Evening star., 1937-03-09
j. s. SCHOOL HELP
SEEN NECESSARY
Many States Unable to Pro-
vide Proper Facilities,
Lee Declares.

Inc f60eTdl CfONeELlIlcI1t - tIlC UlLy
agency capable of equalizing educa-
tional opportunities for children
throughout the United States, SEN
ator Lee, Democrat, Of Oklahoma said
In an address last night.
Senator Lee, widely known orator,
former University Of Oklahoma pro-
fessor and World War veteran, spoke
on the National Radio Forum ar
ranged by The Star and broadcast over
the network Of the National Broad
casting Co.
Recalling the school days" that
have been glorified in American lit
erature Senator Lee said "all the
while that training and building was
developing the men and women of the
future"
Speaking of the costs of education,
Lee said "the financial ability of the
States in proportion to the population
OF school children Is so different and
varied that only the Federal Govern
ment can equalize the educational op-
portunities of the several States.
Tax System Cited.
"A smodel tax system has been
worked out for State taxation" he
declared. "This system was intended
to raise money for all the needs of the
State, such as roads. running the State
and local governments, running the
schools. In fact the entire expense Of
the State. Six Of the States are so
poor that it would take all the money
raised by this tax system for schools
alone, and still not be enough to give
those States schools equal to the aver
age in the Nation.
Therefore, the ability of the diff
ferent States to finance educational
opportunities for their children is so
different that the Federal Government
should lend a helping hand to equalize
the educational opportunities through
out the Nation" Senator Lee said.
If all the States taxed their wealth
for education the same way as New
York State. there would be is of the
States unable to provide even so per
cent Of the standard of the Nation"
The text of the address follows:
BY the courtesy of The Washington
Evening Star, am privileged to ad-
dress you for % minutes on the sub
ject Of the Federal Governments
interest in education.
doubt if any related subject could
be of more concern to the Federal
Government than education, because
self-government depends upon the
intelligence of the governed.
After receiving discharge from the
Army, I started teaching at the Uni
versity Of Oklahoma and remained
there until three years ago when I
came to Congress: therefore, I have
more than casual interest in this
subject.
However, I am not thinking Of
higher education just now. am
thinking Of the fundamentals of
education. In other words, I have
IN mind the proverbial little red school
house. am thinking of those early
school days, those childhood days,
those wildwood days, those early
sweetheart days, when you were my
queen in calico and was your BASH
full. barefoot beau, and you wrote on
my slate, I love you, Joe" "in the
good old Summer time" You played
hockey from school and went to the
old swimming hole, and to use the
words Of the Hoosier poet
"Oh! the old swimmin' hole! In the
long, lazy days.
When the hum-dru Of school made
so many run-aways,
How pleasant was the journey down
the old dusty lane.
Where the tracks of our bare feet was
all printed 50 plain.
You could tell by the dent Of the
heel and the sole,
That they was lots o. fun on hand at
the old swimmin' '-hole.
"There the bullrushes growed, and the
cattails 50 tall,
And the sunshine and shadder fell
over 1t all;
And it mottled the water with amber
and gold
Till the glad lilies rocked in the
rlppleS tnat rolled;
And the snake feeders four gauzy
wings futtered by,
Like the ghost of q daisy dropped out
Of the sky.
Or a wounded apple-blossom in the
breeze's control,
As it cut acrost some orchard lords
the old swimmin hole"
Riley, "Neighborly Poems"
Fun With Teacher.
Those were the good old school days,
the golden rule days. Tom and 10
were not on very good terms with the
teacher. Sometimes that happened
They went out behind the little red
school house and found a yellow jack
cts nest. They turned bottle upside
down over that yellow jackets nest
and got the bottle full of those hum
ming, buzzing, striped little insects.
Then they corked it up good and tight
and churned it up and down, much
to the effect OF making q milk shake.
and to the disgust and resentment
Of the little insects inside. Then they
crawled under the little red school
house to the knothole that was right
Under teachers desk. They uncorked
their bottle Of fury and put the mouth
Of it up to the knothole, and there
was . buZz-buzz-buzZ, and there was
q hot time" IN the little red school
house and the teacher had q swell
vacation.
Yes, am thinking Of the three
rs Of education in America, Those
early school days, when we learned
''rsadin' and writin' and 'rithmetic
taught TO the tune Of . hickory
6tick." Whenever my father thrashed
ne b always said: "Now, son, this
hurts me worse than it does you"
Did you ever hear that? Well, could
not see how 1t hurt him worse than
It did me. could not see how it
hurt him ut all. OF course, I know
now that father was thinking in terms
Of psychology and I was thinking in
terms Of physical geography.