The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1920-01-22

out the country:
In the administration of the public
schools we recognize boards of educa-
ton as the representatives of the peo-
pie. Theirs is the responsibility to
adopt the policies which will make for
the development of public education
and through public education for the
development of our democratic So
ciety. We recognize the superinten-
dent of schools as the executive Off
Ger chosen by the board of education
to carry out it's policies and to recon-
mend to these representatives Of the
people the kind of action that will
make for the realization Of our edu-
cational ideals. At the same time, we
know that teachers working in the
classrooms of our public schools have
contributed ideas that have had de-.
termining influence upon educational
progress. Through teachers councils,
through committees, through volun-
tary associations, and through indi-
vidual recommendations, teachers
have concerned themselves with the
larger problems of educational admin
istration to the great benefit OF the
schools.
Boards of education and admins
trative officers in those communities
that have made the greatest progress,
have recognized this principle. IN
many places, by rule of the board or
by invitation of the superintendent,
teachers organizations have been re-
uuested to make recommendations al
ss2ctt::llg courses of study, the adoption
of textbooks, types of building and
equipment, the organization of special
classes and special kinds of schools
and the formulation Of budgets.
We believe that participation, by
teachers is indispensable to the best
development of the public schools. We
believe that such participation should
be the right and responsibility OF ev-
cry teacher. To this end we urge that
boards of education by their rules
recognize this right, and provide
stated meetings at which teachers will
be heard. In order to guarantee such
participation, we urge state leglsla-
tures-the final authorities through
whose action local boards of education
exercise the control now vested IN
them-to enact laws providing that
teachers may appear before boards OF
education, providing that these boards
shall give them an opportunity to
present their suggestions and pro-
posals for improving the work Of the
schools.
If these steps are taken not only
will the insight, knowledge, and skill
of every teacher be made available Tor
the promotion Of educational progress,
but the responsibility and influence
of the classroom teacher will be OIL
cially recognized, the calling will be-
come thereby more dignified and at
tractive, and large numbers of the
strong and capable young men and
women of the country will enter public
school service as life career. Next
to the provision of better salaries for
teachers, nothing will do more to raise
the status of the profession and make
it's service attractive to the kind Of
men and women that the school needs,
than the adoption of policy that will
lift the classroom teacher above the
level of a mere routine worker carry
ing out in mechanical fashion plans
and policies that are handed down
from above.
In recognition of the principles of
democracy in public-kchool service,
there must be added to the wisdom OF
the boards of education and to the
Judgment and executive ability Of
their administrative officers the
effective, participation of classroom
teachers in the development OF the
policies which control education
From January N. E. A. Bulletin.