The midland journal., 1945-09-21
p. t. A. LEGISLATION PROGRAM

p. II. A. LEGISLATION PROGRAM
The Executive Committee of the
National Congress of Parents and
Teachers has adopted legislation
program for 1945-46 and among the
numerous features are some which
have long been supported by the Su
preme Council, 33, Ancient and Ac-
cepted Rite of Freemasonry, South
ern Jurisdiction, USA.
The p. T. A. is for the maximum Of
local control in school affairs. Fur
thermore, that Association aiiirms
its belief that 'the integrity of our
free public school system should be
maintained and strengthened"
Another important policy of the
P. 7. A. is that funds appropriated
by the Federal Government should
go to public unsupported schools
only"
The same organization also recon-
mends "the increased control of vo-
cational education by state depart
ments of education, SO that vocation
al and general education may be ef-
fectively integrated."
These principles become doubly
important at this stage of develop
ment in our national life because pri-
vate, parochial and ecclesiastical in
terests are continuing their unwar-
ranted and vicious attacks upon our
public school system which we be-
lieve are intended to Kurt ard even
destroy it, and hence undermine our
nation, so that the group which di-
rects such fanatical attacks can take
over in the U. S. A., merging Church
and State to the detriment of both.
detriment proven by mere glance at
what such interests have done in
Latin countries.
The public school system of the
of America that local control of
school affairs is paramount Issue II
our public schools are to maintain
and strengthen their position. Some
sections of the country may be re-
mote as measured in miles, though
of course not nearly as much so as
in the days before the automobile,
the airplane and the radio; but none
are isolated today. Modern methods
of communication are rapidly max
ing this vast geographical expanse
closely knit nation. To be sure,
each section will retain it's traditions
and it's own points of view on a null
titude of questions, but each seq
ment of our population will ultimate
ly modify many of its localisms as
each comes into mental contact with
other segments of the country. This
is all part of the great American ex-
pertinent, it is the so-called melting
pot in action, and from it all will
emerge a people in step with the
conditions of changing world.
The American public school, free
, and unsupported, is engaged in a
great crusade to enable the children
of our country to capture the spirit
of growth and interest in the plea
sures of the mind. Germany was a
nation whose people were technically
efficient, but in both World Wars
they ran berserk because they lost
all sense of spiritual values. United
States citizens have proven in this
war, as never before, that they have
the technical know-how, but what
will it profit these people if they do
not have the spiritual visition to
make the machine TIE servant in
stead of the master of man? Our
American public school system is CIV
ing to the children of our country
what prominent educator and his
torian has so aptly called faith in
the higher values of life" This
means, in ordinary every day terms,
merging of vocational and general
education-a blending of the practi-
cal with the idealistic. This way lies
safety, progress and happiness for
those of school age, and spells the
welfare of the nation when these
shall have reached maturity.
News Bulletin