Our Schools in War Time—and AfterDean, Arthur D. (Arthur Davis)
History
Our Schools in War Time—and After
Dean, Arthur D. (Arthur Davis)
Education -- United States; World War, 1914-1918 -- War work -- Schools
Events moved very rapidly in the spring of 1917. We were called upon
by national and state governments, by chambers of commerce and boards
of trade, by bankers and railroads, to raise crops. We were told that
America must be the pantry for all Europe and that, do the best that
we might, we should not do overmuch. Obviously, with such authority
back of a movement for increased agricultural production, it did not
take very long for state boards of agriculture and state departments of
education to respond, to say nothing about the propaganda set forth by
settlements, women's clubs, the Y.M.C.A., the Boy Scouts, the National
Security League, the Women's Patriotic Service League, and a score
of other organizations, that put a psychological persuasion into the
situation which was hard for school authorities and school children to
resist.
The following data relative to the action of a number of the states
were compiled by the National Child Labor Committee. In general
the data showed no provision made for supervision, for physical
examination, for wages, or for definition of "passing grade." In some
instances there were even no age limitations.
_California._ During continuance of state of war, state board
of education with approval of governor may reduce school term to
six months when necessary "for the planting or harvesting of crops
or for other agricultural or horticultural purposes."
_Indiana._ Letter from state superintendent of public
instruction to county superintendents, April 10, 1917, saying in
part: "It is my wish and order that you permit such high-school
girls and boys, and also such eighth-grade girls and boys as may
care to engage in Home Projects work looking toward the increase
of our agricultural output, to engage in such work and to receive
therefor full credit on the school records, provided this work
is done to the satisfaction of the county agent and the county
superintendent."
Plan formulated later by principals and state superintendents
for supervising, certifying, and accrediting such work did
something to stop a general exodus, but came too late to do much
good.
_Illinois._ State superintendent wrote to local
superintendents, April 10, advising that all boys eligible for
working certificates be excused from school May 1 and receive a
working certificate upon assurance that they have employment on a
farm or in a garden, credit to be given for work upon guarantee
that summer months have been spent in farming or gardening.
_Kansas._ State board of education advised local school
officials, April 17, that it would "approve granting a full year's
credit to pupils who have passing grade and who find it necessary
to withdraw from school before the end of the school year either to
enlist in the military service or actually to engage directly in
food production."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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