The Washington times., 1938-09-12
SCHOOL BUILDING
NEEDS PLACED
AT HALF-BILLION
80 Million Students Go
Back to Classes

The biggest parade In the
United States-the trudge of
armies Of students back to school
lis on. BY the end Of Septem-
ber, another school year will have
been launched for approximately
33,000,000 children, young people
and adults in the nation.
Although most of the millions
will march to fairly modern build
ings, q throng will head for the
equivalent Of "the little red school
house." for there still are 1872, 900
one.room schools in the United
States.
A send-off for the new session
is sounded in a release from the
u. s. Office of Education, which
points out progress in school prob.
lens, but reports an estimated
need Of 500 million dollars fer
school house construction.
MILLION IN FIRST GRADE
1.-TWO million youngsters will of.
ficially enter first grade for the
first time this month, but it's back
to-school for many Of these" be
cause large percentage has pre-
viously attended nursery school or
kindergarten classes, the release
points out.
Many who start back to elemen-
tary and high schools will be freer
than ever of the fear Of failure
and Of the glaring finality Of a
numeral on a report card.
On the contrary, this trend is
pointed out by the Office Of Edu-
cation: "The traditional report
card is rapidly being supplanted
by more complete reports concern
ing the child's progress, his inter
ests, dislikes, character traits,
habits Of learning, attention and
achievements.
UNIT PLAN SPREADING
''Fewer children entering school
this year will fail because larger
numbers Of schools today are
adopting the unit plan of promo
ton. Under this plan, three or
four years of work are included
in a project a pupil may complete
slowly or rapidly, according to his
ability"
The report points out that "The
opening Of schools in September
has a stimulating effect on edu-
cation in one Of Americas newer
institutions, the Civilian ConServa-
tion Corps. OF the 65, 900 new en-
rollees, it is predicted about ST.
900 will be enrolled in educational
classes"
More than 100000 youth and
adults - farmers, home-makers,
tradesmen and industrial workers,
apprentices in factories and young
people from the farm-will enroll
in vocational schools and classes,
receiving additional funds author.
lied by the George-Deen act.
Despite the fact that Public
Works Administration from De-
cember, 1888, to December, 1896,
allotted nearly $50 million dollars
for public school buildings, total
cost Of which is estimated at 470
million dollars, Superintendents in
so per cent Of the cities Of TO-
100000 and over in the United
States estimate an additional need
for approximately 500 million dol
lars" the report points out.
RADIO GAINING RAPIDLY
The new trend of sending >du-
cation into the home via the
radio is pointed out. New York
City has been granted permission
to set up a station for broadcasts
-. Cleveland, Ohio, will operate
q high-frequency station this year.
A score Of other city and county
school systems, colleges and uni
versitieSc are considering making
application for station construc-
tion permits
AS for another trend, the pub
lie forum is becoming one Of
Americas outstanding educational
institutions" the report states.
Through emergency relief I
funds administered by the Office
Of Education, Department Of the
Interior, SO communities in Il
States will get professional or
clerical assistance in development
Of forum programs to be directed
by local educational authorities.
Fifteen States will match Federal
funds for employment of compe.
tent leadership for public forums. ="
More than 1,000. 900 teachers. in.
cluding nearly 100000 newcomers,
are ready to teach. The Education
Office estimates an enrolment Of
about 2S,400.000 in elementary
schools; 6,75O,000 in high schools;
1,35O,0O0 in, universities and col.
legeS, and several million more
in evening, parttime, vocational
and emergency education classes. u