The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1941-01-03
FRIDAY. JANUARY 8. 1871
DEFENSE EDUCATION

THE THREE RS are adding a
capital "D"-for defense.
Educators are saying that not
even vocational education has re-
suited in such drastic change in the
Abe industry as has occurred
under the impetus Of national de-
Tense
II you check the record in youf
own community, you may find that
the neighborhood school is doing no
more than having a flag-salute eX-
ercise morning and afternoon; talk
ing a little more about American
history, placing a little more en-
phasis on the national and inter
national aspects Of current events.
On the other hand you may find
that Mary and Johnny are getting
way ahead OF you il. the How's ana
Why's Of first aid. Maybe Johnny
now knows the way 10 read a map
backwards and forwards. Maybe
Mary is beginning 10 talk about
health diets and strengthening
foods.
Maybe both are showing a sur
prising interest in physical educa-
ton and are pretty proud of their
muscles and healthy figures. PROB
ably both are talking a lot more
about Democracy Ii so. you can
be sure that the schools in yodr
neighborhood are following d ia
tional trend,
II you have the slightest interest
in education. what is happening is
a little staggering.
In Arkansas the educational slo-
gan is Sell America First" Col a
do classrooms are midget demo-
cracies", with every pupll paying =
part in the democratic program. IN
Florida. before children are out of
the sixth grade, they have a work
ing knowledge of first aid, care nf
the sick, preparation and conserva-
ton OF food.
Connecticut lays emphasis on
civics and citizenship, on triennial
physical examinations, on daily
physical education and on school
lunches that will produce the
healthiest specimens; in elemen-
tary schools in California, you can
get courses in map reading, recon-
naissance, elementary aviation
(model plane construction and the
first principles OF aerodynamics),
soil conservation, road building.
forestry. hiking and swimming.
California isn't the only such
state. Many others have followed
the tip and gone in heavily for the
many phases OF defense wnIcu &C.,.
be incorporated in the three r.
In some instances, these still are
in the formative stages OF flag sa-
lutes", oaths TO the flag. and 4
little heavier stress on the national
and international matters in cur
rent events.
But in other school systems. they
are going "sll out" with the three
Rs-teaching Spanish and the his
tory and culture OF the Latin-Amer-
1cas-and even esta0l4 shing sum.
mer camps where the Youth Move
ment, patriotism, health and De-
Tense get in their licks before the
children Of America are in their
teens.
Even from college beanery 20
postgraduate seminary. hio.e-
cation is giving attention to ma.
tionsl defense.
At Wellesley, one OF the best
known colleges for women. the de.
Tense education theme runs like
this: Whatever the present wars
outcome, food will be a major prob.
lem the world over. Working
from this thesis, a committee from
six college departments planned
conference that would acqusiut
undergraduates with all phases ~
the problems concerned with food.
Emphasis was upoL giving students
an intensive survey OF food prob
lens a. production. conservation.
nutrition, transportation and mar
ketinE
New York University is offering
research classes in defense aid.
\ series of night lectures Is be.
ing given by industrial executives.
facu ty and National Research
Council members in research lab
oratory MANAGEMENT" with en-
phasis on national defense prob.
lens.
At Pratt Institute. in BROOKLYN.
they are studying bomb shelters.
There class On camouflsge and
emplacements. There are other
courses in military construction TO-
both architectural and outside stu.
dents
The University or Chicago has
set up a defense council" and is
Offering courses on Documents ~
American Democracy meteoro-
logy; assignments in the army
navy. weather bureau and air CORPS
tall backed by $500 Eel owshipsl
and the study OF Portuguese.
Brown University has added
about a dozen defense courses m.
cluding naval science and tactics
and a history Of Hispanic America
University Of Pennsylvania has
named a group o. school ofHciais.
10 coordinate the schools activities
Tor ANY emergency" and act as
liaison with government agencies.
Are you about convinced? Take
another deep breath. for this revo.
luton in higher education goes on
and on. To continue the L. s.
once OF Education survey:
in Kansas University every dean
has redesigned his school with
courses built around various DO.
litical. social. psychological and
military aspects OF national de.
Tense"
Nobody IL far behind Kansas eth.
er in proposals for new curricula or
In changes already made What
higher education will produce