ing stations. At least nine high schools also have received licenses to broadcast. Can not these high schools as well as many others that participate in the programs of large commercial broadcasting stations be considered as performing a noteworthy service to their communities in furnishing entertainment for the fireside and perhaps bedridden listener? Broadcasting by the high schools of Dayton, Ohio, is discussed by Truman B. Sills in the May, 1924, issue of "Wireless Age." The primary object prompting most of the hundred institutions of higher learning to embark in radio broadcasting has been the desire to win the good will of the listeners and such other publicity as naturally results. An increasing number of schools, however, are realizing that they can do more than entertain, and that the opportunity has been presented to them to greatly increase their services to society by broadcasting educational material. New York, Columbia and Pittsburgh Universities through private stations, and many others through their own stations, are delivering lectures of general cultural and practical interest. In some cases certificates are given to those who can pass successful examinations on the courses offered. This was the case with Kansas State Agricultural College. Sam Peckard in the January issue of "Popular Radio," in an article entitled "A College Certificate by Radio," describes the extension work of this school. The farmer especially has been the beneficiary of instruction from the air by such schools as Washington State College and Iowa State College. Not only colleges but private corporations such as Sears, Roebuck Company through their station WLS, have concentrated on bringing to farmer technical information to aid him in his business of farming. "Harvest Time in the Air," in the November, 1924, issue of "Wireless Age," discusses this movement rather fully.

Perhaps the greatest recognition that radio as an educational agency has received comes from the Bureau of Immigration of the United States Government which is preparing to broadcast Americanization instructions through twenty sta

tions scattered throughout the country. The Bureau was prompted to this by their discovery that the appeal of the mysteries of radio and an innate love of music had made the alien our most ardent broadcast listener. It is estimated that 90 per cent of aliens in New York City have receiving sets.

Much could be said about the general cultural effect of radio and the awakened interest of listeners into national political affairs. Three members of the President's cabinet and the well-known Senator Ladd have written articles concerning the social and political effects of radio on our culture. These articles were published in the October, 1924, issue of "Wireless Age." A movement is under way to broadcast all sessions of Congress. The results of bringing the highest legislative machinery of this country into the homes of millions of citizens can be readily seen.

From all viewpoints, educational and otherwise, the greatest demonstration of the possibilities of radio was the transmission of a speech last fall by President Coolidge through a large number of scattered stations linked together into a wire network that permitted him to speak simultaneously to all radio listeners of the country. A comprehension of the significance of this will bring out an understanding of the statement by Mr. Ramsay that the air is becoming a reservoir of culture. It behooves educators to acquaint themselves with the possibilities of radio-the fourth great agency for education.

American History for Citizenship

GUY VAUGHN PRICE, A. M., COLLEGE OF EMPORIA, KANSAS.

T

SHE avowed aim of education, whether stated by

the radicals or conservatives, is a desirable form of citizenship. It is generally agreed that the history of the United States is an integral part of preparation for civic duty. Just how much historical training is required and just what factors most deserve study are matters of debate.

One important part of the historian's task relates to the method. Professor Monroe, of the University of Illinois, seems to have demonstrated the ineffectiveness of the old or customary type of historical examinations. Some of his truefalse examination questions calling for information and reasoning are cited:

"The Constitution was gladly accepted by all the people." “Jefferson was the second president of the United States." "President Hayes was elected over his rival by an overwhelming majority."

"The Lincoln-Douglas debates won Lincoln the Illinois senatorship over Douglas."

"During the Revolution the population of the United States increased."

"From 1830-1860 the population of the United States doubled."

"The battle of Gettysburg was the only battle of the Civil War fought on Northern soil."

"Many Northern people opposed Lincoln's re-election." "John Quincy Adams posessed the characteristics of an ideal president."

"The spoils system has been very beneficial to this country." "Lincoln was killed in a battle of the Civil War."

"William Lloyd Garrison was a violent anti-abolitionist."

"The presidential message sometimes has great influence on Congress."

"John J. Pershing was put in supreme command of all the allied forces."

"John C. Calhoun was a strong advocate of "Nullification." These questions are evidently for advanced classes; they do illustrate the factor of reflective thinking. If only we could get a more decently critical attitude on the part of the electorate we might have reform some time between now and judgment day.

The trained historian has a conscience on the matter of truth-telling. As James Bryce has said:" One duty that was always incumbent on the historian has now become a duty of deeper significance and stronger obligation. Truth, and Truth only is our aim. We are bound as historians to examine and record facts without favor or affection to our own nation or to any other." This spirit must control all historical work from the elementary school to the university. A people that will not get the truth in history is not likely to insist on the truth in current politics, economics and religion. Some groups are, however, making it difficult for the real historical function of truth-telling to be carried out. At a meeting of the American Historical Association in Columbus, Ohio, it was resolved, "that genuine and intelligent patriotism, no less than the requirements of honesty and sound scholarship, demand that text-book writers and teachers should strive to present a truthful picture of the past and present, with due regard to the different purposes and possibilities of elementary, secondary, and advanced instruction; that criticism of history text-books should, therefore, be based not upon grounds of patriotism, but only upon grounds of faithfulness to fact as determined by specialists or tested by consideration of the evidence; that the cultivation in pupils of a scientific temper in history and the related social sciences, of a spirit of inquiry and willingness to face unpleasant facts are far more important objectives than the teaching of special inter

pretations of particular events; and that attempts, however well meant, to foster national arrogance and boastfulness and indiscriminate worship of 'national heroes' can only tend to promote a harmful pseudo-patriotism." The trouble with tainted history is ""taint" history.

The selection of factors which most deserve emphasis will be facilitated if we accept the point of view that the history which is most valuable is that which gives us an interpretation of events today. Much of the current event material fails because it lacks historical background. My discussion here will be limited to factors which are essential because they are relatively continuous in the making of the nation. The first factor is that of immigration. The first historians told us how God sifted a whole continent in order to find choice seed for the American wilderness. Recently, we have thought that immigration was one of the chief national problems, but it has always been a problem. As an illustration, we find that the eight most distinguished men of Revolutionary New York represented eight nationalities: Schuyler was of Dutch descent; John Jay, of French stock; Livingston, Scotch; Clinton, Irish; Morris, Welsh; Baron Steuben, Prussian; Hoffman, Swedish. And Professor Schlesinger reminds us: "Of the fifty-six signers of the Declaration of Independence, eighteen were of non-English stock and, of these, eight were born outside of the colonies." In the hundred years, 1820-1920, 34,000,000 immigrants have landed on our shores, a movement of peoples absolutely without parallel in the history of the world. In 1900-07, as Professor Ripley has shown, these newcomers would, if properly distributed over the newer parts of the country, serve to populate no less than nineteen states of the union. The earlier immigrants, particularly the German and Scandinavian, of which Senator Magnus Johnson is a type, sought land and rushed out to the great west with the growth of the railroads, but the later immigrants have sought the cities. So much so that Frazier writes a series of articles on "Our Foreign Cities," and begins with New York City. There is an American colony there. According to the census