D. c.
 Outstanding among tho findings, as summarized yesterday by Pro. lessor Mort, arc tho following: ?.
 1. Tn most states the economic ability of the local school district determines tho program of child
 welfare in the district; and in
 thousands of localities this ability Is too low to provide proper care and education for children. There are vast areas, therefore, where
 schools arc distinctly inferior and
 other areas whore schools arc
 eeasing to exist. es
 2, In most states there cxlst- cd, oven ct tho peak of progpor.
 fly, areas in which educational opportunities were of the most meagre type.
 3. A century ago, when the battle to transfer the costs of ed-
 ueation from individual pat onts to tho whole local community was
 won and resulted in that system of freo public education which became basic in Americanli life and Ideals, tho local community was able to bear the burden. Drastic social change, ,howeyer--eBpoc ocial. iy that which has taken place during tho last twenty.hvo years
 mot only has thrown greater TO. sponsibiiity upon public education In the rearing of healthy and law abiding children but has soon tho local community less and less able to boar tho cost of this responsi-
 bility. Wealth has been concen- trated In the great urban eenters and in the hands Of Q relatively small number of persons.
 {. A Fundamental change rp. qulred to-day is the transfer Of the burden of support Of oduca- uoH IToHl iOCuA cOUlHuHltiSb " tho entire state. .. <
 5. Tho. property tax is over. burdened. More use must be made
 of other forms of taxation;
 6. It iB possible to have seduca. ton fnanc0d by tho individual state without removing control Of teaching and the curriculum from the local community. It is recon1- mended that tho states set up gat- isfactory minimum programs Of education which can be financed without throwing larger. burdens upon any one local community than upon any other.
 2. Increased local efficiency in education will come through tho further grouping of small, inade. quate school districts. It seems likely that the extoiiing of the giorios of the little red school house may rest in large part on the fear of . larger tax burden
 believed inherent in re-organiza- stion of local schools into larger units--a fear that would be. quite