The copper era., 1909-09-23
National Education Association.

Annual Convention in Denver, repre- senting teachers and friends of ed ucation in every state of the Union, makes the following Declaration of Principals and of Aims:
 l. A free democracy cannot long continue without the assistance of a system of state-supported schools, ad- ministered by the chosen agents of the people and responsible to the people for its ideals, its conduct, and its results. The commanding posi- tion of the American people is large ly due to the general diffusion of knowledge and culture by it's free schools.
 ?. Our system of state-supported schools must include elementary schools, secondary schools, schools for the training of teachers, and state universities. The changed con- ditions of the twentieth century also demand the esta blishment of free schools whose purpose shall be the training of our youth for commerce and the industries, as we'll as for the professions.
 8. The purpose of our system of free common schools must continue to be chiefly culture for the individ- ual and the transmission to posterity of the results of investigations and deliberations of the past. Our free schools must advance along the lines ot educational democracy in the sense that they must provide equal educational opportunities for all. AL though they must give practical preparation not only for the profes- sions, but also for commercial life, the demands of any part of the busi- ness world that courses of study be subordinated to particular interests is not in accord with the proper aims of a national system of common schools.
 4. A system of common schools that will meet the needs of the times must be democratic in it's purpose and its administration; must recog- nize the importance of expert super vision, of better and more numerous high schools, of better and more num- erous schools for the training of teachers, of a merit system for the appointment and promotion of teach CTS; and it must exclude fraternities and secret organizations of every sort from the social life of the school
 5. The common schools of our country must recognize more fully than eyer the necessity of training our youth for citizenship. The per petuation of democracy depends up- on the existence in the people of that habit of will which is justice. Lib erty under law is the process for at- taining justice which has thus far been most successful among civilized men. The call to citizenship is call to the exercise of liberty under law, a call to the limitation of liberty by law, and call to the pursuit of jus tice, not only for ones self but for others.
 6. The National Education Asso- citation endorses the purpose of the American School Peace League. The Association believes that principles of the League will make for effective citizenship, aud urges all teachers to acquaint themselves with the work of the League and to cooperate with it.
 '. The increased tendency to con- gestion of population in cities makes necessary greater and more system atic attention to the physical de- velopment of our children. No wig orous race of people has long main tained a high state of civilization under conditions that did not take into consideration the physical as well as the mental and moral de- devevelopment of it's youth. The As sociation recommends that provision be made by the United States Bureau of education for effective promotion of physical education through the diffusion of scientific informa tion on this subject.
 8. The National Education Asso- citation approves the ever increasing demand for better qualified teachers in the common schools. This higher standard must lead logically to longer tenure and to a compensation more nearly commensurate with the quality of preparation and with the nature of the service rendered.
 9. The National Education Asso- citation heartily endorses the use of school buildings aud all school equip ment for community interests and social betterment.
 10. The National Educational As sociation endorses the movement to consolidate the rural district schools wherever practicable, and expresses the hope that this movement will be encouraged until the children of rural communities enjoy the benefits of public education to an extent ap- proximating those now supplied to children of urban communities.
 H. The National Education Asso- ciatiOn gives it's hearty endorsement