Morris tribune., 1908-08-22
FOR A BETTER EDUCATION.
Brief Statement of Principles Recognized by the
National Educational Association

We are indebted TO oupG. y. D
Brown for copy of the following de
.elaration of principles and aims made
by the National Education Associa
ton, representing teachers and friends
of education in every state of the
Union, at it's forty sixth annual con
vention at Cleveland. These declara'
tions represent the thought of the
(sbest educators, and are worthy oi
most thoughtful considerations
i. Fully realizing that trained ano
skilled labor is primary essential tc
the industrial and commercial welfare
of the country, we cordially indorse
the establishment by municipal boards
of education of trade schools, indus
trial schools, and evening continua-
tion schools; and further redommend
THAT the instruction in these schools
be practical and efficient, and have
the advice and the approval of the
trade interested, to the end that grad
mates of these schools may at once
become advanced apprentices or
iourneymen.
2. We recommend the subordina-
ton of highly diversified and over
,, burdened courses of study in the
GRADES to thorough drill in essential
subjects: and the sacrifice of quantity
to an improvement in the quality of
instruction. The complaints of busi-
ness men that pupils from the schools
are inaccurate in results and careless
of details is a criticism that should be
\ removed. The principles of sound and
accurate training are as fixed as ma
tural laws and should be insistently
followed. Ill considered experiments
and indiscriminate methodizing should
be abandoned, and attention devoted
to the persevering and continuous
: drill necessary for accurate and effi-
cient training; and we hold that no
',course of study in any public school
should be so advanced Or so rigid as
to prevent instruction to any student,
who may need it, in the essential and.
practical parts of the common Eng
lish branches.
2. We assert that the Individuality
of the pupil should be carefully con-
sidered to the end that it may be in
structed in the light of his limitations
and capacity; and we commend to all
: local authorities the necessity of great
er care in the arrangement of courses
of study, that they may be adapted to
the pupils to be instructed, rather than
that pupils should be adapted to fixed
courses of study and an int1extble
! system of grading. e
4. The public high schools should
not be chiefly fitting schools for high-
er institutions, but should be adapted
to the general needs, both intellect
nal and industrial, of their students
and communities, and we suggest that
the higher institutions may wisely
adapt their courses to this condition.
We also suggest to school boards and
s1perintendents the Importance of
securing for their high schools teach
ers who have not only abundant scho-
Iarship but also successful experience
in teaching or efficient and practical
training in pedagogy.
5. There is concededly a grave
moral depression in our business and
social atmosphere. The revelations
of the financial and legislative world
for the past two years denote too
general acquiescence in questionable
practices and standards. We earn
astlv recommend to boards of educa
: ton, principals, and teachers the con-
tinuous training of pupils in morals,
and in business and professional ethics,
to the end that the coming genera
tions of men of affairs may have a
we'll developed adherence of unfair |
Gealing and discrimination. The es-
tabIishment of the honor system in |
schools, the ostracism of the dishon-
est or unfair pupil, the daily exem- |
plifcation in the routine life Of the !
school of the advantage of honest and |
truthful methods, are commended to |
the especial attention of teachers as a |
partial means to this end.
6. The Bureau of Education at |
Washington should be preserved in
it's integrity and the dignity of its
position maintained and increased. It
should receive at the hands of Con-
gress such recognition and such ap-
preparations as will enable it not only
TO employ all expert assistants neces-
sary, but also to publish in convenient
and usable form the results of inves-
legations; thus making that depart
ment of our government such a source
of information and advice as will be
most helpful to the people in conduct
-