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U.S. schools, cried the National Education Association last week, are like the old woman who lived in a shoe: they have so many children (25 million) they don't know what to do. The cause, said N.E.A., is not simply the swelling birthrate. Just as important is the fact that Americans have been moving around so much--sweeping westward (two out of three Westerners are newcomers), streaming into cities and suburbs where overcrowded schools are not yet ready to take them (and leaving empty schoolhouses behind them).

In addition, N.E.A. pointed out, the number of 14-and 15-year-olds who are leaving school before graduating to go to work has dropped from 31% in 1900 to less than 5% in 1950. In the same period the school year has been lengthened from 99 to 152 days, and the proportion of grade-school students who go on to high school has almost tripled. N.E.A.'s only recommendation: build more schools.

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