Montana labor news., 1950-10-12
5TH ANNUAL STATE TEACHERS COW.

JOlll l-hluiu, pic>luVit ga 'N
american Federation oi Teachers. l.
an outstanding leader and educator
arriving in Butte Friday As guest
81 the State Federation oi Teach
cr,.
Eklund gave up his study ior the
ministry when he became convinced
that he could better serve mankind
in the classroom. He was a member
al the regular teaching stall u the
Denver public school, IRON 1880
to 1910. Since 1910 he ha, been a.
signed a. counselor under the vet
cranS program in that school >sS-
TEN The NET has urged an i'm
mediate investigation al the abuses
aud alleged abuses in education and
training 81 veterans under present
national legislation. and mder Mr.
Eklnnds guidance the organization
la, secured and administrative role
in behalf al the tcachcr-vctcran pro-
gram. This j. shown by the Congress
sional Record OF July p. On page
5745 we note that Representative
Edith Noursc Rogers has inserted
in the Record a letter sent to Prcsl-
dent Eklund in which the Veterans
Administrations accepted Mr.. Elk
lund, recommendation ior special
consideration ior the tcachcr-Nctcr-
an.
As a teacher and member oi the
labor movement Mr.. liklund has
served in a number OF capacities
among which are The following Co
chairman OF the Colorado Veterans
administration, member OF the
planning board oi the Mid-C cntury
White House conference; member
oi the MEL commission on Noca-
ton Education. Al'l. delegate to
the CNESCO conference. and
member OF the All convention com
mittcc on legislation.
In his address before the 3rd
conventions OF the AFT in Dcroit
last August, Mr.. fklund spoke as
follows ON the educational program
which is being offered the american
high school student.
Out OF 1000 youths who were in
the 9Th grade in 1871, +Sl completed
high school. Drop out rate has been
even greater in the period following
the war with only blo completing
high school OF 1000 who entered
the ninth grade in l944- As. We have
in large measure failed to take cog
mizance OF this disturbing trend
while IN our society and our ccono-
my wc have increased the value OF
a high school education. We ar,
rapidly moving to a distinction 81
class which finds those who hay,
completed the high school in on'
camp, and those who have not il
another. We accept. as we should
the tact that the bulwark Of tn,
democratic process is a conmo
school education, but have CLOSED
oycr the evidence that such common
school education through the sec
undary level was not enjoyed b,
even one hall OF the children en-
tcring the elementary schools. Per
haps ii those who terminate thci
education short OF high school com
plction moved into gwainlul and sat
lsiying employment, with adcquat
Job training. we could rest assure,
that they were finding their owi
way as productive citizens. Reccn
studies have shown however, tina
a startling large group are Nc
finding their way, that joblcssncss i
a social Scncc existed among p pc
cent oi the lo-l9 year group, an
that 10 per cent Of the l4-l5 yea
group we're among the unemployed
These numbers leave our school
to seek employment and rapidly be
come the forgotten youth. Whcr
employment is found, wage Stru,
lures are unusually low, there is hie
incidence OF illegal employment. an
the injury rate is alarming. The ~
DRY lowered high school has yet
come to grips with this most fund;
mental prcdicamcnt-as it repeated
~ fails to make the adjustments til
could move toward solution. SUI
porting evidence OF the failure
the secondary school to provide ;
attractive, functional program
found in the Incidence VI crime a.
delinquency in this age group.
The high school by looking t
ward the college, by minimizing t
drop-out problem, by being forced
live in over-crowded and inadcqua
facilities which dictate the curric
lum, has resulted i'll cutting the CHI
to the pattern instead OF creati
the pattern on the basis OF need.
provide enlightened citizenry soci,
" and economically aware,
school must now face directly
construction oi a broadly %concciN
educational experience that can a
will attract the great bulk OF tc,