Address by Commissioner of Education Earl McGrath, Education and the National Defense
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OCR Page 1 of 12EDUCATION AND THE NATIONAL DEFENSE
Two dominant systems of thought, two ways of life, today engage the
attention of the peoples of all nations. These philosophies originate in two
basically different conceptions of the nature and destiny of man and in two
completely differente sets of human values. The proponents of one of these
systems, Communism, are determined that their plan of life, their values, shall
prevail generally throughout the world. Anyone who doubts this statement
should read the incisive analysis of the history and purposes of communism made
by Dr. Charles Malik of Lebanon before the Security Council in May. The pro-
ponents of the other, Democracy, though not engaged in an aggressive campaign
to force a way. of life on those who do not want it, are equally determined that
they themselves shall be free to live under their own system, that other
nations shall have access to information about it, and have the right to adopt
it if they wish.
Though the world situation today is extremely complicated, it may be
said that the present crisis arises primarily from the conflict between those
who accept one of these views and those who accept the other. It is perhaps
inaccurate to call the present situation a crisis, if by that term is meant a
short period of stress and strain at the end of which there will occur a de-
cisive and final turn in events for better or worse. Those in a position to
know most about world events, and the relations between nations, doubt that the
present issues are likely to be soon resolved. They see ahead a long period of
uncertainty and disorder. During this time we must organize our national life
to carry on the ordinary and necessary activities of life, while at the same
time preparing for the possibility of a global conflict.
Life does not stop while we. build the Nation's military strength.
Living goes on. Children are born and grow up. They go to school and to
college. You cannot put a generation into educational cold storage and then
later put them into an educational hothouse. The necessities of the long pull
before us are not merely military essentials. There are equally basic es-
sentials in non-military areas. To provide the essentials in all areas is our
continuing objective. Only thus can we meet the demands of the long pull which
lie before us: a period in which the preparedness of the Nation for possible
conflict must be at hitherto undreamed of peacetime levels, while at the same
time the basic essentials of life and growth must be provided for all our
people, including all the children.
Since there is a possibility that the present situation may not develop
rapidly into a world conflict but instead continue for 10 or 20 years in waves
of rising and falling tension, education's first responsibility from the
nursery school through the university is clear. The educational system as a
whole must continue and indeed improve programs of basic education for citizen-
ship and the normal activities of life. We must keep. in the forefront of our
thinking the realization that until now the conflict between communism and
By Earl James McGrath, U. S. Commissioner of Education, Federal Security Agency,
washington, D. C., at the Annual Convention of New York State Council of City and village
Superintendents, Saranac Inn, New York, October 2, 1950, and at the Annual Conference of
the California Association of School Administrators, Balboa Park, San Diego, California,
October 4, 1950.
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