$70,000,000 If

A thin, wiry lowan of 49, U. S. Commissioner of Education John Ward Studebaker points with pride to the Public Forums, modeled after the oldtime New England town meeting, he ran three years ago as Des Moines' Superintendent of Schools. Adult education is Commissioner Studebaker's strongest interest, and he believes that public discussion is the foundation of any adult program. Last week in a little book called Plain Talk,* he wistfully told what he would do if the U. S. Government were to allot him $70,000,000 for experimental purposes. He would train 10,000 forum leaders, set them to leading 50,000 forums a week all over the U. S.

During the bottom of Depression, forums sprouted spontaneously throughout the nation. The current issue of School Life, organ of Commissioner Studebaker's Office of Education, reports that more than 1,000 forums are still functioning, concentrated chiefly in the East and Midwest. Favorite discussion topic, said School Life, is International Affairs, with Economic Recovery a close second.

"I do not want to see the long arm of the Federal Government extended into the communities . . . either through the office of Education or through any other Federal agency," says Commissioner Studebaker. "I am a strong believer in local administration." His forum project would give the communities Federal funds, let them pick their own leaders and subjects. Hopefully he concludes: "The Federal Government can do nothing better calculated to inspire confidence in our democracy of free learning and discussion."

*National Home Library Foundation (25-c-).

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