Evening star., 1936-08-25


received here, were carried back to
local communities all over the
country.
At a later date, travelling chau-
tauquas, inspired by your success
here, became welcome centers OF
culture to towns and villages
throughout the country. They
brought good music, wholesome en-
tertainment and instructive discus
sions by leaders in various fields
of thought, to audiences of mil
lions of people-millions OF people
who had no other access to such
advantages.
It is not too much to say that
Chautauqua pioneered some Of the
present leading methods of adult
education: our growing Summer
schools, home-reading courses,
study by correspondence and our
university and college extension
services.
Two Significant
Things in Tent.
The chautauqua tent in the
country town was the symbol OF
two significant things. one was the
deep longing for education that
has always stirred the American
heart and mind; the other was
the native ability of the American
people, to provide the means and
the institutions to satisfy their
hunger for education.
In view of the great contribution
Chautauqua made to American
life, I was glad to accept your in
vitation to speak. The dangers
that face free education today
we're an added incentive. I can
not discuss these dangers with the
brilliance or learning of some of
our professional educators. I shall
not attempt that. But as a par
ent and as the chief executive OF
a great State I have had to deal
with education, and know some
thing about its problems.
Let me give you two of my funda-
mental conclusions at once, con-
clusions that I have reached as
citizen and as the chief execu-
tive of Kansas.
In Kansas we believe that our
schools-public, parochial and pri-
vate-must be kept free of all con-
troll by the Federal Government.
In Kansas we insist that no
teacher should be required to take
any oath not required of all other
citizens.
In Kansas we believe in academic
freedom and we practice it.
Now, let me discuss the back
ground of study and experience
that led me to these conclusions.
They have their roots far back in
the history of education III our
country. Our forefathers knew
that the success of a free govern
ment depended upon an educated
and informed citizenry. This is
still true today. Now, as then, pub
lie education is the best insurance
that can be taken out by de-
mocracy. The first school law en-
acted in the State of Illinois de-
clared: ITO enjoy our rights and
liberties, we must understand
them"
Foundations Of
Educational System.
If we doubt this, we need merely
to look at developments of the
last few years. At least some of
the failures of popular govern
ments, that we have witnessed in
other countries, have been largely
due to the peoples not being edu-
Gated up to the responsibilities of
self-government. Each of these
failures provides evidence of the
wisdom with which our forefa-
theirs laid the foundation for our
educational system. For remem-
ber, that in spite of all of their
earnest desire for public education,
and in spite of their conviction
in its supreme value, both to the
Nation and to the people them
selves, the founders set a note
worthy example which we have
always followed.
They realized the important
truth, that just as life Is a proc
cess of growth, SO are the things
by which men live and advance
They put their trust in the wis
dom and ability of the people to
create their own institutions to
serve their own needs.
At times, some of our people be-
come impatient and demand an
immediate solution for our needs
and problems. They are inclined
to take short cuts-to have the
thing done at one stroke, by the
powerful hand of government.
This was not the way in which our
educational system was developed.
It was the result of patient labor,
long struggle and sustained devo-
ton.
As you all know, it took the ef-
forts of a full generation to win
the fight for free public schools
supported by tax levies. In this
fight the humiliating pauper school
laws were the first to 60. Then,
after more years of effort. we
wiped out the last law which, by
levying charges upon the parents
denied schooling to the children OF
the poor. This meant that we at last
recognized that an education is
the birthright of every American
child, that to provide for it is q
common obligation of the COM
munity and of the State. This
principle is the foundation upon
which our unsupported public
school system has been built.
At the same time our schools
have kept pace with the develop
ments Of modern life. The little
red school house Of the affection
ate recollection of the older gen.
Grafton was adapted to the needs
Of simpler age. The school OF
today faces the problems OF more
->~~-l~w conditions yT~la~