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Show THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS . "This Is a democracy. I ipon that rock Is bullded our public school system. The two are linked by Indissoluble In-dissoluble ties. They are equal partner and sharers tn the struggles and successes of an advancing ad-vancing race," writes Dennis Brum mitt. Attorney General, State of North Carolina. "This school system must fit the ultimate purpose of the social and political institutions of which It is a part. That purpose is not culture alone; it Is not national power; nor Is It simply training for leadership. It Is all of these in part, and yet more than all of these In the whole. There are other and more basic needs In a twentieth century social order. "We have approached democracy in the politcal control of government. govern-ment. The policies and actions of parties and office holders recur-1 rently come np for review by the people. For the present, at least we continue to choose our public officials. of-ficials. "Democracy , and the public school system, working together, have brought government under the control of the average man. Again in concert, they have opened the doors of the schoolhouse to all on equal terms. Together, they must find the solution of our social and economic problems. To the educated educat-ed citizenship of the future, democracy democ-racy must, and will not be simply the substnace'of things hoped for, but the evidence of things known "We have come to a new economic econom-ic age. It is one wherein more than ever before the interest of one is that of all. For the future, business problems will revolve around, not the production of goods, but their consumption. Prosperity will depend de-pend more and more upon the increasing in-creasing number of those able to buy, and thus share In the comforts and conveniences of life. Agriculture Agricul-ture and Industry cannot continue at the level which machinery has now established unless they find a market for their products in the buying power of the whole adult population, gainfully employed. Unless Un-less we meet this new challenge, we have reached the point of dl- niinlshing return from our nmiiw-tlon nmiiw-tlon of this marvelous energy. "Here, then, is the great task of democracy and the public school system. In the past they have acted act-ed to gether; In the future they must continue to do-o. They must act together and thus preserve our Individualistic system of Industry, agriculture, government, society. Within that system mankind may grow , character be built, and a great civilization be developed. It beckons with glamorous appeal to youth. For It test his powers, calls forth the best that Is in him, offers him a free field, equal opportunity, and the just reward of his merits and hi effort. "These two do not work alone here. At this point, upon one great highway meet all the forces which con trol or affect human life. Here, then, Is the task of all these of re- llgion, education, democracy, pontics, pon-tics, law, government, industry, business, economics. All' the successes suc-cesses which lie behind us, all our rich derams for the future, meet and cling, and here color what we must do or will do. "This public, school system must produce the necessary leadership. But that alone i not sufficient. In this age no great question can be settled outside of the will and desire de-sire of the mass of the people. "In all ages men have sought to adjust the mechanism they use to the load to be carried. It was o In the time of the wooden plow and physical energy alone. It must be so now in this age of power. The task of the educational machine grows, not lighter, but heavier. |