The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1918-03-01

the value of our schools and should
lead to coordinate genuinely ma
tional and democratic system of edu-
cation. Child labor and school at
tendance provisions should not be
suspended. Conditions also in high
er education are not reassuring.
Those on the point of graduation,
the country may perhaps use now.
But it is reported that in some
colleges eighty per cent of the stu
dents have been permitted to en-
list. This enthusiasm is admirable
but in many lines of work, an addi-
tional two years of training would
double or treble students value to
the nation; even from purely mill
tary point of view. May we not
hope that this shortsighted waste OF
human ability will be checked?
Against this misguided diversion
of our boys and girls and young men
and women from the schools and col
leges to the industrial and military
field, President Wilson, Secretary of
War Baker, and Commissioner Of
Education Claxton have vigorously
protested. But in many sections
headstrong public opinion has over
riden their protests and appeals.
Your committee asks the convention
to endorse and do everything in its
power to drive home into the public
consciousness this principle:
Educated manhood and womanhood
is the nations greatest asset in both
peace and war. And we must not
sacrifice, even to an emergency, the
increased national efficiency which
can be attained only through organ
lied educational training.
2. This convention urgently calls
upon international and Local Unions,
State and Central Bodies to work
actively for adequate representation
of organized labor on all Boards of
Education.
3. The free text book system
should be extended to such states as
have not adopted it.
A. Teachers should be secured
tenure of positions during efficiency.
There should be no dismissals with
out full and fair hearing. And,
in this connection, it is timely to
insist that while actual disloyalty to
our country can not be tolerated in
our public schools or anywhere else,
the public must carefully assure it
self that charges of disloyalty, or
of any other nature that may be
peculiarly effective at the time, are
not cloaks under which official su-
periors may attempt to secure re-
taliation for a self-respecting lack of
subserviency on the part of teachers
under them.
5. Through the committee on
State organization, the President and
Executive Council of the American
Federation of Labor have been in
structed to aid in securing immediate
increases in teachers salaries. Your
Committee on Education heartily con-
ours and urges on all affiliated bod
les active cooperation. One Of the
most fragrant injustices and most
dangerous weaknesses in our ma
tional life is the continued neglect
of these valuable public servants.
6. Your committee is alarmed by
the lack of democracy in the conduct
of our schools. Our American school
system is administered autocratical-
ly, the teachers actually on the job
in the class rooms having neglible
voice in the determination and carry
ing out of policies. Self-governing
school and district councils of teach
ers should be established for the pur-
pose of utilizing the experience and
initiative of the teaching body in the
conduct of the schools and the recon-
mendations of such councils should
be made matter of official record.
When consideration is given the eff
fective part played by the Prussian
school system in the development of
the habit of instructive, unthinking
obedience on the part of the masses
of the people, the vital Importance to
American institutions of breaking
away from Prussian methods in our
school system is driven home.
7. Your committee believes that
the most effective guarantee of de-
mocracy in our schools is the affila-
ton of the teachers of the country
with the great democratic force of
organized labor. This committee
joins with the Committee on Organ
ization in urging that the American
Federation of Labor and all affiliated
bodies give every support to the
American Federation of Teachers in
the work of organizing the teachers.
8. Finally the committee asks that
the Executive Council be instructed