Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-01-11

F1rSG OF all II SnOulQ De StaJe'
function of the United States Of
fee of Education as an official agency
of Government to attempt in any
way to dominate the schools and
colleges with respect to the content
of their Institutional programs. That
type of thought control practiced by
totalitarian governments is the
antithesis of democracy. We would
not be a party to such an attempt
under any circumstances.
But it is conceived to be proper
function of such an official agency
of Government to disseminate in
formation and facts which may be
helpful to those legally Or morally
charged with the responsibility for
the direction and control of educa-
ton in this country. refer to the
people of the States and their local
communities acting through their
Legislatures, boards of education,
trustees and educational officials.
Three Steps Planned
The information and facts which
1t is proposed to disseminate will be
authenticated insofar as possible
and selected for their bearing on the
possible improvement of education
for American democracy in our
schools and colleges.
Specially. 1t is planned at an early
date:
!. To issue statement of the es-
sential principles of democracy which
shall represent consensus of the
faith of representative leadership in
different fields of endeavor-agri7
culture, business, manufacturing,
labor, professions, etc.
90 To suggest certain criteria by
which the people, acting through
their duly constituted representa-
tives, may judge the effectiveness
with which the organized educa-
tional institutions of their States
and communities are succeeding In
the development of a true under
standing of the basic tenets OF the
democratic faith and jealous re-
gard for their application IN
practice. 60
80 To provide suggestions OF re-
source material helpful IN creating
an understanding of the threats to
democracy, be they internal or ex-
ternal, which arise from antitheisti-
cal beliefs and practices.
Tolerance in Judgment
This is no simple matter OF pro-
mitigating a few rules OF thumb by
which to identify Communists or
Fascists. 1t will not be easy to dis
tinguish the sincere liberal, however
confused, from the cynical fomenter
of hate and disunity. We shall do
we'll to err on the side Of tolerance
in the application of judgments
respecting men and motives.
BY acquainting young people and
adults with the canons Of democracy
and contrasting them with those OF
communism and fascism, we shall
arrive more rapidly at a popular
stage of political and social de-
velopment where reason shall re-
place name calling and demagoguery
as instruments for the determination
of vital policies. And it Is only on
such a basis that we may ever hope
to achieve that rapprochement and
understanding among the diverse
segments of our own population as
among the peoples OF the world that
can make possible peaceful world
of ordered liberty and justice.
How successfully are we incul-
eating the principles of democracy
in our young people today?
That is matter of anybody's
opinion. Personally, am OF the
opinion that the schools and COL
leges of America haven't been doing
such a bad job Of it as some would
have us believe. But we ought to
be able to find out definitely and
not to have to rely SO heavily, as
at present, on mere opinions formed
on a desultory and incidental basis.
The Office of Education hopes to
stimulate the development of instru-
ments of evaluation that will provide
a more valid basis than now exists
for conclusions on this score.
Inquiry on Local Basis
Meantime, this Office suggests
that school boards, parent-teacher
associations and citizens inter-
ested in their schools may we'll be-
gin some inquiries with school OFF,
Gals as to the courses of study, text
books and methods of instruction
employed in the schools of their
communities in this vital area of the
social studies. How much time is
given to these studies in the pro-
gram of the elementary schools. the
high schools, the colleges? How
well prepared are the teachers?
How effective is their physical and
Institutional equipment? What is the
character of the supervision they
receive? Are democratic principles
employed in the schools as re-
CARDS pupil and teacher relation
ships? Does a truly democratic
spirit prevail in the management of
the many activities of the school2
These and other questions may well
be asked by those interested in the
work of the schools.
Finally, we must do all that we
do In a spirit and manner that is
itself harmonious with the basic
tenets of democracy. One of these
tenets of particular importance in
this connection is that of respect