Education

What short memories we Americans have! When Gen. Douglas MacArthur accepted the surrender of Japan on Sept. 2, 1945, one of the terms of surrender required Japan to draft a constitution pledged never to rearm again.

Japan accepted our demand, and for the past 40 years has poured its major energies, money and resources into educating its young, in the fields of science, industry, business management, art and architecture. It is little wonder that Japan is attaining world influence in every direction. Japan has for two generations invested mainly in its young! It has taken to heart Walt Whitman’s splendid injunction, “Create great persons. The rest all follows!”

President George Bush wants to be known in history as “the Education President.” He can be so known, if he makes education his and our highest priority, taking to heart Whitman’s words, “And you America . . . to girlhood, boyhood look, the teacher and the school.”

ROBERT STRASSBURG

Los Angeles