Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1913-08-08
SCHOOL AND Home
New Division h the Bureau d
s5 Education.

Department Organizing Branch Where
~ Is 10 Hoped e Bring Parents and
rsachsrs Nearer Together
100000 Mothers to Help.
Washinxton.-Before another school
year rolls around Uncle Sam will have
invited more than 100000 mothers
OF the country to join In the working
out OF 4 cooperative plan whereby II
il hoped to bring home and school
nearer together, to help the parent to
get the viewpoint of the teacher on
one hand and on the other to help the
teacher to guide little Johnny or Mary
along lines Of thought and work which
will make the child greater help In
the home and assist It to develop into
q better citizen In the nation.
During the hot months of summer,
when both grown-ups and children are
giving more attention to vacation
plans than to school matters, experts
In the United States bureau of educa-
ton have Just begun the organization
Of . new division to direct this new
cooperative work, which will aim at
the upbuilding Of two Of the most I'M
portant American Institutions, the
school and the home. For the want
OF \ better name, the new branch OF
the bureau has been called the divi.
sion Of home education, which might
suggest that the purpose of the gov
eminent is to turn homes into schools,
The encouragement Of cooperation
between parent and teacher, however,
is the sole purpose OF the division, and
In no manner will It's work conflict
with the activities of the school.
The National Congress of Mothers
Of the United States Is responsible
for the establishment of the new
branch Of the bureau Of education. Tho
division now being organized will not
be provided for out Of government
funds, but will be maintained by virtue
Of q cooperative arrangement with
this large mothers organization, which
will provide financial backing for the
work, which will be directed and sup
ervised by experts Of the bureau OF
education. This method Of providing
for the work is similar to the plan
followed by the government In con-
Quoting the cooperative farm demon
stration work in the south, which Is
made possible largely by funds provid-
ed by the general education board, a
part of the Rockefeller Foundation.
The same system Of government CO.
operation with. semf-private institu-
lions is in operation In financing the
new rural organization service Of the
department of agriculture, congress
providing $4,000 for part OF the work
and the general education board sub
scribing larger amounts to extend the
lines Of Investigations.
The new division Of home education
will enable the government to give
Official sanction to the important work
of the parent-teacher associations
which have been encouraged by the
National Congress OF Mothers. and
which are now organized In most of
the large school centers of the coun-
try. The purpose in organizing the
divisions Is to extend the same idea
Of cooperation between home and
school in the rural and small town
communities which the parent-teacher
associations have developed In the
large cities. 81 sa~ Z
With this end In view, Commissioner
P. P. Claxton OF the bureau OF edu-
cation has just mailed to, a list OF
1000 county superintendent of
schools a letter asking their CO
operation in the work about to be
taken up by the division Of home
education. requesting the names of
the schools under their supervision In
the open country, villages or small
towns, and the names of at least two
women Of intelligence and influence
in the vicinity Of every elementary
and high school. The women, prefer
ably mothers, will be asked to Co
operate in the work of the home edu-
cation division by organizing parent
teacher associations for the discussion
Of the care and training Of children in
the home both before and after school
age. In the entire country It is ex.
pected that there will be named at
least 4,0O0.0 900 mothers who will CO
operate with the government in the
work OF. connecting up school and
home to the mutual advantage Of both,