Review of Educational Legislation, 1917 and 1918. Bulletin, 1919, No. 13
Author: Hood, William R.
Date: 1919-00-00
Type: Historical Materials
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Federal Government,Federal Programs,Politics of Education,War,Vocational Education,Military Training,Veterans Education,Citizenship Education,Immigrants,Vocational Rehabilitation,Special Education,Special Needs Students,Disabilities,Sanitation,High Schools,Junior High Schools,Evening Programs,School Community Relationship,Textbooks,Libraries,Higher Education,Public Colleges,Public Health,Agricultural Education,Educational Legislation,State Legislation,Educational History,School Law,Educational Policy,State Policy,Access to Education,Standards,Public Schools,Educational Change,Educational Principles,Educational Facilities,Educational Administration,Educational Trends,Educational Finance,School Support,Public School Teachers,Teacher Education,Teacher Certification,School Organization,Consolidated Schools,School Schedules,Compulsory Education,Attendance,Counties,State Boards of Education,School Districts,Administrators,Secondary Education,Elementary Secondary Education,Health Education,Child Health,School Health Services,State Surveys,Illiteracy,Federal State Relationship,State Federal Aid

Within the two years comprehended in this review, the Congress of the United States has been in almost continuous session and all the states, except Alabama have held meetings of their legislative bodies. Six states, Georgia, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and South Carolina hold annual meetings of their legislatures, and these, of course had legislative sessions both in 1917 and in 1918. Within this period, special sessions were held in some states. Alabama is not included in this review for the reason that its legislature meets quadrennially and will not meet again until early in 1919. The legislation of any year, particularly an odd-numbered year when 42 or 43 legislatures are in session, is invariably made up in large measure with enactments relating to education and this is none the less true of the two years here considered. Distinctly, new educational movements, however have not been especially conspicuous in laws enacted. Progress in school legislation has partaken rather of the nature of improving older laws and moving along lines already well defined. A few elements have operated in legislatures with the probable effect of distracting attention from educational matters. The European war has been among these elements, the war and its concomitants have been uppermost in the minds of the people and in consequence have not gone without effect on state legislation. It can hardly be said that this effect has been essentially hurtful as some very wholesome educational measures have received impetus from the war spirit. The government is more concerned with education than  most people suppose. Of the 10 executive departments in Washington, at least 8 include bureaus or other agencies which touch education vitally of some point. Among the more noteworthy of these are the Bureau of Education and the Office of Indian Affairs of the Department of the Interior, the Public Health Service of the Department of the Treasury, the States Relations Service of the Department of Agriculture, the Children's Bureau, and the Bureau of Naturalization of the Department of Labor, and the great training branches of the War and Navy Departments. In addition to these, the Library of Congress, the Smithsonian Institution, the Council of National Defense, the Committee on Public Information, and some other agencies serve an educational purpose not only through their broader information-giving activities, but through school channels as well. The work of all these agencies, renews our attention, now that the government is extending its educational  activities along other lines. [Best copy available has been provided.]