Evening star., 1948-11-07
Education Association
To Renew Efforts for
Federal Aid 10 Schools

The National Education Associa-
ton will resume its efforts to get
q bill for Federal aid to education
considered when the new Congress
convenes, Willard e. Givens, execu-
tive secretary of the association
said yesterday.
This is part of q program "to
strengthen education in the United
States during the coming year"
Mr.. Givens said.
AS the NEA released details of
its program, schools in the District
and over the Nation prepared to re-
ceive visitors during the annual OBJ
servance Of American Education
Week. which begins tomorrow. join
ing with the NEA in sponsoring the
week are the National Congress of
Parents and Teachers, the ONCE of
Education and the American Legion.
"Custodians Of Freedom"
President Truman, In an education
wec.. proclamation, described the
schools as "custodians of freedom"
This is time which challenges
our coming citizens to grow in
stature and wisdom" Mr.. Truman
said. 1T is they who, for the future,
must strengthen the foundations of
freedom at home and stand
shoulder to shoulder with other free
dom-loving peoples throughout the
world. Let us pledge ourselves
anew during this week to assure
them the education and the oppor-
tunity which they need in this great
epdeavor."
Comments on the occasion of elec-
ton week were made by four ma
tional figures yesterday.
Erwin D. Canham, editor Of the
Christian Science Monitor and
president of the American Society
Of Newspaper Editors:
"As q newspaperman, I wish the
American schools could give citi-
1ens q better capacity to evaluate
the facts of our time.
The stark fact is that events half
way around the world have pri-
mary significance to every citizen
right where he lives. But aware
ness of this fact has not yet come
to enough people.
Must Awake to Needs.
eff schools and press can help
people to seperate the trivial from
the urgent, they will start laying
the foundations of freedom-and
by urgent do not mean negotia-
tions in the Kremlin or the Palais
de Chaillot.
"An honest city government, a
community awake to the need for
saving Our schools In an imitation
AIRY crisis. an awareness of I'M
solved problems and unhealed con-
ditions in our own midst; these
are all urgently needed foundation !
stones.
But civic awareness is indivisible |
The good citizen of his suburb is
likely to be good citizen of the
world. Let the schools and the press
strive for this awakening"
Paul G. Hoffman, Economic CO.
operation Administrator:
Good schools and good teachers
are an impregnable line of defense
against the teachings of totalitarian
thought and practices"
Urges More School Funds.
Eric Johnston, president of the
Motion Picture Association of Amer
lea:
I'VE must give our schools-the
shock troops against the enemies of |.
freedom-all the weapons necessary
to fight and maintain their ground |
We spend too little on edu-
cation"
Harry A. Bulls, chairman of the
board, General Mills, Inc:
Our country is already in a posi-
ton of world leadership, and it is
to the young people who are in the |
schools Of America today that the
world will look for leadership to-
morrow"
Mr.. Givens said in announcing the
NEA program that Federal aid to
education is essential to remove
the threat to our Nations security
caused by millions of children who
today are denied a fair chance to
get a basic education
Conditions which the NEA con-
siders a threat to the Nations Sc
curity are these: 100000 children
Of school age are not enrolled in
any school; 2,800,0 persons, IA and
older, are illiterate; $4,000 per-
sons, IA and older, have less than
. 5th grade education: 1000 were
rejected for World War II service
solely for educational deficiencies.
Rabbi Losker to Speak !
Rabbi MAR Lasker of Temple
Judea in Philadelphia will discuss
the social significance of the cere-
monies of Israel in lecture to Gal