The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-07-30
TEACHERS UNITE FOR
BETTER U. S. CITIZENS
Instructors of Nation Are Turning
Classrooms Into "A Neritablc
Second line of Defense.
POWERFUL AFFILIATIONS.
Close Cooperation with the Libraries
OF the Country Has Been Obtained
BY the Committee OF the National
Security League.

New York. July 2a---How the pub
lie school teachers of the country
have arisen to the unusual opportu-
nifty and responsibility put upon them
Icy the war and turned the claSsFooms
OF the nation into a veritable second
line trench Is set forth IN a statement
today by the National Security
league upon the completion of the first
six months work OF It's committee on
citizenship in elementary schools
This committee, which was organ
lied by the Security league in order
10 carry knowledge OF the true mean
ings Of the war into the lower grade
schools OF the country and lay the
foundation for better methods of in
struction In American citizenship. re-
ports that it has enlisted the cooper
alton Of thousands OF public school
teachers in every state in the union.
This has been done through, the at
fIliation with the work Of the Ma
tional Security league Of the federal
bureau og education. state department
Of education county and city superin-
tendents and the faculties Of the tad
ing universities and colleges DIR
Thilander =. Claxton. I. :, commits
siOner OF education. is a member Of
the Security leagues committee on
patriotism through education and a
large mum her Of the most prominent
men and women educators Of the
country are actively affiliated with the
committee.
In addition 10 the facilities pro-
vided by these connections Miss Eta
V. Leighton, civic secretary Of the
Security league and chairman Of the
committee on citizenship in eiemen-
tary schools" instituted an elaborate
I correspondence course for teachers,
by means of which the committee
has gotten in personal touch with pub
nc school teachers in every nook ani
corner of the country
5000 Supcriptendents.
In the security leagues statement
on the results of this work, Mi Ks
leighton says:
The advice and assistance Of the
com mittee have been requested by
agencies of every character from the
effort league of the Westchester
county penitentlary to state colleges
in the far west The committee has
become a veritable clearing house OF
methods in teaching patriotism.
Teachers write to us for a solution of
their individual classroom problems.
After conducting an inquiry. which
included over 5000 state, county and
city superintendents. we are able to
pass on 10 teachers everywhere the
composite result or the experience OF
'he entire country in the teaching OF
civics. history and patriotism The
committee in this way learned how
each community was SOWING us indi-
Tiduai war problems ana became sem
percent 10 ADVISE on any question
which might arise,
Rurai SCHOOLS
The rural schools IN Whlch - per
cent. or the cniidreh OF the Unite"
states are taught, Tor the most part py
Young, lnadequateiy trained teachers
present peculiar problem. Inc COM
. mittee has given especial tnought 10
their needs and has prepared for the!r
use elementary charts deahnE WIN
the reasons for our entrance INTO the
war ami the necessity iof victory.
which have been circulated IN great
Quantities IheSe charts near suSges .
ons fora thelr use oy teachers ana
give IN SIMPLE form material Tor ac-
'ual lessons in ciVicS ana patriotism
We have based our propaganda on
GIVING to General fershlng appea l.