Show U so schools must prepare young people to cope with futures future b difficult it problems citizens are urged to visit their local learning centers labor industry educators the churches and clu clubs S are uniting in a call for the observance of american Americ arii education week november 5 11 the week is dedicated to public tribute to schools and is sponsored by the national education association the american legion the united states office of education and the national congress of parents and teachers an annual pilgrimage to the nations schools is made in more than communities by more than 10 million persons during the weeks program of school activities calling upon the citizens to visit their schools president roosevelt Hoo sevelt asks observance ot of american education week to become better so acquainted quain ted with those faithful servants of the nations child children reli and youth the teachers in the presidents message to patrons students and teachers of american schools he asks that teachers be encouraged in their task 0 of f cultivating free men fit for a free world for these teachers are the conservators conservatory conserva tors ot of civilization and the architects 0 of tomorrows world of promised peace and progress they serve within the very citadels of democracy devotedly whether in war oi or in pea peace c e when victory on the fields of battle shall have been achieved the work yet to be done through our schools will be enormous the president continues 1 I therefore call upon the teachers of america to continue without flagging their efforts to contribute through the schools to that final consummation which alone will make possible of fulfillment all plans of education tor for new tasks realizing that the schools play a vital role both in the prosecution of the war and laying the foundations tor for the peace education tor for new tasks is the theme tor for the annual observance schools are preparing children and young people tor for the new tasks which confront our country states F L schlagle president of the national education association the new tasks of making postwar readjustments maintaining economic co security at home improving inter group relationships assuring justice to minority groups adapting our life to the new technology and im arni irni proving community life only a people of intelligence character goodwill and earnestness can meet these issues with success program for the he week daily themes in the development of education for new tasks are sunday november 5 building worldwide brotherhood monday november 6 winning the war tuesday november 7 improving schools for tomorrow wednesday november 8 developing ve an enduring peace thursday november 9 preparing for the New Technology friday november 10 educating all the people saturday november 11 bettering community life when the war is over our country will be faced with a problem ol of readjustment which in many ways will be as difficult as the problems of mobilization for the war warns mr schlagle millions of men and women must bs be retrained tor for new jobs boys and girls in schools must be aided in adjusting to postwar con editions the war has emphasized the nations need for youth we cannot afford in them the postwar period to permit youth to become the lost genera tion again he says building worldwide brotherhood topic for sunday opening the weeks program will be observed in the churches throughout the nation according to everett R clinchy I 1 national conference of christians and jews 11 brotherhood Is giving to others the dignity and rights we want to keep for ourselves we need to make universal brotherhood part of the learning experience he points point s out that this can be done by thinking scientifically on quest questions ioni of race religious cultures and nationality differences which divide people into groups mondays theme winning we the war is a reminder of the wartime job being done by the schools in training adjustment of courses to permit pupils to do wartime work rationing and registration programs conducting scrap and bond drives as well as continuing their regular program of 0 education for 25 million american chil children dien improving schools for tomorrow emphasizes emphasize i the steps needed tor for improving american education equalization of educational opportunity through state and federal aid payment of bl adequate salaries to teachers streamlining the administrative organization of education in many areas and the building of school programs around real life problems are among the pressing needs for better schools to in the post war era hope for enduring peace education Is a potent force w which aich can be used for the promotion of peace underlies wednesdays topic developing an enduring peace proposals for the international organization following the war include a council on educational policy which would become a permanent international agency tor for education the purpose of such an agency would be to lift educational standards to encourage education tor for international under understanding stan ding and to report tor for action to the general international body attempts in any nation to promote war through education preparing for the new technology points to the reliance technology and science have upon education the need tor for intelligent management and the reduction of unskilled labor are emphasized the ever increasing need tor for specialization on the part of workers calls for cooperation and mutual helpfulness the promise of a new world depends upon technology to reach that promise we must develop through education people capable ot of using it mr schlagle Seh lagle points out educating all the people topic r W AZ practical and scientific training Is getting increasing emphasis during the war years even in grade school probably this trend w will III continue into peace times these boys are making radio sets for friday emphasizes that despite th the e great strides in establishing a system of public ed education u cation there are 13 per cent of our adult population having only a fourth grade education or less hundreds of thousands of men fully qualified in every other respect have been found by the selective service to have less than thad a fourth ou r t hr grade education B bettering e t t e 64 C community om life topic f for 0 r the last day of american America education week underlines the role of the school as center serving adults as well as children and acting as a force for bringing the people together so that plans for improved community life may be made and developed problems of future american education week grew out of the first world I 1 war it was first observed in 1921 twenty five per cent of the men examined in that draft were illiterate 29 per cent were physically unfit many were foreign born and had little understanding of american life these were startling disclosures unfit as they were for war these men were also incapable of serving their co country un most effectively in time of peace members of the newly formed american legion wished to corre correct c these conditions they saw in this r situation an opportunity to serve their country alter after the war when a campaign of education appeared to be the only answer they consulted the other sponsoring organizations and as a result the first american education week was wad observed all the new new tasks which confront our society as a whole are the ones with which our schools must deal for the schools are of society and their task Is to build society by developing good citizens mr schlagle further points out let us utilize the power of education to F 7 many adults need a grade school education either because they came from some region of the country where schools are remote or because they are foreign born bora here a young woman from austria waves her hard won diploma further fulfill the promise of america and to enable us to do our part among the family of nations in the establishment of a just order of affairs in the world he urges six billion investment the national planning committee a private agency most of whose directors are businessmen recently stated that if we make oui our economic system work reason reasonably ab I 1 well after the war we shall have a national income of at least billion dollars the report goes on to relate that according to the estimated figures we shall spend 25 billion for foodstuffs as compared with 16 billion before the war 18 16 billion for housing as compared with 9 billion seven billion for automobiles as against four billion three billion for recreation as against one and a half billion 13 billion for household operations and equipment as compared with six and a half billion shall we asks mr schlagle under such conditions refuse to increase the two and a half billion which we have been spending for schools school and colleges shall we with the highest per capita income of any nation in all history use our increased wealth to teed feed clothe and and house ourselves in comparative luxury to buy entertainment airplanes automobiles radios and refrigerators and neglect to spend any of our increased income tor for the educational improvement ot of our children we can readily afford the five or six billion dollars which a genuinely adequate educational program lor for all would cost this would be the wisest investment that american citizens could make he contends eric A johnston president united states chamber of commerce says the organization is glad to give its support to the ob servance of american education week 1944 business recognizes the relation between education and an expanding economy there Is no more important task before us than the development of the kind ol of edu rational cat ional program which will promote good citizenship and economic eco economic well being |