Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-12-28
BIG PROBLEMS
ARE DISCUSSED

CONTINUED From First PaScl
in the second day session of the an
nual meeting. In a number of sec
tional meetings resolutions were
adopted and recommendations decided
upon, which may cause big changes
in the school system in Pennsylvania.
Every phase of school work not
brought out. in discussions yesterday,
was touched upon to-day ut length
as speaker after speaker told method
that are bringing results all over the
country.
The mission of the American schools
in the cause of peace was the general
theme of the addresses and discus
sions at the round table meeting OF
the State branch of the American
School Peace League. Noted peace
advocates from all parts of the State
participated, giving their views OF
the responsibility of tie schools in
training for citizenship.
Two speakers of national promin-
enCe will be here tonight to make
similar addresses at the general ses-
sion. They are eN-President William
Howard Taft, who will speak on rs
There Waste in Modern Education ?'
and Charles Zueblin, publicist, lee
turer and author, from Boston, who
'AAA 'PN'NN vi ~hAAANA ANtl tANt Incl
or Peace Maker"
Physical Education Discussed
All branches of physical education
were taken up in addresses and dis
cussions this afternoon at the gen.
eral session, after which committee
reports were submitted for action.
Among the resolutions passed this
morning by a number of departments
of the state association were many
which outline future steps by these
departments and also may cause inn
portant changes in the present system.
Probably the most important of
these were the ones passed by the
county superintendents which were as
follows:
That all conditions for standardizinE
schools in the state be made operative
by law within period of years which
Will permit each district to conform
with these requirements.
That the enforcement of the vac
cmation law shall be placed under the
district board or bureau of health in
stead of holding individual teachers
responsible.
That the power to grant professional
and provisional teachers certificates
be given to the State Board of Edu-
cation.
That the minimum salary of county
superintendent range from $4,000 to
- rbNNs etSSiSldlllSs GIsOuVs
That the biennial school appro-
priation be increased from fifteen to
eighteen million dollars.
That the State Department of Pub
lie instruction provide for county SUI
perintendents a uniform system for
keeping records and accounts.
That the minimum school term be
eight months.
That the minimum professional
| training for teachers be eight months.
These resolutions were adopted after
lengthy discussions.
Members at the high school depart
ment session also passed important
resolutions, as follows:
That a committee of five be ap-
pointed to define a standard high
school course for schools in this state,
TO be presented to the Legislature for
action at the coming session., the stand
ard to name elective and required
studies and the methods to be used in
determining the progress of studies.
That no more than twenty-five
pupils be assigned to one class and
that no teacher be required TO teach
more than six periods a day.
That the next legislature increase
the appropriation for borough and
township high schools to the extent
that each high school receives the
maximum amount it is permitted TO
receive under the law, and that an APP
preparation be made for city high
schools.
That the support of the high school
association be given to the recently
organized National Association of High
School Principals. These were signed
by B. B. Smith, Connellsville; Mar
garet A. Boyer Tower City; Samuel II
Ziegler, Scranton; George w. Gilmore
Braddock, and John Davis, Nanticoke
- L III IL,
school of applied industries of Car
negie Institute, was elected president
of the state branch of the American
School Peace League, and Miss Jean
nette NJ. Eaton, principal of BelmaI
school, Pittsburgh, secretary,
DR.. Nathan c. Schaeffer. State Su-
perintendent of Public Instruction. in
speaking at this meeting declared that
the state branch should watch care
! fully all school legislation at the com
| ing session. He said that he was not
| in favor of military training in either
| the grade or high schools, and that il
/ it is decided upon in this country. a
system similar to the one Used in
Switzerland should be developed. DR.
/ Schaeffer said also that the boys
should be i'm the best physical con-
dition possible, too, before they take
up military training.
DR.. Samuel Hamilton told of the
work of the American School Peace
League and its purposes. Following
his talk, John w. Carr, principal OF
| the Friends central school, PhiladeI-
phia. presented resolutions requesting
teachers to have school children cor
respond with those in foreign lands.
Members of the college and norma
school section adopted a resolution
this morning recommending that col
leges give credit for one year of col
! lege work to graduates from four
| year courses of State normal schools
and additional credits for freshmen
and sophomore college work com
| pleted while in normal school, pro
Vided that the teachers at the end O.
three years work in normal school
can pass college entrance require
ments.
Grade school teachers favored plan
| for lengthening the school term b.
| conducting summer schools for back
ward pupils and also for those whit
desire to take up special work.
Officers of the various sections wer,
| elected as follows.