0.13 Sampson, p., & Roberts, k. (october 2011). historical comparison  (Page 5/14)

Woodrow Wilson gave his inaugural address on April 4, 1913 with no reference to education. He did mention the need for laws to protect the health and safety of the public with sanitary laws, food laws, and working conditions. Further, he suggested that the most important cause was to “safeguarding of property and individual right” ( www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/wilsonfirstinagural.htm ).

Warren Harding gave his inaugural address on March 4, 1921. He also did not specifically mention educational reform either, but he did discuss the need for an “intelligent” America and education essential for citizenship. He stated, “Our most dangerous tendency is to expect too much of government, and at the same time do for it too little”. This was connected to his advocating a reduction in government expenditures. He also shared that women were part of politics with full privileges and “their intelligence would influence society”. Further, he did mention the need for healthy childhood, when he stated, “We want the cradle of American childhood rocked under conditions so wholesome and so hopeful that no blight may touch it in its development, and we want to provide that no selfish interest, no material necessity, no lack of opportunity shall prevent the gaining of that education so essential to best citizenship ( www.vlib.us/amdoc/texts/34hard1.htm ).

Calvin Coolidge gave his inaugural address on March 4, 1925. His emphasis was on international relationships, economy through tax reform and a prudent use of taxes, obedience to the law. He did state “education” one time in his speech. This was stated along with environmental issues of natural resources, peace, and economical development through enterprises ( www.vlib.us/amdocs/texts/35cool/l.htm ).

Herbert Hoover gave his inaugural address on March 4, 1929 which was the second longest address of the twentieth century presidents with major areas discussed as “the nation’s progress, failure of our system of criminal justice, enforcement of the eighteenth amendment, national investigation of Federal system of jurisprudence, relation of government to business, cooperation by the government, education, public health, world peace, party responsibilities, special session of Congress, and other mandates”. He also had the largest section of any presidents’ inaugural addresses on education in his inaugural address. Although education is primarily a responsibility of the States and local communities, and rightly so, yet the Nation as a whole is vitally concerned in its development everywhere to the highest standards and to complete universality. Self-government can succeed only through an instructed electorate. Our objective is not simply to overcome illiteracy. The Nation has marched far beyond that. The more complex the problems of the Nation become, the greater is the need for more and more advanced instruction. Moreover, as our numbers increase and as our life expands with science and invention, we must discover more and more leaders for every walk of life. We can not hope to succeed in directing this increasingly complex civilization unless we can draw all the talent of leadership from the whole people. One civilization after another has been wrecked upon the attempt to secure sufficient leadership from a single group or class. If we would prevent the growth of class distinctions and would constantly refresh our leadership with the ideals of our people, we must draw constantly from the general mass. The full opportunity for every boy and girl to rise through the selective processes of education can alone secure to us this leadership. He advocated for this “more advanced instruction” in order to develop leaders and give all children “full opportunity” ( (External Link) ).