Evening star., 1933-01-29
MERGERS FAVORED
IN SCHOOL CRISIS
Local Councils to Guard
Standards Suggested After
Farley.
by the Associated Press.

by the Associated Press.
w. REORGANIZATION and consolidation OF
local governments and school districts
ayesterday was recommended as meth
y Dd of adjusting present-day educational
needs with economic conditions bred by
= the depression.
W It formed one of the principal decla-
srations of policy formulated by a COM
smittee which consolidated findings OF
) the Citizens Conference on the Crisis
: In Education recently held here, with
REPRESENTATIVES of educational, farm. la
sbor. business and taX-Study groups TAX
sang part.
. The report urges the creation of local
-councils, wholly unofficial but broadiy
representative, Ito mobilize and clarity
.tublic opinion in order to deal more
generously and wisely with the present
scrisis in education"
= This movement already is under way
sand may prove to be one OF the most
ssignificant in providing spirited civic
Interest in schools" in the opinion OF
Or. Charles r. Mann of the American
Council of Education, a member OF the
committee. He said general public in
tterest in educational affairs, which has
tbeen lacking in many communities Tor
many years, now is being revived
Through the growing problem OF public
finances.
Responsibility Stressed.
The report stresses the belief that ed
1lcation is a fundamental obligation OF
public policy and that educational pro-
4cedure must be evaluatad eventually in
terms of 'far-reachirg and broadly in
elusive social purpose." How to adjust
school costs to long-term economic con-
ditions with no damage to the child
furnishes major proo.em, the COM
snnittee reported.
THE major wastes in education
should BE- eliminated through the sboli-
tion of control over and interference
with education by politicians, OF
political appointments and of political
corruption" the report said.
Administrative control must be CEN
tralized in the superintendent; State
administrative organization of educa-
-tion must be reorganized through the
creation of non-political and profess
eional agency for the administration OF
the educational policies of the State.
where such agency does not already
exist.
The State must assume the respon-
-eibility within its means of assuring
adequate public education to all local
communities, irrespective OF their finan-
cial condition. All governments, local,
State and National, should direct at
tention to the immediate reformation
of the system Of taxation"
Priority Is Urged.
The group urged law-making bodies
to give priority to legislation which VIII
alleviate conditions in communities now
being required to make injurious cur
tailments in their school programs be-
cause of unusual burdens. inequitable
tax systems or faulty fiscal machinery.
The report urges Congress to provide
for Federal assistance through emer-
gency loans for limited period to such
States as may make an adequate show
ing of their inability to maintain rea-
scnable standards of support for puhllc
school education
Shortening of the school year to re-
duca costs was froWned upon.
The report recommended that the
size of classes in all special subjects,
art. music. manual and domestic arts,
be made as large as that Of the aver
age academic class, and the postpone
ment CT building construction Where
practicable rather than reduction OF
salaries for teachers.