Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1918-09-05
SECURITY LEACUE:
hROljSES Pl)bII(;
SCHOOL SYSTEM
It's Great Campaign of patriot
ism Through Education" Being
Pushed in All States With
Signal Success.

curfty League to arouse the people of
the country to a realization of the
true meanings of the war and at the
same time lay the foundations for a
permanent system of patriotic educa-
ton in the public schools, has now
been extended into nearly every state
in the Union. The League is rapidly
completing arrangements, through the
various organized educational agen-
cies of the country, by means of which
its message of militant patriotism will
be carried into every nook and corner
of the land.
This effort of the National Security
League, which has the Endorsement Of
all the leading American educational
authorities and has enlisted the active
cooperation of educators of prOmt-
nence in every part Of the country, is
being promoted under the direction Of
notable committee, headed by DR..
Robert NJ McElroy of the Department
of History and Politics in Princeton
University, who is serving as Educa-
tiOnal Director Of the National Sc
curity League under leave of absence.
Mrs. Thomas J. Preston, Jr formerly
Mrs Grover Cleveland), is Secretary
of the committee.
The Security Leagues objective is,
in addition to giving exact infOrma-
ton on the meanings of the war and
its causes, to create a more responsive
American citizenship through the me-
dunn of better methods of permanent
patriotic instruction in the public
schools
Twenty-eight Tons of Literature.
In order to reach the greatest num-
Der of public school teachers direct,
the League conducted classes in pa
triotic education and distributed its
literature giving practical suggestions
on patriotic instruction at 254 Of the
principal Summer Schools for Teach
ers throughout the country during the
past few weeks The literature dis
tributed by the League as the result Of
the work at these schools has reached
a bulk of % tons. The League esti-
mates that it obtained immediate con-
tact with approximately 100000 pub
lie school teachers, who will carry the
message home to classes totalling over
100000 pupils.
The Security League is now prepar-
liz 10 follow up these results with
definite plan of organized promotion
among the Teachers Institutes held in
the various states every fall and uni
fed direction of the spreading of the
propaganda in the separate states
The methods followed in the different
states vary according to local condi-
tons and facilities. In some states
the direct cooperation Of the State De
partments of Education has already
been obtained by the Security League
In other states the propaganda is han
died through the County Superintend-
ents, State Universities and by sending
workers into the state from the head
quarters of the League
Some of the more prominent educa-
tors of the country who are actively
engaged in the promotion of the Sc
curity Leagues idea are:
DR.. G. A. Richmond, President of
Union College; Albert Shells, Superin-
tendent sof Schools of Los Angeles;
DR.. NJ. F. Libby, of the University of
Colorado; Dr. Liberty Hyde Bailey,
arboricultural and horticultural expert
and author.
Examples of Operation.
An example of the operation of the
plan under state supervision is given
in Minnesota, where State Superin-
tendent of Education Schulz prepared
the itinerary to be followed by DR.
William A. Prayer, Of the University
Of Michigan, in charge Of the work in
that state for the Security League. In
Colorado Dr. Libby found it more eff
fectiye and convenient to work direct
ly with the County Superintendents
but this with the heartiest approval
of the State Superintendent and the
Governor.
An important division of the cam
paign is being devoted to negro teach
ers and schools. Among the men who
have been conducting the patriotic
missionary work in this field for the
Security League are: Dr. Holland
Thompson, of the College of the City
of New York; DR.. L. B. Moore
Dean of Howard University; DR.. Isaa
J. Lansing, of Ridgewood, n. j.; DR.
NJ. S. Davage, President of Samuel
Houston College They have delivered
patriotic addresses and conducted
actual classes for teachers in the Ne
gro Summer Schools Of Virginia, North
Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, Lou
fsiana and Texas. Dean Moore, him
self negro, has obtained the organf-
zation of more than 400 patriotic edu-
cation classes among negro adults in
Louisiana and Mississippi.
Laboratory Experiments.
The Security League also has in OPP
Grafton at Lawrence, Mass, in coop
Grafton with the local educational au-
th0rities, an Experimental School, at
which methods of patriotic instruction
are being worked out on the labora-
tory plan. The League is about to es-
tahllsh similar school under the
auspices of the State Department of
Education Of California at Los An
geles>