The Penn's Grove record., 1913-04-04
Report of the National Educational
Association

ropIuaTy ~, ~, ZOs All thO lHipo la't
topics and questions before the school at
the present time were discussed by the
leading educators from all parts of the
United States.
In the West vocational training has
been worked out along the following
lines. In. one city the High School boys
are allowed to attend school one day and
the next day work i'll the shops, mills. or
factories, as they choose, thus alternating
turnout their four years OF High School
work. AT the end of that time they are
graduated from High School and prepar-
ed to enter some higher institution of
learning, if they SO desire. At the same
time they have learned the trade of their
choice and are ready to go ont and earn
a mans wages. All during their four
years OF apprenticeship III the shop they
are paid, thus establishing early in life an
independence which fits them to meet the
demands made upon them in later life.
The girls are prepared for their duty of
home making in what is termed a Home
School. Here they are taught the various
household duties such as cooking, baking,
sewing, cleaning, etc., so that when they
graduate fromrH High School they are also
fitted to carry Oh in later life theicares of
a household. They alternate also just as
the boys do in the shops.
Another plan is being carried out in
the State OF Oregon. There pupils are
given credit for home duties performed.
The parents are supplied with blanks and
make monthly reports to the teacher,
stating just what work was done and the
manner in which it was done, by the pu-
pill, and he is then credited together with
his regular school work credit. This has
a tendency to develop habits of industry,
neatness and accuracy in the child, be-
cause the more he does and the better he
does that work the more he will receive,
ard it also fosters the spirit OF co-opera-
ton between home and school. Thus by
these methods mentioned the school, the
home, and the community ale more
closely united and the uniting of these
three factors is absolutely essential to sue
cessful school work.
Another method of securing co-opera-
ton was discussed, namely, Parent
Teachers Associations. These tend to es-
tablish close relation between the home
and the school which is so essential to
successful school work, and it was urged
very strongly that all members of these
associations whether teachers or parents,
become actively engaged in the work of
them, always ready to talk on the topics
of vital Importance.
The efficiency of the teacher in the
school, was dwelt on a great deal, as it is
considered so very important, A teacher
to be efficient must possess good training,
be of good moral character and must loye
her work in order TO succeed. How to.
Judge or measure the efficiency of a
teacher was discussed. She should be
judged, as to efficiency according to the
mount of preparation she has had and
the kind also. Her attitude towards the
profession should also betaken into con
sideration, and next the personality. A
teacher in order to be successful must
have a more or less attractive personality.
so as to draw her pupils to her and her
efficiency also is measured by the mount
OF interest she has i'll the profession. liza
person is III it simply for the money they
can get out of it their success will not lie
very marked. They must have a natural
liking for the work and love children in
order to be a success. She must be able
to study character and individuality in
order to get along well, because no two
children are of the same disposition, con-
s%eqUently they must be handled differ
emily. The chief standard of measure
ment is the teachers influence upon the
pupils, in as much as that is so great, it is
very important that the teacher exerts the
proper kind of influence unpop her
pupils.
ST.. Heater, Supt. OF Pittsburg schools,
advocated the reduction of the subject
matter in elementary schools so as to
eliminate all but the essential and funda-
mental things, in order to properly Glass;
ify courses of study for the children.
Courses of study should be adapted to the
needs of the various communities and not
one for an entire state. 1t would be folly
to try to have the pupils do all the work
that is done Ill the city schools. In the
country school, courses should comply
with the needs of the community i'll
which they are to be used.
Uniformity in courses of study chokes
individuality in both pupil and teacher,
and was strongly denounced. Ii ignores
not only the individuality OF pupils, but
the diversity OF types of children. 1t
does not take into consideration the var
led n~ationalities found in our schools. 1t
ignores tile differences in localities and
holds the the teacher in a vice not per-
hitting her to do real effective work with
the children under her care. There
should be some uniformity Of the state,
and this uniformity should include the
following, as stated DR.. injury of Column
bia University.
(A) 1The absolute enforcement of
school affairs from all municipal and po-
litical activities. \
OBJ The Board of Education Of a city
school system should be the supreme
local authority in the government of its
schools.
(C) The purely professional manage
ment of the schools should be under the
direction of the Superintendent or Su-
pervisor.
(D) The general maintenance of the
schools should be by a general method
which will provide fixed appropriations
based upon the increasing needs Of a
school system.
(E) The appointment of teachers
should be from the lists of eligible candi-
dates in order OF their merits, and in
making appointments it is wise toRlways
consult the Superintendent in reference
to the candidate before the Board elect.
(F) The adoption of uniform courses
in which the essentials only of a fuhda-
mental education shall be included, with
sufficient flexibility to meet local condi-
tions and permitting local teachers to i'll
clude such additional instruction as may
be wise.
The opinions of all the leading educa-
tore seem to be the same. They all adyo-
cate vocational training for both boys and
girls and hearty cooperation between
school authorities and the public, and all
advocate teachers of good training and
character. All advocate complete separa-
ton of school and political influences, the
schools are to correct political wrongs in
stead of being subject to their dominating
power. All advocate that the public
give their hearty support to all things for
the advancement of the school system,
because in the schools is where we train
the boys and girls for future citizenship
and it is our duty to do all in our mower