The Washington times., 1933-02-25
EDUCATE EVERY
CHILD, STILL
/. THEIR AIM
National Association ResistS
Any Attempts to Create
School AriStoCracy

MINNEAPOLIS, Feb. 25 Q.NSJ
Grimly as the Minute Men at
Lexington or the Barons at Run
nymede, the educational leaders
of the nation are battling here
today for what they conceive to
be a fundamental principle Of
American liberty.
The gentle pedagogue is reused
and 1t is his intention that the
public which pays the taxes and
holds the ultimate fate Of free
education in America be reused
too.
5000 In Attendance
Discussing the cause which has
drawn 5000 college presidents,
classroom teachers, and school ad.
ministration officers to this con-
vention of the Department of
Superintendent of the National
Education Association, DR.. William
c. Bagley, veteran professor of
education from Teachers College,
Columbia University, said today:
'What this meeting can do is
show the public where things
stand, so that the public can
determine the policy to be fol-
lowed in regard to the public
schools.
''Not a man here but must
deal with the problem of a false
economy which would pass the
debt of the errors Of the pres
ent generation along to the
next one by restricting eduea-
ton"
Realization that the American
public school system is fighting
for life accounts for the excep-
tionally large attendance at this
mid-year meeting, according to
Milton c. Potter, superintendent
of schools in Milwaukee, who ar
rived today to preside over the
meeting Of the department of
superintendent.
Deplores "Aristocracy"
Deploring evidences of a trend
toward aristocracy in education in
the present crisis, DR.. Bagley
made it plain that the aim of the
nations educators will continue to
be the education of every child.
He said:
"There have got to be cuts in
the educational budget, as in
everything else, of course. But
the cuts are being made IN the
wrong places. I particularly de-
pl0re attempts to curtail health
education, for instance, and to
charge tuition in the high
schools.
sour free high schools are
the great triumph of American
education. And when the
wheels get turning again, the
service the high schools render
will be more essential than ever
before. In the years between
1920 and 1880, the decrease in
OccupatiOnal opportunity was in
the routine levels, while an in
crease was evident in the upper
levels. The same condition will
again be true as soon as things
right themselves, as they are
bound to do"
Pay Cut Least Evil
DR.. Bagley expressed himself
in favor of a horizontal reduc-
ton of salaries along the line,"
as the least evil economy
measure.
AS the only woman member Of
the all-important emergency com.
nittee, which is to make its re-
port at Tuesdays session on the
situation confronting the schools,
Mrs. F. Blanche Preble, Of Chi
cago, president of the depart
1nent Of classroom teachers Of
the N. E. A., pointed out the
nearsightedness of school economy
programs by stating:
"A child can grow up but
once; and now, when the
homes are pOwerlesS to give
childhood what it must have
for proper development, the
schools must not suffer from
misguided demands for lower
ing taxes without regard for
the cost to civilization.
eff boys and girls are re-
fused the opportunities and en-
couragementS for developing
along the right lines, they will
develop along wrong lines.
They will not remain inactive.
Schools, even though they
seem expensive, are cheaper to
maintain than the houses Of
correction and State and Fed
eral prisons"
Members Of Committee
Mrs. Preble is a grade teacher
in Chicago. The other members
of the emergency committee,
headed by Prof. John K. Nor.
ton, Of Teachers College, Colum-
bia; are Herbert S. Weet, super
intendent of schools, Denver;
David E. Weglein, superintendent
of schools, Baltimore: j. B. Ed
monSon, dean Of education, Uni
versity Of Michigan, and Sidney
B. Hall State superintendent of
public instruction, Richmond, Va.
It is expected that at the ma
tional convention of the N. E.
A. at Chicago, July l to 7, the
emergency committee will be
made permanent.
MISS SIMPSON TO TALK