Local American Legion Auxiliary observes Education Week
Submitted by Deb Sparrow
According to information provided by the American Legion Auxiliary (ALA) National Headquarters, the American Legion (AL) was one of the original creators and sponsors of American Education Week. Their online information indicates they found that 25 percent of the country’s WWI draftees were illiterate and nine percent were physically unfit. These facts prompted representatives of the National Education Association (NEA) and the American Legion to meet in 1919 to seek ways to generate public support for education.
The following convention of both organizations adopted resolutions of support for a national effort to raise public awareness of the importance of education. In 1921 the NEA called for designation of one week each year to spotlight education. In its resolution, the NEA called for: "An educational week, observed in all communities annually, for the purpose of informing the public of the accomplishments and needs of the public schools and to secure the cooperation and support of the public in meeting those needs."
