Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1939-09-10
3 Million
To Be Enrolled
Over Nation
New Building
Needs Are Cited
By Commissioner
BY JOHN w. STUDEBAKER,
U. s. Commissioner Of Education.

~OAAA~ W. ~ u SDIDhAALINS
U. s. Commissioner Of Education.
As armies of war mach in many
countries of the world, a great army
OF peace-the United States Army
of education seekers-prepares to
marcn back to our Nations schools.
Across the sea, the clouds of war
affect children and school programs
In many nations. German students
have been commandered to help in
the fields with harvests. School
houses in some regions have been
transformed into storehouses. From
England comes news of empty class
rooms. Children are out in the open,
carrying gas masks instead of books,
and learning what to do in case OF
air raids. The summer vacation
period for children in Poland came
to an end August 81, but the war will
keep Polish schools closed for the
present.
Throughout America, however,
schools and educational institutions
will open on scedule during Septem-
Der, to accommodate the great peace
army of education-33,O 900 900 strong.
While threats of war turn the
wheels of industry in European
countries, it is the opening of more
than a quarter of a million school
buildings that booms business and
Industry along many lines in the
United States. The back to- school
movement of 80 900 900 children and
adults is definitely a back to-work
movement for many more millions
employed in businesses and indus
tries which provide the housing,
equipment, food and clothing for our
peace army that now totals one
fourth of our country's population.
Outlook For 1939-4o.
What is the educational outlook
for 1939-40? Fom reports reaching
the United States Office of Educa.
ton from State departments Of edu-
cation and school systems through
out the Nation, make the following
predictions:
l. Elementary school enrollments
which have decreased in Is States
since 1884 principally because of q
lowering birth rate, falling of of i'm.
migration. and more accurate school
enrolment reporting, will continue
to show decrease.
2. Despite the decrease in ele-
mentary school enrollments, there
will be many new elementary school
buildings constructed during the
year. There are still $4,000 one
teacher, and in most instances, one
room schools in the United States.
They enroll 2,725, 900 children. Many
OF these Anticipated and ill-equipped
school houses need to be replaced
by up-to-date school plants. Thou
sands of children in rural schools
are still housed in buildings without
running water and without modern
toilet facilities. Many elementary
school buildings even of 8-l2 rooms
do not come up to modern stadards
of heating, lighting. ventilation and
sanitation.
High Schools to Gain.
3. High school enrollments. which
increased from $50 900 in 1894 to
5000 900 in 1933-34, will continue to
increase, but at less rapid rate
than in previous years. 1t is esti-
mated that the number of people
Of high school age will have reached
peak this year.
4. There will be more and better
high schools in 1939-40 equipped to
provide full-time and part-time ed
ucation and recreational opportuni-
ties for a large proportion of our
country's adolescent boys and girls.
Neurological changes, and the re-
sulting decrease in the number Of
workers required In industry, make
it imperative for us to build new
high school buildings and provide
more, better, and different equip
ment in our present ones. Far too
many school buildings are obsoles-
cent from both educational and con-
structional standpoint.
S. This year will see a new high
record in college snd university reg
istrations. The larger numbers of
high-school-age students attending
high school the past few years are
now reaching colleges and univer-
sites. More students are continuing
their formal education after high
school graduation. They are going
to college. From 1894 to 1933-34
the number of college students in the
United States increased from 379, 900
to LOSS 900. This Is still a fertile
field for education. however, since
only Is of every 100 persons of col
lege age enter college.
Men Teachers Increasing.
6. There will probably be larger
number Of men teachers employed
in the business Of education this year
than at any time during recent
decades. OF the 1918. 900 teachers in
our schools. about 2660O0 are men.
From 1880 to 1896 the proportion Of
men teachers incre ased from 1855 per
cent to 20.6.
Z. There Is q definite National
trend toward greater State support
and control of schools, despite the
fact that few States have de.
creased appropriat for schools.
The State-support trend will con-
tinue during 1882 40.
. SYyv-