This study was commissioned by the Bureau of Education for the sake of informing the Secretary of the Interior and Congress about history of federal support for schooling. It was published shortly after the enactment of various vociational aid bills and agricultural extension policies when Congress was considering general aid to elementary and secondary schools. The Smith-Towner bill failed passage in 1918, and was followed by the Smith-Towner bill, which would have established a grants-in-aid program for schools.

So, Congress was at a decision point: should it edge the federal government further into school funding and policy, or should it hold the line?

Congress chose the latter course, and mostly held that line until 1958 and the enactment of the National Defense Education Act.

Professor Swift, by the way, published a number of studies of education history and finance. He died in 1947.