The New York herald., 1879-07-30
THE SCHOOLMASTER ABROAD.
THE NATIONAL EDUCATIONAL ASSOCIATION AS
sEMBLEs IN ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS OF
THE CONVENTION.

THE NATIONAL EDUCATIONAL ASSOCIATION AS
sEMBLEs IN ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS OF
THE CONTENTION
PHILADELPHIA. July 80. 1879.
The school teachers from vaYiaus parts OF the
United States have assembled in this city in large
numbers TO take part in the deliberations OF the
Convention of the National Educational Association
The assembly Of the Girls Norman
school is the meeting place, and at ten
o'clock this morning the room was niied
with the members of the associatlon' the
ladies being the more numerous. John Hancock,
Phi D.. president of the association called the meet
ing to order and Mayor stokey delivered graceful
welcoming address, saying that it was fitting they
should celebrate their majority in the city where
their association was born twenty lone years ago.
Mr. Edward L. Whiffen, u prominent citizen. for
many years interested il educational matters. also
made speech OF welcome on behalf OF the Philadel
HALF czNrURys WORK.
President Hancock, in reply alluded to the famous
100 900 school children. and then sketched the his
tory OF educational associations in this country.
"a half century ago., said he, "two great educa-
tional organizations established in this coun-
try. The one embraced in it's field of operation
chiefly the New England States the other the States
of the Mississippi Valley. great cloud Of teachers
in the midst of the noble White Mountains joined
in OF the ttieth annual meeting of the
r rst during the present month; the second held its
last meeting in 1S45. 1t matters little which may
justly claim precedence by year and TINS is
place to discuss the question. In the one were
found the learning, wisdom, zeal and self-sacrihce
OF the educators OF the older parts Of country
of that section which has done much shape all
Institutions; in the other were united Ior like
purposes the educators of the same character be-
longing to the States OF the great West"
Speaking of the present association. beginning
with the organization OF the Academic Institute
Cincinnati 1922 the president traced its history
down to the present. In ls47 the name adopted was
.'rhe National Teachers Association and this in
accordance with more liberal provision subse-
quenty adopted in regard to membership, was
changed to the present one of National Educational
Association. The reason membership carefully
restricted to those engaged in the active work OF in
struction was doubtless to promote one of the lead
ing objects of the association--the building up of
the teachers calling into q profession Like the
American Institute, our association did not recog
nize the equality OF men and women in the pro-
fession though it took a step in advance of the
stitute regard to the rights OF the latter; for
whereas the institute only accorded women the right
Of listening to the wise things made public by their
brethren. our association extended TO them the ad
ditional privilege OF presenting thoughts OF their
own under a curious restriction. wlll be
from the article OF the constitution relating to
bership OF woman. which quote:-
Ladies engaged IL tsachng may on the reeommsnda
shall thereby the right Of presenting the
other member whom they may seec their views the
subject assigned tor discussion
COMPULSORY EDUCATION
Mr., Hancock concluded his address as follows:-
''In what have said have attempted to give voice
to what 1conceived to be the general mind Of the
aSSOcatlOn Us 10 WuaI llS Iuture WOrh suOulu DC.
Inow beg to express in word views entertained
probably by only minority of the association, and
certainly by only minority of the people. Impor-
tant as l deem the different lines OF work l have
pointed out. do not think them grand enough to
call out all the powers of the National Educational
Association believe 1t ought to test its strength
measures greater than the greatest of these. one
of these mcasures-the supreme one as view It's
compulsory education. weary of half way meas
ures. If education is what profess to believe it
the earthly good to be chosen before all others
why should hesitate to throw ourselves into the
nf m ka IN
To carry learning into all houses and make 1t the
possession OF creature. that there shall
more be neglected class in this country. That,
it seems to is work altogether worthy the full
power Of this great organization"