Milford chronicle., 1947-11-28
WHEN THE GI BILL Ola RIGHTS was

WHEN The I'll BlLL8OF hlOI11O Wdo
adopted giving ex-service men financial sup
port to continue with their educatlon, some
cynical educators were afraid that college
standards would deteriorate. They warned
that the veterans would swamp the campuses
for the government "handout consisting OF
$500 in free tuition costs and maintenance
grants ranging from $65 to $50 monthly
Within the last, two years the veterans have
entered the classrooms in even greater num-
bers than had been anticipated. This fall
more than so percent of the record number
of students attending American colleges and
universities are veterans. Before the aca7
demic year ends it is estimated that 1,75O,-
900 former service men will be on the ma
tion's campuses They have crowded the
classroOms, overburdened the teaching staff,
put an almost impossible pressure on the la
boratories, libraries and dormitories Never
in the history of higher education has so
great burden been placed on the colleges.
But from all reports the veterans are do
ing magnificent job in the classroom. Far
from attending for the "free ride" they are
setting higher standards everywhere There
is growing evidence to show that the veterans
have been a wholesome influence on the Am
erican campus. The veterans are getting
better marks than nOn-veteranS; they are
more alert, more anxious to do good work
and in general recognize the value Of an edu-
cation Two important assets are in their
favor: maturity and motivation. 1t is inter-
esting to note that married veterans make
better academic records than the unmarried;
veterans with children top all the campus
averages for marks and honors.
Not only are their academic records bet
ter, but the veterans are more critical and
skeptical of "dogmatic utterances and au-
thoritarian attitudes on the part of the
teachers" They are quicker to detect poor
teaching, and insist that their instructors be
of top caliber. AS result many professors
are now revising their lecture notes and are
seeking ways to meet the challenge brought
to the campus by mature, alert, earnest
young men. That this attitude will have a
salutary effect on higher education appears
certain. The ex4service men are taking their
education seriously. That is an encouraging
development for the continuance of Ameri-
can democracy.
THE ATTITUDE OF THE American pee
pie toward fire seems to be, "Let 'er burnp
That is the only way our record fire waste
can be explained. This year we will burn some
600000,000 worth of property-and 10000
or more lives will be lost And if the rate of
increase continues, we will reach the billion
a-year point in a comparatively short time.
This record is a national disgrace. Fire
waste involves far more than the destruction
of dollar values. 1t means the loss of ire
placeable reSources-the loss of iobS-the
loss of taxable aSSetS-the loss of business
opportunity loss of food, machinery and
other supplies which the whole world needs.
Private and governmental authorities are
now carrying on the most aggressive cam
paign to conquer destructive fire in history
It began last May, when President Truman
called national fire prevention conference il
Washington. An all-inclusive program was
laid down then, and it is being followed. Blu
any program is doomed to failure unless it il
given full measure of public support Th
experts can't lead you around by the hant
and force you to make your property safe
They can only advise and instruct Then, i
is up to you.
THERE is A SUBTLE CAMPAIGN un
derway in this country to discredit the pres
and render it less able to defend minorit
rights.
Perhaps we have failed to do a good sell
ing job to sell the capitalistic system to on
people.
We grow exceedingly weary of hearin
how the capitalistic system is on trial. o
trial for what?
Has any other system accomplished a
much or provided better standards of living
Why isn't socialism on trial in Englan
or communism in Russia?
If capitalism is through, why are we aske
to provide the food, the money and the too
to rebuild Europe?
Thoughtful Americans should be on guar
against the insidious efforts being made |
discredit system that has been responsib
for this nations continued growth and pr
gress.
No economic system is perfection but it
bit sickening to hear references made
our system being on trial, the implication b
ing that if it should fail, it would be SUI
planted by communism or some other isl
What have they got that even comes close