Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-06-29

Since the entire scope of the work of
the General Federation of Women's
Clubs is educational in the broadest
sense of the word, its department of
education has been, and probably always
will be. OF prime Importance. The wom-
ems clubs OF the country have been most
influential in encouraging the advance
ment of the public school system. Moth
ing pertaining to child welfare has been
deemed too trivial to merit attention.
Every club in the federation is actuated
by the belief that all of the children in
the United States. should have equal
educational advantages and opportunities
The womens club work has before it
five principal ends First, strong and
well enforced child labor and compulsory
education laws in every state; second, a
sufficient number of we'll equipped and well
cared for schoolhouses in every COM
munity; third, a property trained and
properly paid teaching force; fourth. ex-
pert paid supervision of all school work,
and fifth, training for the hand as well
as moral instruction in all public schools.
Fighting for these things. the general
federation began it's educational cam
paign more
Began Campaign Over than twenty
Twenty Years Ago. The : great 1 i'm.
provement which has been made in the
public school systems of many states
and municipalities Is really an evidence
Of the power and influence welded by
this great organized army Of women.
The work has not been uniform through
out the country, of course, because the
needs and resources Of localities differ. In
some places one line of work has seemed
of greater importance than another, Out
as a basis Of work for the club women
of the country, for the Improvement OF
the public schools, the five principles
have been kept we'll in mind, and at the
different councils and biennial meetings
the reports of progress nave given al
opportunity for comparison OF methoos
and results which has been helpful TO the
general cause of education.
In many clubs the members of the
educational departments have made e1-
haustive studies Of educational metnoos
and Of psychology in order that tney
might have a definite understanding OF
what should be required OF teacner ~ II,
charge of the training Of the citizens OF
the future, and they have tried In every
possible way to enforce these require
ments. The general federation from Tune
to time has issued bulletins and care
fully prepared lists Of books which nave
been helpful to the smaller clubs in ar
ranging their study schedules. and nave
also been much appreciated aids TO tnOu-
sands of public school teachers. one OF
these lists which has been IN great de-
mand during the last three years was
prepared especially for the use OF wom-
ems clubs. by Prof. Paul Hanus OF Har-
ward College.
The movement for moral instruction In
the public schools, which has come into
such prominence
Moral instruction during the past
in Schools Desired years. owes
much to the influence Of women's clubs
This subject was brought forward at the
last biennial meeting Of the general
federation and since then many clubs have
been planning a course of systematic
moral instruction in the public schools
which would not in any way touch
upon religious denominational prejudices
and therefor tend to create ill-feelins
among some of the various nationalities
and religions which go to make up the
scholarship of the American public
school Club women feel that first Of al
child should be taught to- honor his
parents and that the introduction of any
principles liable to be opposed to the
child's home training should be avoided.
In their crusade for cleaner. better
equipped school buildings the club womer
of the country have brought forward
many novel methods of work. Some clubs
have a committee which visits the schools
regularly and report upon the conditions
encountered. These may keep record:
and give credits for Improvement noted.
At least one club has found that prize
offered to the janitor having the Creates
number OF favorable reports to his credit