Mr. FENN. You think most of these things are under local control? Mr. TIGERT. Yes.

Mr. FENN. Is not this another attempt of the central Government to impose its ideas on the States? As I read this first paragraph here, it says:

That the President of the United States is hereby authorized and requested to issue a proclamation calling upon the Government officials to display the United States flag on all Government buildings and the people of the United States to display the flag at their homes or other suitable places on May 1 of each year in order to awaken the people of our country to the fundamental necessity of a year-around program looking toward the protection and development of the physical and the mental health of our children.

The United States Government has not the slightest thing to do with the last part of that program. It is an attempt of the Government to tell the States what to do.

Mr. TIGERT. Every State is trying to do this.

Mr. FENN. Why get the President to do it?

Mr. TIGERT. Every organization that is interested in the betterment of child life is trying to do this.

Mr. FENN. What has the President to do with this?

Mr. TIGERT. This is national leadership.

Mr. FENN. National leadership trying to impose itself on the States.

Mr. TIGERT. It correlates something that the States are already attempting to do and enables them to do it more effectively.

Mr. FENN. It would not have the slightest effect in the States. The moral effect, the sentimental effect, does not guide State legislation or State school districts.

Mr. TIGERT. Every State has a law regulating the State department of education, and usually requires it to do certain things in regard to the physical welfare of children in the State.

Mr. ROBSION. But the way this is pointed out strikes me as illogical:

That the President of the United States is hereby authorized and requested to issue a proclamation calling upon the Government officials to display the United States flag on all Government buildings, and the people of the United States to display the flag at their homes or other suitable places, on May 1 of each year. For what?

In order to awaken the people of our country to the fundamental necessity of a year-round program looking toward the protection and the development of the physical and mental health of our children.

Mr. TIGERT. I do not exactly approve of that wording.

Mr. ROBSION. It is the purpose of the bill to inspire patriotism, but there is nothing here for the child except to display the flag, and that by some magic is going to work to help the health of the child, and that is what a great majority of the States are already doing. Mr. FLETCHER. You have been a school superintendent? Mr. TIGERT. No.

Mr. FLETCHER. You have been a school executive?

Mr. TIGERT. Yes.

Mr. FLETCHER. When these things come along in your work with the Federal Government, what has been your reaction? Have you been helped?

Mr. TIGERT. Yes.

Mr. FLETCHER. You have not been embarrassed?

Mr. TIGERT. No.

Mr. FLETCHER. And it does not confuse your program?

Mr. TIGERT. It depends entirely on what it is. As I understand it, there is already a program arranged, and a great many national organizations have agreed that they will cooperate in putting this program over. The resolution instead of emphasizing this program and these organizations, has made the displaying of the flag the primary thing, and the other appears to be incidental.

Mr. ROBSION. It looks as if families can not participate unless they have a flag. There is not a word in the resolution saying what they will do for the child. If there is any day suitable for dispaying the flag, it is the Fourth of July. This ought to be worded so that the central idea is child health and not displaying the flag. Mr. TIGERT. I agree with you.

STATEMENT OF HON. ARTHUR H. GREENWOOD, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF INDIANA

Mr. GREENWOOD. This is the same resolution that passed the Senate. I think we ought to recognize this fact, that the United States Government would not be undertaking to tell the States or any department of the State how they should celebrate a day that has already got a certain amount of momentum in the program for it. The United States Government does have an interest, certainly, in the health and lives of the children because they are the future citizens of this Republic. Therefore I take it they have an interest the same as has the State. There is nothing compulsory about the resolution as to the child. They do not say that you shall observe this in a particular way or that the State is to observe it in a particular way because they have their programs. In some places it would mean a civic program and would include children of preschool age, and maternity welfare comes under its terms, education of young mothers, various things that relate to the health of the mother and child. It does not take in any one age group. It has already a

momentum and to have the Federal Government behind it will better coordinate those things on a certain day so that they will all work together to a common end, but any State can go ahead and pursue its own course. It gives an opportunity to each State that has its department of child health or child hygiene to pursue its own course. Mr. ROBSION. Why do we need to put in that point, to display the flag in public places and at the homes of people?

Mr. GREENWOOD. It calls attention of the community to the special day.

Mr. ROBSION. What relation has displaying the flag to the health program?

Mr. FENN. Is there any other act of this character requesting the President to make a proclamation to display the flag, in regard to Labor Day or the Fourth of July?

Mr. GREENWOOD. There are numerous days. The President does not ask to display the flag, but he is to issue a proclamation calling attention to child health day.

Mr. FENN. And display the flag.

Mr. GREENWOOD. He may mention that in his proclamation.

Mr. FENN. He may issue a proclamation calling upon them "to display the United States flag on all Government buildings, and the people of the United States to display the flag at their homes or other suitable places."

Mr. GREENWOOD. There is nothing that would call attention to it like displaying the flag, inducing the whole Nation to pay attention. Mr. FENN. Is there any act requesting the President to call upon the people to display the flag on any particular day except the one day in the District of Columbia, Flag Day?

Mr. GREENWOOD. I rather think there is, on Mother's Day, and the President issues a proclamation for Thanksgiving Day.

Mr. ROBSION. Does he ask the people to put out a flag on that day? Mr. GREENWOOD. So I am told.

Mr. FENN. This is a new thing from my point of view.

Mr. TIGERT. The President would not have to do it. He may issue the proclamation or not on his own volition. This would not be binding.

Mr. ROBSION. He could do that without the passage of an act by us. Mr. TIGERT. The President would not do it unless called upon. Mr. FLETCHER. Do you not think he would do it if the educators would request him to do it, without legislation?

Mr. TIGERT. The President issued it five times for American education week, and the President issues a proclamation for fire prevention week.

Mr. FENN. That is not in accordance with an act of Congress. Mr. TIGERT. No. I think you are right. I do not think there is any other act that requires him to do it.

Mr. FENN. Or requests him to do it.

Mr. TIGERT. It is my impression that even if you did this it would be optional with him.

Mr. FENN. He would only request it.

Mr. GREENWOOD. It would concentrate attention on this question and indicate that Congress was in favor of concentrating it on a particular day. It would then be up to the President, but it is not mandatory anywhere along the line."

Mr. FLETCHER. Do you believe the National Educational Association would indorse this legislation requesting the President to issue such a proclamation?

Mr. TIGERT. Mr. Morgan represents the National Educational Association, and I would rather he would answer that question.

STATEMENT OF JOY ELMER MORGAN, EDITOR THE JOURNAL OF THE NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION, WASHINGTON, D. C.

Mr. MORGAN. I am editor of the Journal of the National Educational Association. The association has a week known as Amercian education week. Just as an illustration of how this matter comes into the schools, I will offer this for the record if it is proper to insert it. The CHAIRMAN. If there is no objection it may be inserted at this point.

(The statement referred to is as follows:)

AMERICAN EDUCATION WEEK, NOVEMBER 5-11, 1928

Suggestions for making a program. The following suggestions are offered by the American Legion, the National Education Association, and other organizations to aid in the preparation of programs for American education week. The purpose of this week is to acquaint the public with the work of the schools, with their ideals, their achievements, and their needs. Let the aim be to have every parent visit his child's school at least once during the week. Evening sessions may be substituted for afternoon sessions on certain days. For some time prior to education week, articles on the schools should appear in local newspapers. Note that this program emphasizes each of the cardinal objectives of education: Health; worthy home membership; mastery of the tools, technics, and spirit of learning; faithful citizenship; vocational and economic effectiveness; wise use of leisure; and ethical character.

Health day, Monday, November 5.-Health is the foundation of individual happiness and community wellbeing. Health day programs can show the public what the schools do to promote health through recreation, nutrition, ventilation, and training in good habits. An adequate school plant-sanitary, spacious, cheerful-helps to improve individual and community life and to insure a better

race.

Home and school day, Tuesday, November 6.-Home is the most fundamental institution among civilized peoples. Its cooperation with the school is a necessity. American education week is a good time for parents to visit the school and for teachers to plan visits to the homes of their pupils. Let the pupils know what each of them can do to help make better homes.

Know your school day, Wednesday, November 7.-Schools are the first and biggest enterprise in locality, State, or Nation. A little invested in education saves much expended on poverty, disease, and crime. The school teaches children how to learn, to think, to develop vision, to judge, to do, and gives them an appreciation of the spirit of learning.

School opportunity day, Thursday, November 8.-To help every child find his field of service and to prepare him for it is a primary responsibility of the school. On this day show the opportunities offered children in your communityhow vocational efficiency is promoted through courses in agriculture, trades, industries, commerce, and home economics; how advantages are afforded by special classes and evening schools.

Citizenship day, Friday, November 9.-The success of democratic government depends upon the faithful performance by each citizen of his public duty. By living as citizens of the schools, children learn to be citizens of the larger society. Schools eliminate factional and national hatreds and develop that mutual sympathy, respect, and understanding essential to loyal citizenship.

Community day, Saturday, November 10.-Education is a lifelong enterprise. The program for this day will emphasize the value of schools in the advancement of community life. Progressive communities provide for wholesome leisure activities—libraries, parks, play fields, auditoriums—and make the schoolhouse a community center.

Armistice day, Sunday, November 11.-Ten years ago to-day the thought of the world changed from war duties to the peaceful pursuits of life. On this day let the ministers of all denominations tell what teachers and the schools are doing to build citizenship and character. Call attention to the fact that Education Week is now observed in other countries as suggested by the World Federation of Education Associations. Note that the formal observance of Armistice Day under the auspices of the American Legion will be on Monday, November 12. Additional material will appear in the October Journal of the National Education Association and in the Research Bulletin of the association. (Persons wishing to duplicate and distribute this page are invited to do so.)

American education week, as Doctor Tigert suggested, has come to be very widely observed in America and in some of the other countries of the world. They call it Swiss education week, or put in the name of the nation that is represented. It is observed by a number of other nations. Each year we publish material in our journal suggesting definite things to be done in order that the public may understand what the schools do and what their needs are. On the first day of this week, as the program I have just submitted shows,

there is a consideration of health as one of the great objectives of education. The week is built around seven cardinal objectives of education as sponsored by the National Education Association, and one of these seven objectives receives attention each day.

A question seems to come up in connection with this joint resolution which concerns school people. On that question I can not speak for the National Education Association because this matter has not come before it officially and can not come before it until next July. Mr. Crabtree, secretary of the association, and Miss Williams, its field secretary, work on such matters. Miss Williams would be here to-day except that she has been sick. We have talked the matter over and we are inclined to think that to have May Day for childhealth day would help rather than hinder American education week, which also emphasizes child health. In the effort to get nation-wide appreciation of what child health means to the child and to the Nation itself we are dealing with, perhaps, the biggest single problem before the Nation. Doctor Tigert has just told you that, according to the Bureau of Education figures, approximately one child out of two does not now receive first-class consideration of his health. The purpose of this kind of an observance of the 1st of May, which comes in the spring when people are getting out of doors and there is a general awakening, and of emphasis on health during American education week is primarily to awaken the Nation to its responsibility and to get all the forces in the schools and in the various health organizations, such as the American Child Health Association, together so that the attention of all the people will be focused for a time on this vital interest of the Nation as a whole.

As to the details of the resolution I am not particularly qualified to speak. I think the central thing is to have a day we will all recognize, and I think there would be some gain, Mr. Chairman, if it were possible for this legislation to be carried out so that it could be observed this year, so that as one of the fruits of this Congress we could point to the creation of a day that would set this big interest up and to which the whole Nation could give its attention.

I am aware that as a people we are beset and beseiged with days innumerable and that many of these days are meaningless, but here is a thing that is so fundamental to the schools that I do not think that particular objection would apply. This, of course, as any legislation of this character should, leaves every one entirely free. No State, no city, no school should be under compulsion to do this particular thing unless it sees fit to do it, but should be free to undertake it knowing that the schools everywhere are making of it a great occasion in the life of the child.

Mr. ROBSION. If the President should request everybody to put out an American flag and they did not do it, is there any reason why you should hook up with this resolution the question of displaying the flag?

Mr. MORGAN. I do not know that I am qualified to speak on that except that it is the desire of the resolution to bring to the attention of the people the fact that the Nation is interested.

Mr. FENN. Every home has not a flag. You realize that.

Mr. MORGAN. I expect that is true.

Mr. FENN. I think every home ought to have a flag.