Evening star., 1947-04-21
Letters to The Star
Argues Against Federal Aid for
Nations Schools

Z
Argues Against Federal Aid for
Nations Schools
To the xditsr sf 1hs ssar:
Education in the United States al
ways has been recognized BY both
professional educators and practical
statesmen as State prerogativs, not
Federal one. Senator Taft's bill for
Federal aid to education, while stipnlat-
ing that there must be no Federal con
troll, actually opens the door for such
. development.
At last months convention Of school
superintendents in Atlantic City. Sena-
tor Taft himself warned the gathering
that there was nothing to stop mem-
her of Congress later offering an amend
ment to this effect and he further
advised those States able to carry on
without Federal aid that they would be
wise to do so. Many students Of govern
ment doubt the right Of the Federal
Government to furnish funds for edu7
cation without accompanying obligation
to control expenditures.
Former Gov. Arnall of Georgia
asked the Atlantic City gathering il
the Government for which American
boys fought and died could not be
trusted with the control OF education
In the United States, forgetting that
one OF the reasons we so love our Fed
eral Government is that we can con-
troll it. Just rs we have our system
of checks and balances, so too we cher
ish the distinction between the preroga-
tives belonging to the Federal Govern
ment and those belonging to the
separate States.
Faveritism CHARGED.
supt. Stoddard OF Philadelphia, at the
Atlantic City convention charged that
opponents of Federal aid were merely
shadow boxing. II shadow boxing indi-
Gates sparring in the absence Of an
actual opponent-the history OF the
American Association Of School Admin
istrators shows clearly that the shadow
boxing has been done by the advocates
Of Federal aid to education because at
no time during the past 81 years has
the negative side OF the issue been
allowed place on the general program,
while almost every speaker selected for
last months general program-regard-
less of the title of his or her address
worked in plug for Federal aid.
To say that the Federal Government
has not attempted control after its
grants to agricultural schools Is hardly
an honest argument when the entire
field of education is under consideration.
Why initiate the totaitarian govern
ments in education? The experiences
with the N. Y. A. and the w. p. A. in
education should be suficient warning
to the dire possibilities Of Federal aid,
let alone = potential dual system of
public education in America.
The best thing the Federal Gov
ernnment can do for public education
is to reduce the unnecessary portion Of
our oppressive income taxes and then
almost all the States will be able to
provide necessary funds for the right
kind OF education. II there are others
like Mississippi which cannot do SO, let
us give them the necessary aid without
imposing Federal problem on all 4a
States. The $40 per pupil provided by
the Taft bill should not be suficient
bait to secure the surrender of our
glorious heritage of State control Of
education in exchange for the dangers
of Federal domination. z:
WILLIAM r. BARRY,
Superintendent Of Schools, Northamp-
ton, Mass.