Miss CHARL WILLIAMS, Washington, D. C.: TALLAHASSEE, FLA., January 19, 1924. In my opinion, Florida needs the enactment of the education bill to the end that the inequalities of educational opportunity arising from those of taxable wealth in the various districts of the State may be overcome. We need the law in order that we may make a better showing than at present when compared with States having more and greater sources of school revenue. We think many of our counties and districts are doing all they can to maintain good schools, yet their school terms are not more than half the standard length, their teachers poorly trained and poorly paid. Some of us feel that if our citizens are to be efficient we should have Federal encouragement in the promotion of health and the removal of illiteracy. CHARL WILLIAMS, W. S. CAWTHON, State Superintendent of Florida. JEFFERSON CITY, Mo., January 19, 1924. Bureau of Education, Washington, D. C.: CHAS. R. LEE, State Superintendent of Schools of Missouri. INDIANAPOLIS, IND., January 19, 1924. Miss CHARL WILLIAMS, National Education Association: I heartily indorse the move to advance the cause of education and dignify its position in our Government by placing in the President's Cabinet a secretaryship devoted to education. BENJAMIN J. BURRIS, Indiana State Superintendent of Public Instruction. Miss CHARL WILLIAMS, LITTLE ROCK, ARK., January 19, 1924. Washington, D. C.: The cause of education should have a representative in the President's Cabinet. The Federal Government in time of war requires every young man to enter the service of his country. A government which has this authority should prepare its citizenship for the best possible service to the country either in times of peace or war. The most important problem before the people of this country is the problem of education. In the rural communities the education bill attempts to equalize the educational opportunities of the children of the Nation. I sincerely hope that the bill will receive favorable consideration at this session of Congress. A. B. HILL, State Superintendent of Public Instruction of State of Arkansas. AUGUSTA, ME., January 19, 1924. Miss CHARL WILLIAMS, National Education Association, Washington, D. C.: The two greatest ideas which have sprung from the minds of man were born in America a political democracy and a free public-school system. One can not exist without the other. If Congress only knew the confusion now existing in the several education activities distributed through all departments, and if it knew what the Federal Government can do to set minimum standards to encourage universal education as a most essential enterprise, I feel sure the educational bill would receive favorable action. AUGUSTUS O. THOMAS, State Superintendent of Public Instruction of State of Maine. Miss CHARL WILLIAMS, SACRAMENTO, CALIF., January 21, 1924. National Education Association, Washington, D. C.: Heartily indorse the education bill as introduced at this session. Education is a matter of national interest, and Federal Government should aid in the promotion of better citizenship. Inasmuch as education is foundational in a country such as ours, it should be recognized by the creation of an executive department. WILL C. WOOD, State Superintendent of Schools, Sacramento, Calif. Miss CHARL WILLIAMS, Washington, D. C.: BOISE, IDAHO, January 21, 1924. Registered hearty indorsement of the education bill. Idaho wants this bill passed. ELIZABETH RUSSUM, State Superintendent of Schools of Idaho. Miss CHARL WILLIAMS, Washington, D. C.: AUSTIN, TEX., January 21, 1924. The Sterling-Reed bill has my full indorsement. The Nation can not measure up to its possibilities so long as there are so many glaring inequalities of educational opportunity. Certainly the intelligence of the people demands the removal of illiteracy, the Americanization of the foreign born, the promotion of physical education, and the training of teachers. Texas, seventh in wealth, might meet these requirements for herself without national aid, but her Senators and Representatives should be altruistic enough to support this measure for good that will be accomplished for the entire Nation. Texas must not live for herself alone. S. M. N. MARRS, State Superintendent of State of Texas. To argue in favor of what seems to the arguer a self-evident proposition is a somewhat ungracious task. Yet, while there is one person in the United States unconvinced as to the value of the education bill, I feel it a privilege and a duty to testify to my faith in its principles and my firm conviction that its enactment into law would mark a day of new and rich achievement for American education. Because it provides for adequate recognition of education as one of the supreme activities of the national life, I am in favor of the education bill. Because it would make possible the prevention of waste and duplication of effort in educational administration, I urge the passage of the education bill. Because this great measure provides for cooperation with the States in such a way as to assure victorious attainment of the five great objectives of American education, I am convinced that Congress will see fit to pass this bill. As a State superintendent of many years' standing, I am convinced that a national department of education, with a secretary in the President's Cabinet, providing for a national council of education, thus keeping in vital touch with the States, creating a research department of incalculable value to all the American Commonwealths and recognizing the principle of Federal aid to education, in order to equalize the educational opportunities of all the children living under the flag, would meet a vital, fundamental need in the life of the American Republic as could no other measure now before the people. Mrs. MARY C. C. BRADFORD, State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Denver, Colo. Miss CHARL WILLIAMS, Washington, D. C.: CONCORD, N. H., February 15, 1924. MY DEAR MISS WILLIAMS: I favor the education bill. We are one Nation. Neither wealth nor childhood can be completely localized without detriment to the Nation. The American people wherever they are and the American wealth wherever it is have a responsibility for American children wherever they may live. The Nation needs a division of education. Very truly yours, ERNEST W. BUTTERFIELD, Commissioner of Education. Miss CHARL WILLIAMS, Washington, D. C.: PIERRE, S. DAK., February 16, 1924. We have before us the Federal education bill (H. R. 3823, S. 1337). The State department of public instruction of South Dakota strongly indorses this bill: Our State teachers' association, composed of more than 6,000 teachers, unanimously indorses this bill. We would urge you as our representative to use any possible efforts to secure favorable support from the committee and we hope for the early enactment of this bill into law. FRED L. SHAW, State Superintendent Public Instruction. HARRISBURG, PA., February 16, 1924. A national department of education, with a secretary of education in the President's Cabinet, would make possible the unification of the numerous educational agencies now operating under Government control. It would command resources commensurate with the fundamental importance of education and adequate to its needs. Education is unquestionably the problem of supreme importance to Nation. I am strongly in favor of the education bill because it properly recognizes this fundamental tenet of our national life. Miss CHARL WILLIAMS, Washington, D. C.: J. GEORGE BECHT, State Superintendent of Public Instruction. LANSING, MICH., March 10, 1924. Fear I can not attend hearing. I wish you would read into the record of said hearing, however, this statement: Michigan educators are, I believe, a unit in supporting the education bill. Education is represented by a minister in most foreign countries. It should at least receive an equivalent recognition in the United States. If roads and military establishments are to be Federal aided, education, which is more important than both, should receive similar support. THOMAS E. JOHNSON, State Superintendent of Public Instruction. HELENA, MONT., April 1, 1924. Miss CHARL WILLIAMS, Washington, D. C.: When one considers our educational weaknesses it is difficult to understand objections to the education bill. The States need not only encouragement from the Nation in solving serious educational problems, but also reliable data secured by research on which to base progressive State plans for bettering conditions. The education bill is strongly indorsed in Montana. MAY TRUMPER, Superintendent of Schools. Miss WILLIAMS (continuing). The American Federation of Labor was one of the earliest supporters of this great movement, and I would like you to hear now from Mr. Edward F. McGrady, representing that organization. STATEMENT OF MR. EDWARD F. MCGRADY, MEMBER LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE, AMERICAN FEDERATION OF LABOR Mr. MCGRADY. The American Federation of Labor for more than a generation has preached the importance of education as it affects the life of our Nation. We, perhaps more than anybody else, recognize how much this Nation has suffered through lack of education, because we come in direct contact with those who have suffered from it. Indirectly we have suffered also-those of us who have had the opportunities of getting some education. The American Federation of Labor to-day gladly joins with all of the other forward-looking organizations of this Nation in asking you to pass favorably upon this bill. We believe there should be a department of education. We believe the secretary of that department ought to have a position in the President's Cabinet. Labor has a place in the Cabinet, as it should have; commerce has a place in the Cabinet; agriculture has a place in the Cabinet; and we place education, in importance, as second to none of those departments, and we believe education ought to be there represented. Talking of the aliens who reach our shores, it has been well said that very few have "arrived in America." I believe that was the statement made by the President of the United States, Calvin Coolidge, and we know it to be true. You listened the other day to a living example of the failure of education, when you had before you a lady and a gentleman, American by blood for generations, who did not have an opportunity of learning to read or to write their own language until after they had r ached the half-century mark. That example can be duplicated not by the hundreds but by the thousands of cases, perhaps by the tens of thousands of cases. And, certainly, we know that so far as the alien worker is concerned, in the great industrial centers of this Nation, the condition as far as Americanization is concerned, and as far as education is concerned, is deplorable, and it does not help America in any way and we believe that some means ought to be adopted, some method ought to be adopted, to change this condition of affairs in the Nation And we know of no better way than to establish a department of education and we give it our hearty approval. The CHAIRMAN. Mr. McGrady, will you tell us how the American Federation took action on this matter? Mr. MCGRADY. This action was taken by the American Federation of Labor at its convention. That convention was attended by approximately 1,100 delegates, and these 1,100 delegates spoke for and voted for approximately three and one-half million workers, men and women. The CHAIRMAN. Was there any discussion of the bill; was the bill explained by anybody? Mr. MCGRADY. The bill was explained. We have somewhat the same system that you have here in Congress. Bills or resolutions are presented to the convention. The resolutions are then sent to the various appropriate committees and the committees invite everybody interested, either for or against, to appear and offer reasons why it should or should not pass. Then, after a vote is taken by the committee, it is reported to the full convention. There again a discussion takes place upon the floor of the convention, before a vote is taken, and this vote was unanimous. Mr. WELSH. Mr. McGrady, your organization is particularly interested in Americanization work, is it not? Mr. MCGRADY. Yes. Mr. WELSH. I suppose that is the outstanding feature of this bill that would lead you to be in favor of it? Mr. MCGRADY. Well, better education is Americanization. I believe there are a great many people who would be better Americans if they first understood the American Government, and they can not understand the American Government unless they have education. Let me give you an example-a very vivid example. Shortly after the war was declared, I was drafted by the Government, part of my duties being to look out for the production of war materials, to see that the contractors who were getting out war materials would make their deliveries on time, so that the cartridges and guns would meet the boats at Hoboken to go across the water. I received a call one evening, about half past 5, at my office, to go down to a hall on Neeland Street, Boston; that there was more or less of a riot there. When I got in I found a group of five or six hundred workers, women predominating, in a very hysterical mood-they were debating whether or not this particular trade would work on making American soldiers' uniforms and flags-a serious thing for a group of workers to discuss in time of war. Yet there they were, aliens, very few of them able to speak the American language, and all the debate I listened to, except of one person, was in a foreign language-every one was confused and hysterical. I went in and took charge of the meeting, as chairman, had interpreters and got the thing straightened out. Somebody had gotten to that group of people and entirely misrepresented the situation, with the result that they had these people all worked up and in a fighting mood. But when I began to read and explain and tell them what this thing was all about, they very gladly agreed to go back to work and to make all the uniforms necessary. That can be duplicated in a great many cases. Even to-day a great deal of trouble in industry is caused by aliens who have been reached by other nationalities than Americans, who misrepresent things to them, and get them to go out-it is a serious problem. There are big industrial centers in this Nation where American workers have been replaced by some nationality, that nationality replaced by still a third nationality, and that nationality driven out and replaced by another nationality. And we know of instances where labor procurers, when they cross the water to secure labor for the big firms of this Nation are directed by the firms not to recruit from one or two nations for any particular factory, but the firms recommend that at least 15 different nationalities be supplied for some of our manufacturers. And what is the result? Those different nationals come into those sections, every one with their old political prejudices, and are at each others' throats all the time. You can not Americanize them under such conditions of affairs. It has been so bad that we, in the labor movement, have had to establish our labor colleges and schools at night, and we have labor colleges and schools being conducted and paid for by the American Federation of Labor that we might reach this very group of people in order that they might become educated-better educated. |