The Sidney herald., 1959-09-09


In Effort II
Deer (rOscde,
j. C. Penney Co., like man
other merchants, keeps a clos
watch on major trends in Ameri
can community life.
The reason for this is obvious
knowledge of social changes i
essential to supply the needs o
today's families" says Manager E
E. Edmondson, who is also chair
man of the local school boards
AS an example, he cited figure.
released by the Company ON trend.
in American education.
Out of the total population Of
about ITO million, nearly As mil
lion were in school during the
1958-59 school year. 1t was the
14th consecutive year, he said
that enrolment had shown an in
crease over the previous year. In
this case, the increase over the
1878 school year was Ia
million.
The end is far from being in
sight. In 1886, less than 2.5
million babies were born in Amer
lea. In l947, 4.25 million were
born, and the upward trend is
continuing.
In the 14-2i age group, only 8
per cent were in school or college
in 1900. Today nearly 80 percent
of this age group are enrolled in
school or college.
Increase Is Staggering
Since 1850 enrolment in Gle
mentary and secondary schools
has increased a staggering a per
cent. Another 10 per cent increase
is expected by 1855.
Taking other age groups, 96.5
percent of youngsters from 6 to
IL were in school last year. In
he 1917 age group, sos per cent
we're in school, compared with 67.6
percent for the same group in
.947.
The total number of persons at
ending school and college is grow
ng at the rate of nearly 2 million
yeaT-faster than the population
ate of growth.
College enrollments are, of
curse, rejecting the upward
rend. At the present time, 81 per
ent of high school graduates
inter- college. In 1900, enrolment
4 resident students in the 1921
ge group in colleges was only 4
err cent of the total number of
8-21 year Odds. In 1850, it was
0.9 per cent. Now it is 1876 per
ent, and going up.
With enrollments rising astron-
mically, shortages of teachers and
t class rooms have become ma
lonal problems.
In the fall of 1858, America
yas 140,500 classrooms short of
needs. OF these s. $500 were
eeded to accommodate excess en-
ollment, and 1920 we're needed
D replace unsatisfactory, facilities.
So, 400 classrOoms are scheduled
completion during 1889.
Unfortunately, this represents a
ecrease of "A per cent in the ,
lumber of classrioms completed in
357-58. |,
In the fall of 1858, "a million /.
upils were enrolled in Americas
and secondary schools. t,
total of 1,843, 900 Of these, or
4 per cent, were in excess of the
primal capacity OF publicly own
l school plants in use. !,
The result: halliday sessions, !
yercrowded classrooms and poss- f.,
lie decrease in quality of instruc- !
on that has the whole nation :
,ncerned. :
Teacher Shortage Another ;
Problem =
The teacher shortage is another !,
-oblem that has attracted the at :
ntion of every parent. During
America was short 1872
70 teachers at the elementary and !;
condary level. BY 1865 we will !,
,ed $4,000 more teachers than :
e now have, and we may fall =
0,0OO short OF attaining the !;
'eded number. =
problem is posed by :
with substandard qualifi- =
tions-a problem made more 4
ute by the teacher shortage, :
aich sometimes results in press
3 insdequately qualified persons
to service. Last year $4,000 tea
ers held substandard certificates
d credentials, representing IL
r cent Of the entire elementary
d secondary teaching force.
to al these problems, :
d underlying them all, is the
st of educAtton today.
Expenditures for all public and
,xrot~ ~sapof{o, - Tho TT G A,r-