Search

This paper has two principal aims: (1) to analyze and measure how the demographic variables-mortality, fertility, and immigration- affect the cost of education; (2) to evaluate what possibilities developing countries, such as those of Latin America, have for a rapid educational improvement. The paper relates demographic and educational variables of three different populations: Sweden, 1840-1965; the United States, 1850-1960; and Latin America, 1930-2000. Three educational variables are also cone sidered: (a) school attendance rates by sex and age; (b) distribution of students of same age by grade; and (c) cost of student by grade. Demographic changes in countries such as Sweden and the United States were favorable for the development of education. For the future, unless an increase of fertility occurs, mortality and fertility changes will not have a significant effect on the cost of education in these countries. In current less developed countries the demographic changes during the past were less favorable to educational development. A future reduction of fertility will significantly help them to achieve a higher educational level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The text limits itself to the teaching at college level for public professional practice of accounting in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, although general practice is also considered in other forms. It should be pointed out that the observations made in this article are based on limited experience about conditions in Latin America and are perhaps influenced by characteristic situations of the educational and professional environment in Puerto Rico. It is a matter of wonder, that without arriving at any conclusion, if the system and personal experiences should be examples or exceptions for the sister countries. One cannot leave aside the relation that the teaching and practice of the profession has with the political destiny of the various countries and their association with particular areas of economic influence. The purpose of this paper has been to find out what patterns of teaching used in the U.S. and also in Puerto Rico, which is a country of Spanish origin, can be adopted and utilized in other Latin American countries.

In response to an earlier article in this journal by Eugene Mccann titled "An Aspect of Management Philosophy in the United States and Latin America," the article discusses management in Latin America, where the science of management has been slow to take hold. The article provides details of the region in order to develop a framework for introducing management science. Victor Urquidi's book, "The Challenge of Development in Latin America," is used as a reference to the typical characteristics of the region, and the issue of science as an attitude or philosophy is discussed. Education, economic development, and attitudes towards scientific and technological research are seen as barriers to the adoption of the study of the science of management.

The article examines the concept of decentralization and the centralization-decentralization dilemma based on previous studies. There are different approaches to understanding the concept of decentralization. A doctrinal approach to decentralization shows how the concept is regarded as a means to the achievement of a number of end values. Another approach contrasts the Latin American and North American educational system models by differentiating between structural and administrative centralization-decentralization. The last approach is called political dimension. It helps to indicate the extent of potential decentralization of general responsibility for education.

The article explains the observed differentials in real age at first marriage in six cities in Latin America. This will be done first by seeing to what degree differentials in real age at first marriage correspond to differentials in ideal ages at first marriage. If the correspondence between real and ideal is imperfect, the pattern of education and national differentials in the ideal-real gap is described. Finally, the contribution made to earlier-than-ideal marriage by two possible factors, namely, entering consensual rather than legal marriages and becoming pregnant before marriage are assessed. Generally speaking, the less educated groups contained higher proportions of women almost certainly pregnant at marriage. To the degree that response to pre-marital pregnancy causes large ideal-real gaps, the ideal age would exceed the actual age at marriage by a larger amount for the total population than for the population of women married ten or more months at the time of their first live birth. One alternative kind of explanation which remains unchallenged in the analysis is one in which women are seen neither as blind followers of norms about when to marry nor as victims of accidents which trap them into marriage. Instead, they are seen as participating, either as free agents or by means of other agents such as their families, in a rational marriage market.

The article discusses the role of education in developing nations. Leaders and people of rapidly changing societies consider education as a tool for bringing a new social order. Most Asian, Latin American and African countries are changing their educational systems to attempt educational revolution. The first step in educational revolution is linking the system to the native soil.

Estimates of the rate of return to schooling, by level, have now been made for four Latin American countries: Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Venezuela. The article presents a summary of the author's own results for Mexico and compares these results with the rates derived for the other three economies. The comparisons show that, although patterns of rates vary, Mexico and Venezuela--which experienced rapid economic growth in the 10-year period preceding the estimates--appear to have higher rates of return to primary and university students than do Chile and Colombia. A stronger but more tentative hypothesis is that there is a positive correlation between rates of growth and rates of return to both primary and university schooling. This may imply that in rapid growth situations it is these two levels that require the largest increases in investment. The comparison also brings out two other interesting points: (1) rapid investment in education is not a sufficient condition for economic growth; and (2) the average rate of return to schooling seems to be generally higher than the rate of return to physical capital, but the two rates are positively correlated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on the number of foreign students in the U.S. as of November 1952 as sourced from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization "Newsletter" of August 27. There are more than 30,000 foreign students coming from 126 countries enrolled in American colleges and universities. Of this number, 1,354 are attending institutions of higher learning. Asia accounts for the biggest number, or 10,952 students. Europe comes next with 7,220, Latin America with 6,802, Canada with 4,232, and Africa with 1,072. The countries with the highest number of students are China, West Germany, and Canada.