The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-03-07
Liberal Viewpoint
=By DIR. HARRY ELMER BARNES

II
l. ton reveals a dangerous lack of elenen-
tary social logic.
The only way in which we can possibly get
out of our economic mess in permanent fashion
is to bring our social institutions and think
ing thoroughly up to date.
This result can only be achieved by providing
the mass of Americans with more and better in
formation on public questions. Such informa-
ton must come mainly through our schools
and libraries. If the depression could teach us
anything, it should have emphasized the fact
that our schools and libraries ought to be
strengthened and more abundantly financed.
What has happened actually?
Both our school system and our public Ii
brarieS have been ruthlessly and reckleSsly I'M
dermined. It would almost appear as though
there were definite conspiracy still further
to plunge us into the abyss of ignorance and
foundering incompetence. The income of
schools and libraries alike has been devastating
ly slashed since 1929.
In many parts of the country our rural
school system is in danger of collapse. Approx
mately 5000 rural schools closed during 1888
Retrenchment in others has co-operated to
bring about condition which excludes at least
one million country children from the privilege
of education. The school year has been short
ened from an average of 173 days in 1929 to
between $50 and 100 days at the present time
defending upon the particular part of the
United States
Building programs in the public school field
have been sharply curtaiIed or entirely aban-
doned at a time when the school population is
rapidly increasing, thus producing demoralizing
overcrowding in the schools And this has hap
pened when public works projects should have
been pushed to the limit to forward national
rehabilitation
EDUCATIONAL supplies have been purchased
~ IN ever smaller amounts. Most regrettable
mere is the continued use of out-of-date text
books at time when we particularly need books
winch are up to the minute in attitude and
content. Instruction which could not keep us
out of the depression will quite obviously, not
be able to lead us out Of the abyss.
Teachers salaries have been cut and the
teaching staff reduced at the very moment when
classes are getting larger and need has arisen
for more and better teachers.
Most important of all, perhaps is deplcr-
able development, usually overlooked in recount
ing the impact of the depression on American
education. That is the tendency to scrap first
the recent developments in educational
theory and practice Such things are regarded
as mere frills' by the hardboiled and reaction
airy school boards and have been thrown out
with alarming frequency.
This means that most phases of contempt
rary education which have any direct relation
fury have been the first sacrifice to our short
sighted educational economy. In many cities
this result of the depression has eliminated the
total educational progress of a whole generation.
And it will be hard fight to put these socially
useful subjects back into the curriculum again.
NUR public libraries have suffered COMPARE
" bly, with the schools. This has been pointed
out by Mr.. r. L. Duffus in a recent admirable
hook on "(0ur Starving Libraries"
Our libraries have been used at least so per
cent more since 1929 than in the years i'm
mediately preceding. But library incomes have
been cut from 80 to so per cent.
At a time when we are pouring out federal
money lavishly to pay needy men for carrying
stones from one pile to another and to bolster
up the banking system which is at the same
time, trying to sabotage the Roosevelt admins
tration, we should be able to find some money
for our school system AS DR.. John r. DIETRICH
has we'll expressed the issue:
ANY one would be fool who nlinimiZed the
economic distress under which the whole coun-
try groans but the national wealth is not ex-
hausted.
I'VE can not escape the bitter paradox of
poverty in the midst of plenty. We can still
pay retired banker a pension Of a hundred
thousand dollars year. We have money for
roads and battleships we still operate automo-
bileS at an estimated expense in excess of six
teen billion dollars a year.
While these manifestations of wealth con-
nue. there is no excuse for Withholding or
diminishing support for the public school and
libraries for the sake Of couple Of mills OF tax
If the government can come to the aid of
faltering banks and railroads by loans Of mil
lions of dollars and spend billions in public
works, why can it not come also to the rescue
NJ what iS NM iro00rfq0t9"