Education: Education Race (Contd.)

New evidence came from Russia last week that Soviet education is fast-growing and surprisingly healthy. Said awed U.S. Commissioner of Education Lawrence Derthick, back from Russia with nine colleagues after a month-long tour: "We were simply not prepared for the degree to which the U.S.S.R., as a nation, is committed to education as a means of national advancement. [It is] a total commitment. We witnessed an education-centered economy. The privileged class in Russia is the children."

Russians, he said, are convinced that "children, schools and hard work will win them their place in the sun, and on the moon." Derthick was careful to assure listeners in Washington's National Press Club that he was not "extolling the virtues and purposes of Russian schools. Their system would not fit our way of life." Russian education, he said, aims to fulfill "the collective rather than the individual needs of the people." Some of his particulars on the collective approach to education:

Russia has no teacher shortage. Only one out of six young people who want to become teachers is chosen. Salaries are comparable to those of doctors and engineers. Working conditions are good. Foreign languages are widely taught; about 45% of ten-year-school students are studying English, 35% German, 20% French. Education of children extends through the summertime; adult education is booming. There is, of course, no shortage of money in any phase of Russian education. Derthick's conclusion: he would still put the best U.S. schools up against "any in the world," but the American people should get "fired inside" about U.S. schools that do not fit that category.