helped by cooperation. That great problem is too big to be solved by either the community or the State or the Nation, but must be solved only by the cooperation of all three. The obligation is a threefold obligation and the burden is a threefold burden. Every child born into the world in this Nation is the child of the Nation, the child of the State, and the child of the community. State, community, and Nation will profit by his education, and State, community, and Nation will suffer by his ignorance. The obligation, therefore, for his education is a threefold obligation. It can be accomplished, and anything approximating educational opportunity can be secured in a Nation like ours, with its great diversity of population, of wealth, of climate, and of national resources, only through the cooperation of these three governmental agencies upon which the obligation rests jointly.

Now, gentlemen, I do not mean to detain you with that discussion any longer. The facts will justify all that I have said.

Mr. TOWNER. I would like to know whether or not, Dr. Joyner, you would sanction this observation I have made by a visit to some of the consolidated schools. I have wondered at the wonderful efficiencyDr. JOYNER (interrupting). Sir?

Mr. TOWNER (continuing). And the splendid opportunities that those schools afforded. I would rather have my children educated in one of those modern consolidated country schools than to have them go to any city school in the country.

Dr. JOYNER. Yes; and with anything like equal educational facilities in the country, the opportunities for education in the country will be better than will be the opportunities in the town. What I am contending for is a similar equalization. Unfortunately you will find that statistics show that practically two-thirds of the schools of this country are one-teacher schools. Consolidation costs more in building and equipment and transportation, but it gives very much better results and therefore is cheaper in the long run, if you measure by educational results. But with the necessary amount of money to bring about consolidation in the States, some of them will never get it.

The CHAIRMAN. I would like to know whether this centralization

Dr. JOYNER (interrupting). It is one of the ways of equalizing educational opportunity in the rural population.

The CHAIRMAN. And where we try to centralize throughout the country, are you sure that that can not be done by the States themselves?

Dr. JOYNER. No; I think that many of the States would not have the money to do that successfully, and certainly not as successfully as some of the other States. One of the reasons why it is slow in its progress is the lack of funds.

Then there is another thing for you to think about, gentlemen, if you will: Efficient education in the country costs more than efficient education in the city. For this reason, the sparsity of population under the present conditions certainly requires a larger number of teachers. You will notice in the statistics that a larger number of teachers are required for the sparse population than for the dense population, and one teacher can teach more children in a consolidated

school than could be taught by one teacher in a sparse population. The way to overcome that is the way that you suggested, but it costs for transportation, and you can overcome that by bringing the larger number together, whereby you get better educational facilities and some saving in the number of teachers.

Now, gentlemen, I have detained you long enough. Something has been said about $100,000,000 being a large amount for the accomplishment of the equalization of educational opportunity. I want to say this in conclusion, and leave this with you: This Nation, gentlemen, would be unworthy of the proud place it holds as the leading democracy in a democracised world, and will find it impossible to hold that place, unless it gives to every child in the Nation equal opportunity, an equal chance, to bring out all that is within him, for his own sake, for the Nation's sake, for the State's sake, for the community's sake, for his Creator's sake.

We are hearing much about peace in these days. God grant that we shall find it for all the world, but I declare to you, as my last word, gentlemen, if it be my last, that there shall be no peace on earth and good will among men until the principles of the Prince of Peace are imbued in the hearts and minds of the children of this generation through the proper sort of education. I do not wonder that the Prince of Peace himself, when he trod this sin-cursed earth of ours, should have chosen the little child and should have said of him, "Of such is the Kingdom of Heaven." I do not wonder that the inspired old prophets, looking through the vistas to come, should have seen and understood that, when he foresaw that peace should cover the face of the earth, and the lion and lamb should lie down together, and a little child should lead them.

But talk about $100,000,000 for giving an equal chance for every child in this Nation to develop all that is within it! Let it cost what it may. If it can not be done in any other way-and I have tried to show you that it can not-it is worth all it costs, and more, and we will be recreant to our duty if we do not provide it for the stimulation and aid of the States and the communities that are trying to give their children a chance to be somebody and do something in the world through equality of educational opportunity in this great democracy.

The CHAIRMAN. I think that I ought to suggest to Mr. Magill, who is in charge here, that I think the committee is willing to listen to anyone as long as anyone wants to speak, but perhaps we had better limit the time of each person, and I think I had better make a suggestion to Mr. Magill along that line.

Mr. MAGILL. I think that 10 or 15 minutes would be ample. I do not want to set any limit, but I think that the statement of the chairman is to the point.

The CHAIRMAN. The committee hesitates to limit the time, only it would be better if we could get through quickly.

Mr. MAGILL. With that general understanding, I think that those who follow will take cognizance of the chairman's suggestion.

The CHAIRMAN. We will next hear from Mrs. Mary C. C. Bradford, former president of the National Education Association and present State superintendent of schools of Colorado.

STATEMENT OF MRS. MARY C. C. BRADFORD, STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS OF COLORADO AND FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION.

Mrs. BRADFORD. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen of the committee, perhaps I can make my position on this bill clear to every person, but I was thinking of the way in which I have touched the schools of this Nation, and of the activities which have led me into touch with education.

First, I have touched the schools through their teachers. I was first a teacher, and then a county superintendent, and I am now serving my fourth term as State superintendent of public instruction of Colorado.

Mr. DONOVAN. And how long is each term?

Mrs. BRADFORD. Two years. I am on my seventh year as superintendent of public instruction. Then I have touched the schools as president of the National Education Association. I have touched them as a mother, which is a very important way, and I am at present touching them as a grandmother. I now have grandchildren in the public schools in Denver. I have touched the schools as a teacher as well as a school official, and in all that I have tried to do for my very big family of children I have found that the work that each State can do for its own children can only be brought to perfect fruition by the State functioning as a part of the Nation, and the Nation cooperating with the State in recognition of the welfare of the children that belong to the Nation as well as to the States. You have heard much to-night about the consolidated schools. They are increasing in my State at the rate of four or five a month.

Mr. DONOVAN Will you expand a little about the system of consolidated schools? I must confess that I do not know as much as I would wish about them.

I

Mrs. BRADFORD. Yes; but I wanted to talk about the bill. I wanted to ask you with all my heart and with all my soul and with all my brain, as a State superintendent, as a teacher-because I think I am still teaching-as a mother and a grandmother, and a good citizen, to report this bill out, because I believe with all my heart and mind and soul that it is the greatest and most constructive piece of legislation that has come before this Nation for many, many years. say that, gentlemen, because it deals with the greatest asset of the Nation, the child. It deals with those without whom-unless they can be taught to work hard and live heartily-the Nation can not by any possibility live. It is the most important bill that has ever come before you, because it takes the children and says that the Nation is interested in them, and that the Nation exists for the children.

I want to come back to the bill and tell you gentlemen why I have dreamed by night and worked by day, and talked day and night, for this bill, for I have been working with each new Congress. I believe that it is one of the necessary adjustments after the war, and will put education to the fore.

One gentleman wants to know something about the consolidated school. Consolidation means that two or three or more districts vote to come together and form one district, with a large school instead of a number of small schools. By the larger means of taxation there is

more money to do that with. It is possible to take the child by transportation to the school. In my own State it is necessary for the majority-we will say that five districts are going to be consolidated-and it must be a majority vote of each one of the districts before they can be consolidated. Then you put together all the resources of these five districts and you establish a central school, to which the children are taken by transportation. We have one in the San Louis Valley, which has 16 teachers, pays its superintendent $3,000, and the minimum salary paid teachers there is $1,500 a year, in that particular school. There is a community church and a community farm, and there are homes for the superintendent and his family, and there are places of meeting for all.

The CHAIRMAN. How extensive is the curriculum in that school? Mrs. BRADFORD. It is just as good as it is in the Denver schools, and it is modified in such a way that it meets the requirements of the country life and develops the children for functioning in country life.

Now, gentlemen, I do not want to talk much longer, but I do want to say something that will induce this committee to report this bill out. I believe that something should be said of the way in which the bill was drawn. While I was president of the National Education Association, I appointed a commission for that purpose. That commission has been acting as a continuing and contributing body, representing the teachers of the United States, for nearly two years now. The commission had scarcely come into existence before we found that we must have a law of this kind.

I had taken the bill of Senator Owen, providing for a department of education, and I had written 2,000 letters myself, in order to try to stir up the country about that bill. The commission decided to prepare its own bill, and it has been revised three or four times. The American Federation of Labor has helped on it and has done most magnificent work. The laboring people are very naturally greatly interested in it, because a majority of the pupils in the public schools of the United States are children of the laboring people. And I think that those children have a right to the best education. We must teach every boy and girl that every human being must be willing to render to society a service. The bill came into existence in that way, and we believe that it has been perfected with the cooperation of the various organizations until now it meets the needs of the present and will help us to meet and take care of the adjustments of the future, in order that the country may fulfill its grand destiny.

Now, Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, I want to say a word about the club women and the Federation of Women's Clubs. They have shown a tremendous interest in this bill. The women of this Nation are back of this bill. The women of this Nation are back of it because you can not sway the great mass of women to the right or to the left when the interests of the children are at stake. When they take the child into consideration they think absolutely straight. They brush aside everything that is nonessential and their only thought is, "Is it going to be for the best interests of all the children?" The mothers of this country are unselfish. The mothers of this country do not want to give things to their own children that they are not willing to give to the children of all the people. They

believe that it will be possible to teach the children; that it will be possible to develop the children; that it will be possible to train their bodies and train their minds so that they will grow straight and develop the best that there is in them.

Mr. DONOVAN. From your experience as superintendent of schools do you think that the schools of the State of Colorado would be benefited by the passing of this bill; and if so, in what way? I would like your opinion as superintendent.

Mrs. BRADFORD. It would result in better-trained teachers, for one thing. That is a great thing at the present time-better-trained teachers and better-paid teachers. Somebody, sometime to-day, while I was here in the room, made reference to the Bureau of Education and asked, "Why can not the Bureau of Education do all these things?" Now, no small bureau has the prestige and the power necessary to carry out these things.

Mr. DONOVAN. Just another question: Does not the initiative for the increase of pay for the teachers remain still with the cities, even if this bill does go into effect?

Mrs. BRADFORD. Yes; but there will be more money for them, for the reason that for every dollar that is appropriated for the raising of the teachers' salaries by the Nation the State will give another dollar.

Mr. DONOVAN. But would not the State have to increase its appropriation.

Mrs. BRADFORD. Surely; that is what it should do.

Mr. DONOVAN. I agree with you.

Mrs. BRADFORD. And better-trained teachers and better-paid teachers will make better-trained children and will make for good citizenship.

Senator KENYON. Suppose this bill were to pass, and suppose that you were made secretary of education, which I think would be a very good thing for the country, how would you take this now and go ahead in order to accomplish what you wish to accomplish? How would you go about it?

Mrs. BRADFORD. Well, Senator Kenyon, you have given me a very large order. If I were in the position you say, I should first try to gather about me people who had a vision so broad and knowledge so accurate and consecration so fervent that they would be of very great assistance in planning the work; and I would set to work to study the possibilities, in order that we could do this thing immediately according to the provisions of the bill. You will see that there are various ways set forth in the bill itself how it shall be done. What the secretary would need would be vision, some professional knowledge, capacity for hard work, and to absolutely refuse to be swayed to the right or left.

Mr. DONOVAN. In other words, you would not be a politician?

Mrs. BRADFORD. Well, now, I do not like to have politicians abused. I do not think that they ought to be abused. Government is a science, an art-the art of governing organized communities so that righteousness may prevail-and the right kind of politicians are those who will lend their efforts so that an honest government can prevail. Mr. DONOVAN. The politicians and the teacher are not in the same high class.