The San Francisco call., 1909-03-27

d." AVS Frederic J Haskin IN writ
ing about the National educa-
ton association For g. years
this national organization has
been al the head and front Of the
educational advance L was organized IN
1857 at Philadelphia under the name
National teachers association In
1871 the name was changed to
National educational association In
1906, when reincorDOrated by congress,
the name was again changed 10 the
National Education Association Meet
ings have been held annually ever
since thetcivii war, with the exception
OF 1867. 1873, 1893 and 1906 The meet
ing OF 1893 was merged into the
worlds congress at Chicago. and that
OF 1905 was not held on account Of
the san Francisco earthquake, the con-
ventton having been called to meet
IL that stricken city
The membership OF the y. e a. (the
organization is usually designated sim
play by its initial letters) includes
school teachers, schools, school boards
and representatives Of every class
which has to do with the actual work
Of managing the great educational sys-
includes the National educational
council and II departments. These sub
divisions are at work all the time, and
their reports 10 the annual meeting
are OF great value Everything that IS
said and done is preserved in perma-
aent form. The proceedings of the
National education association for
the past 60 years form a complete his
tory OF the growth Of education IN
the United States.
MANY SCHOOLS JOIN
When the organization was first
launched there were only 69 public
high schools in the country. The pTi-
vately conducted academy was still the
main dependence for secondary educa-
tion- Boys, and sometimes girls, were
given the advantages Of the study Of
Latin and Greek. a little history, a little
mathematics and q little English. The
physical and vocational training OF the
modern high school was not dreamed
OF, the very idea that education was
a good thing for practical purposes
was frowned upon.
The old order has passed away, but
the new order IS not established. It
must make way for the improvements
OF progress The teachers Of the coun-
Try are not conservatives; they believe
tn doing things the new way, II the
new way is better. It is through the
influence Of the National education
association that the discovery Of new
and better methods in one section Of
the country is made the common herit-
age Of the whole country.
The most remarkable features of the
progress Of the public schools systems
OF the states are the extension Of the
rural high school territory, the increas-
ing attention being given to the physi-
cal training OF the children. and the
increasing emphasis on vocational edu-
cation. In the large cities the high
schools turn out boys and girls thor
cughly equipped for business or home
making, not only with a good aca-
demic education, but further fortified
with a knowledge Of business methods
and domestic science.
NOT Az ADVANTAGE
"The city lad does not have the edu-
cational advantage over his country
cousin which he once possessed. The
ancient and classic Hoosier schoolboy
would not recognize the township high
school Of q prosperous Indiana com
munity OF today. Such high schools a.
these teach stenography and banking