Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1911-09-05
DECLARATION
OF THE N. {. A.
Sentiments Of Teachers on
Timely Questions
WIDENING FIELD OF WORK
Necessity of Greater Elk.
penditures for Education
al Purposes and New
Lines of Investigation
Hygiene and Sanitation.
WIDENING FIELD OF WORK

The members of the National edu-
cation association in their asscmblage
in San Francisco. passed by vote a
lengthy document which was styled
a declaration" 1t covers q wide
range in general way, applying to
all branches of the educational field,
setting forth the ideas of the assoc
citation. The officers Of the aSsocia-
ton are now requesting the publica-
ton O. it in full or in part. all over
| the country, that the people may know
where the association stands on var
ious subjects now claiming attention.
! The document is a long one and
some of its sections may be summar-
lied as follows
Reciting belief in public education:
endorsing the policy of the govern
ment in extending free schools to an
its possessions: increased cost of Iiv-
ing and widening scope of activities
il the educational field, rendering
greater expenditure, makes il impera-
tive that more money should be spent
! for schools: requests congress to
! give bureau of education increased
support; asks for appropriation for
study of problems involving welfare
Of school children in measure COM
| parable with expenditures for study
/ Of material resources. asks for an
| increase in the salary of the commits
sionor of education. asks that ethical
instruction be introduced into the pro-
grams of even the elementary schools
To- supplement moral training in the
lhome; says the school system should
make provisions for instructing youth
in the vocations for which they are
best adapted, and give them intell-
gent counsel as to the nature OF the
different vocations; regarding the
lchildren as the nations greatest as
set. believes the recent child welfare
ieNhibit in New York did lots of good
and asks the Panama exposition
anagement to establish "A child's vel
fare exhibit. To- the end that a greater
number may be benefited; notes the
progress toward world peace and
commends To teachers the American
School Peace League as a source Of
Information for presentation along
that line
| The work Of Commissioner Elmer
Ellsworth Brown is commended and
support is pledged to his successor.
! Philander Z. ClaXton. Acknowledge
ment Is made Of greetings and fell
citations from numerous English edu-
cat!onal societies. and respecting
other matters. the declaration says:
| y very general impression prevails
I" the effect that the teachers re
Enumeration is a generous reward for
1 cor faags mi
nands upon teachers. due to the lift
ing Of the work of teaching To-
higher professional level. adds heavily
To the tax upon the teachers time and
strength; the increased cost Of !iv-
ing affects teachers quite as seriously
as other citizens. For these reasons
this body considers as highly import
ant the initiation Of an inquiry into
the present conditions affecting the
teaching body OF the nation. to the
end that these conditions may be I'M
derstood and any desirable action
taken
1t is coming more and more to he
recognized that the spiritual welfare
and development of our children de-
Ponds in a large measure upon their
ISOLATION, therefore, favors all mea-
sures which will tend to secure the
health of the growing child Among
| these must be reckoned proper at
tention to school hygiene in all of it's
applications; proper medical inspcc-
ton, and the corporation of boards
of health in matters of sanitation and
contagious disease; the extension of
the use of school grounds. and. i'm
large cities, of school roofs as play
grounds, open-air gymnasia. and
school gardens; the establishment of
open air schools, and of forest and
farm schools; and the furtherance of
physical exercises in formal arrange
ment and in sports and games. COM
mensurate with the powers and needs
of the growing body in its successive
stages
An important step in providing the
best school advantages will be such
study of the hygienic and other re-
quirements of school buildings and
grounds as shall make public school
authorities everywhere familiar with
the necessities of school houses as to
size of rooms. windows. space. CORR
doris. stairways and exit necessities.
ventilation. heating. play grounds and
indoor and outdoor equipment thus
rendering possible the standardizing
of school houses. rooms and ap-
pliances; also rendering possible a
general understanding of the proper
cost of school houses and appurten-
ances. thus giving the school au-
thorties such knowledge as shall en-
able them, on the one hand. to avoid
meanness and inadequacy, and on the
other hand, to provide beautiful.
Wholesome and convenient school IA
Icilities without wasteful expenditure.