Evening star., 1939-11-25
Student Conference
Weighs Education S
Democracy actors
Panel Discussions
Pursued in Session
This Morning


their schools offer in the way OF
Education for Practical Democ-
racy."
Following an organization meet
ing at 9 am, attendants of the
conference divided into three panel
discussion groups to have their
say on: l, The student as a
citizen; 2, The school and its
administration, and 3, the education
and its presentation. All sessions
are being held at the Y. w. c. A.,
Seventeenth and K streets NV.
At luncheon meeting Fred J.
Kelly, chief of the Division of High
er Education, United States Office
of Education, was scheduled to ad-
dress the conference, which is spon-
sored by the Washington Youth
Council.
Concludes Tomorrow.
An entertainment tonight at
o'clock and a general session at
2:30 pm. tomorrow will conclude
the meeting.
Possible methods Of approach to
the problems suggested by the con-
ference theme we're touched on last
night by youth leaders at a prelimi-
nary general session.
Miss Katharine F. Lenroot, chief
of the Children's Bureau and mem
ber of the Presidents Advisory Com
mittee on Education, proposed that
the essentials for education in a
democracy should include universal
education, mot yet fully applied in
the United States, since some parents
do not have the means to send chill
dren to school in proper mental and
physical condition; adaptation of
education to individual needs-a
field in which I'VE have only made
beginning" and educational
leadership committed to ideals OF
democracy and prepared to make
schools vital force in preparing
young people for democratic living.
Lists Influencing Factors.
Success IN any progressive pro-
gram, Miss Lenroot added, depends
on proper training of teachers and
support of parents. She listed a
number of inherent factors for such
program. These included:
Development in youth of an under
standing of democracy and its rela
ton to their daily lives.
Willingness to follow democratic
processes even though they seem the
Longer way around" in some in
stances.
An attitude of self-respect and
respect for ones fellows
Conduct Of student enterprises in
a democratic manner.
Stimulation of the ability to dis
criminate between truth and propa-
ganda.
Understanding of diverse con-
ditions in the United States and the
necessity of concern for the public
as well as the individual and local
interest.
Realization that government in q
complex society must exercise grow
ing functions, that citizens must be
willing to serve their governments
unselflshly and refuse to tolerate in
competence or dishonesty in public
office.
Sees Partial Failure.
Tom Hibben, director of operations
for the National Youth Administra-
ton, speaking in the absence of N
Y. A. Deputy Administrator Tom l.
Popejoy, asserted that education in
the past, in its academic and pro-
fessional training. had failed tc
touch the great middle ground oi
the young people who must enter
the simple service fields or take ur
jobs requiring single skills."
This deflcienty. he added, was being
filled by vocational courses and ir
work experience projects of the N. Y
A. He stressed the Importance ir
vocational training of teaching
young people how to secure intellec-
tual and physical enjoyment of life
outside their immediate jobs.
Several "glaring inadequacies" in
educational opportunities offered ir
the Nation were pointed out by U
Simpson Tate, treasurer of the Ma
tional Negro Congress.
Here in Washington, Mr. Tate de-
clared, building and recreation
facilities are different for Negro
and white students; Negro schools
are crowded and health conditions
are poor" He termed the District
residents lack of civic rights g
fragrant violation of the funda-
mental principles of freedom ano
equality essential to democracy
and suggested that it is unfortunate
that young people here are educated
in school system in which the
Board of Education Is removed from
public responsibility.
Sees Perils to Democracy.
In extending greetings at the
opening session, Miss Elizabeth NJ
Haney, general secretary of the
Y. w. C. A., urged free expression
OF opinion tempered by a balance Of
common sense and sense of humol
and Miss Jessie La Sale, assistant
superintendent of schools, warned
that number of things are hap.
pening in the United States tha,
led to totalitarian rule in European
countries.
Miss La Sale listed four grow.
ing tendencies, which, she said
are boring from within on oul
democracy. They are: A leaning
toward dishonesty, as evidenced by
increased propaganda distribution
the feeling that anything is righ
so long as it advances ones owr
country; the lack of respect fol
human personality; the closing O.
eyes to great economic and socia
injustices.
Il challenge you to grapple with
these problems Miss La Sale tole
the conference. you have inner.
tied a mess of social and economic
injustices and you should take uE
the challenge of solving them.
Howard EnneS, former preSiden
of thu