Summit on Education

I was appalled that in a week filled with education summits and a flood of politicians and educationists on every news and talk program, not once was the major problem in education discussed or even mentioned. The fact is that nothing done in primary or secondary education can succeed if pre-primary education in the home fails--and it is! Yet, no one in government is responsible for this most important phase of education, which is currently left to the mother/teacher who is totally untrained (not one class in high school). What chance does she have without help? The fact that most mothers have to work doesn’t help either.

We need to work on this problem at every level, from research in child psychology and child learning, to having classes in early childhood education as a requirement in every high school. Otherwise, young children will continue to come to school unable and unwilling to learn, no matter how improved the schools may be.

E.F. (GENE) LUCAS

Fall River Mills, Calif.