The Republican journal., 1914-02-12
OREGON Teachers Association.

To THE EDITOR OF The JOURNAL.
President Alderman began the work by
telling us that the object of the meeting
was to outline educational work, both
legislative and practical. There is de-
mand for certain kinds of knowledge.
The work must pass through an expert
mental stage before we can reach con-
clusion. Manufacturers have declared
that manual training in the schools is
failure. They say the work must be
taught by vocational people. The work
ia in an experimental stage and the prob
lem must be solved by the schools. We
must attack one big problem each year
and make sure that we solve it.
1t would be we'll to appoint finance
committee to study methods in other
States and report one year from now.
We can survey our own school system
better than a man from some other
State. After we thoroughly examine
these problems, the Legislature will lis
ten to US in the future as they have in
the past. Let us be working body and
not talking body. 1t is our own fault
if we do not impress ourselves upon the
press. We should make our influence SO
felt that this room would be filled with
newspaper reporters. 1t took three days
at Salt Lake City to decide the question
of certifcation. Leaders of Depart
,nents should furnish summary of work
done for the press.
Supt. Churchill told US that ten years
ago there were not twenty High schools
IN the State, while now there are one
hundred fifty, and four hundred are doing
some High school work. School money
ia now voted much more freely than
formerly. There are thirty-one States
raising less school money than Oregon.
The rural school problem is the one now
most urgently demanding our attention.
The Parent-Teacher Association is one
of the most important factors in solving
this problem They should be organized
IN every district of the State. A sug-
gestlve program is to be sent to every
community and we hope that officials
will help to promote the work.
Premiums offered by corn clubs, cook
ing clubs and others will aid the work.
ideals of country life will be raised. A
great weakness of country schools is lack
Of supervision. The State will be asked
for $50, 600 to be placed in the hands Of
che State Board of Education. With
this money twenty or twenty-five experts
in educational work may be secured
wherever they may be found. Then when
j county superintendent needs assistance
he can send to the State Department for
t.
A majority Of teachers are already
doing satisfactory work but sufficient
number of thoroughly qualified teachers
10 fill all the positions are not to be had
at the present time. These expert as
sistants, under the direction of the coun-
ty superintendent, could help with social
center work and parent-teacher assocla-
tions. Not more than twenty or thirty
Der cent of the teachers would need as
sistance and an expert could be kept in
each county six or eight months in the
wear, under the direction of the county
superintendent AS teachers improve
che necessity of this form of supervision
will diminish. After 1915 none can be
certified to teach in the State of Oregon
without some professional training.
There ought to be no opposition to this
method, as it is an attempt to give the
greatest possible degree of efficiency to
all schools.
President Campbell of the University
Of Oregon talked of the hardshlps our
ancestors have passed through and COM
pared our present favorable condition
with theirs. He thought the proportion
Of leisure time would increase more and
more as we improve our methods. He
spoke Of the inability of a fertile soil to
produce IDEAL conditions without intelli-
gerce, SIS witnessed in Mexico. He
thought the vital problem for us to solve
is how to improve our leisure as greater
proportion of leisure time spent in dlssi-
patton would prove an injury As rational
creatures We must have comprehensive
theory Of life. We must have product
we industries and we must have pleas
ures derived from literature, art, history
and all intellectual and moral sources.
We must cooperate in socialization as
well as in industry. 1t is the more social
animals which survive while the more
fierce diminish. The same is true of man.
We must try to come into possession
ii a moral universe, rational universe.
Are we materialists or idealists? What
is our controlling principle? Is this
universe the product of central mind!
Is that mind benevolent or malevolent!
knowledge of the fatherhood OF God
and the experience Of our ancestors IN
matters social, industrial and govern
mental is cur heritage. Believing in the
future Of this Christian democracy we
should strive to assimilate the spirit and
genius of our country. Our GLORIOUS
r,a,cIo,, fosters the unrestricted deVei-