Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1920-07-16
EDUCATORS DISCUSS
PROBLEMS OF DAY
MEETING AT UTAH CAPITAL
PROVES PROFITABLE TO
VISITING TEACHERS.
Western Man Chosen to Head Associa.
ton, While Philadelphia is Selected
as Next Meeting PIace-PIan
to Rcorganize Association.

tue HdIl0H were guests or this city last
week during the annual session of the
National Education association, which
came to a close Friday morning.
The convention was one of the most
successful in the history Of the as.
sociation, from point of attendance
and results achieved. Those who at.
tended were benefited to a great de-
gree as result of the discussions and
the words of wisdom from the bright
est minds of the teaching profession.
Immediate steps to reorganize the
National Education association on the
delegate plan adopted by the associa-
ton will be taken by Fred M. Hunter,
the newly elected president from Oak
land, Calf Communications will be
sent to each state urging action
along the new lines.
The first official act of President
Hunter was to call a meeting of the
state board of directors. Thomas e.
Finnegan, state superintendent of Har-
risburg, Pa, was elected the new
member of the executive committee of
the National Education association.
Olive NJ. Jones, president of the prin-
cipals' association of New York City,
was elected the new member OF the
board of trustees. An executive ses--
sion was held late in the afternoon.
Tho next convention of the National
Education association will probably be-
held in Philadelphia, as the vote was.
"a to IL in preference of this city. The
second choice was Des Moines, Ia.
A unanimous rising vote occurred
when the resolution was read urging
Connecticut, New Hampshire, Ver-
mont, Tennessee, North Carolina and
Florida to adopt woman suffrage at
once.
Financial independence is to be
taught to the coming generations Of
school children In America as a re-
suit Of action taken Friday by the
state superintendent section. A COM
mittee of seven was appointed to con-
fer with officials of the savings divi-
sion of the treasury department at
Washington to formulate a uniform
course of study in thrift saving and
safe investment which will be a COM
pulsory part of the curriculum of
every school In America. This action
was taken as the result of the sugges-
ton of Mrs. Josephine COrliss Preston,
retiring president of the association,
who is alsO superintendent of schools
of Washington.
A resolution was adopted approving
tho doafctnx, aRAa
supreme court in unfolding the con-
stitutionality of the Eighteenth amend
ment and calling for the impartial en-
foreement of the Volsted act. An
other resolution was presented and
adopted calling for the passage of
state laws providing for the tenure of
teachers during efficient service and
seeking a method by which to elimIl-
ate the inefficient and protect tina
efficient.
Speakers at the convention declared
that:
Cooperation and comprehension of
unity of interest are essential to the
attainment of the correct development
Of the public school system
Hitherto both school boards AMI
superintendent have worked too much
independently of each other, the
boards too largely intent on making a
record for economy, the superinten-
dents too closely engrossed in putting
over system either devised by them
selves or by some specialist in admin
tstrative education.
Teachers have been wrongly COM
PEELED to curtail or eliminate their own
personality and initiative to conform
to the views of superintendent, over
them In authority, but not understand
Ing the peculiar conditions with which
the instructors have to deal.
Cooperation of the parent is Just as
essential to weld the school system
into harmonious whole as the uni
fication of any of the other factors
contributing to its makeup"
Low salaries in the profession is not
the only thing that is causing teach
ers to enter other fields of endeavor,
but the cut-and-dried system that is a
deathblow to any initiative and ere
alive power that the young teacher
might have. is also to blame. declared
an educator from the south.
Tenure of superintendent was de,
clared as too uncertain by William
Bruce, editor of the American School
Board Journal. He also recommended
the striking of teachers as a means
OF lettering their conditions.