The Daily Alaska empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964, 1944-04-14
Educated Democracy
washington Post)


We boast the highest standard of living in the
world But inclined to be vague as to what
the standard is No doubt we have greater number
of bathtups radios telephones and automobiles per
capita than the people OF any other nation But
since democracy and pride ourselves on our
capacity for self government might profitably in
quire into the standards have achieved in this
regard The logical test of peoples capacity for
self government is its level of education THOMAS
jefferson stated this truth buntly in the adolescent
days of the Republic IF nation expects to be
ignorant and free in state of civilization, it expects
what and never will be-
Among Americans IS years of age and over only
as per cent have graduated from college. Three
fourths of them have gone through high school
Three-fifths have completed single year
OF high school the light of these figures prepared
by the National Commission for Defense OF Democracy
through Education it is reasonable to ask how we'll the
American people whole understands the pro-
cesses of self government Formal schooling is not,
to be sure, the only avenue to education But it is
the one instrument which we, society, have
established to give our maturing citizens some tamil
iarity with history, with the character of our
institutions, with the meaning of democratic process
In grade school they generally too young to learn
these things we'll Without high school education
they very likely indeed to be deficient in any true
understanding of what call the American way
of life.
Among the various sections of the Union there are
wide discrepancies to schooling In 10 Southern
States for example fewer than the people
25 years old have completed high school, The
District of Columbia in comparison stands at the
very top of the list with slightly than twofifths
of it's adult population graduated from high school
Yet paradoxicay, residents of the District not
considered qualified to take part in self-government
while their lives regulated by Southern citizens
of inferior educational background
In large part the educational inequalities among
the States stem from economic inequalities. This is
why it to essential that the Federal Govern
extend aid to the less wealthy States in order to
enable them to bring their schools up to higher
level. All of us, since members of a Federal
Union have vital stake in the preparation for citi
zenshp available to young Americans in every part
of the country. That preparation is bound during
the next two three decades to be put to formid
able test. Over 30 million youths now of school age
will be voters 20 years hence They will confront
problems which be solved only if they schooled
in the traditions and lessons of past. g
1t is urgent that give our children more educa-
ton and better education The defeat of the Thomas
bill in the Senate months ago sorry blow
to this purpose. But simply cannot afford to let
in the House if the Committee on Education will
ing before it. Like the Thomas bill, the Ramspeck
bill would make Federal funds available to the States
grants aid in order to improve the pay of
teachers and to expand educational opportunities 1t
would in impair local autonomy the
schools. 1t would simply end hoping hand to less
fortunate members of union Whatever hope
for in the postwar world must depend for its realiza
ton on how we meet this issue of education today.