Show U S schools must prepare young people to cope with difficult problems of future citizens are urged to visit their local learning centers labor industry educators the churches and clubs are uniting in a call for the observance of american education week november 5 11 the week is dedicated to public tribute to schools and is sponsored by the national education association cia tion 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 0 of f school activities calling upon the citizens to visit their schools president roosevelt asks observance of american education week to become better acquainted quain ted with those faithful servants of the nations children and youth the teachers in the presidents message to 41 patrons students and teachers of american schools he asks that teachers be encouraged in their task of cultivating free men fit for a tree free world for these teachers are the conservators conservatory conserva tors of civilization and the architects of tomorrows world of promised peace and progress they serve within the very citadels of democracy devotedly whether in war or in peace 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 6 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 for new tasks realizing that the schools play a vital role both in the prosecution of the war and laying the foundations for the peace education for new tasks is the theme for the annual observance schools are preparing children and young people 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 security at home improving relationships assuring justice to minority groups adapting our life to the new technology and improving community life iffe only a people of intelligence character goodwill and earnestness can meet these issues with success program for the week daily themes in the development of education for new tasks are sunday november 5 building worldwide brotherhood monday november 6 winning th the eWar war tuesday november 7 improving schools tor 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 wai war is over our country will be faced with a problem of readjustment which in many ways will be as difficult as the problems of mobilize mobil mobilization iza tion for the war warns mr schlagle millions of men n n and women must be retrained for new jobs boys and girls in schools must be aided in adjusting to postwar conditions dit ions the war has emphasized the X m j a aa tz af 4 in 11 POP nations need for youth we cannot afford in the postwar period to permit youth to become the lost generation 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 national conference of christians arid and jews 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 out that this can be done by thinking scientifically on questions of race religious cultures and nationality differences which divide people into groups mondays theme winning 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 education for 25 million american children improving schools for tomorrow emphasizes the steps needed for improving american education equalization of educational opportunity through state and federal aid payment of 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 in the postwar era hope for enduring peace education is a potent force which 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 councilor council counci lon xin educational policy which would become a permanent international agency for education the purpose of such an agency would be to lift educational standards to encourage education for international understanding and to report for action to the general international body attempts in any nation to promote war through e du cation preparing for the new technology points to the reliance technology and science have upon education the need for intelligent management and the reduction of unskilled labor are emphasized the ever increasing need for specialization on the part of workers calls for cooperation and mutual helpfulness the promise of anew a hew world depends upon technology to reach that promise we must develop through education people capable of using I 1 it t mr schlagle points out educating du cating all the people to topic pic for friday emphasizes that despite A 11 al 1 Z 4 f I 1 e k J fg emphasis eliph during durine d Is getting increasing i practical and scientific training probably this trend will continue school the war years even la in grade making makin radio sets these boys boya are toto peace times the great strides in establishing a system of public education there are 1312 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 a fourth grade education bettering community life topic for the last day of american education week underlines the role of the school as a community 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 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 country most effectively in time of peace members of the newly formed american legion wished to correct these conditions they saw in this situation an opportunity to serve their country 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 observed all the 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 4 TX r 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 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 our economic system work reasonably 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 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 halt half billion 13 billion for household ppe operations rations and equipment as compared with six and a halt half billion shall we asks mr schlagle under brider such conditions refuse to increase the two and a half billion W which we have been spending for schools and colleges shallie shall lwe we with the highest per capita income of any nation in all history use our increased wealth to feed clothe and house ourselves in comparative luxury to buy entertainment aira airplanes lanes autom automobiles obi les radios an and d acors and neglect to spend any of our increased income for the edu educational rational cat ional improvement of our children we can readily afford the five or six billion dollars which a genuinely adequate educational program 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 alie organization is ia glad to give its support to the observance of american education week 1944 business recognizes the relation between education and an expanding economy the there re is is no more important task before e us than the development of the kind of educational cat ional program which will promote good citizenship and econom economidy eco nomia id well being |