The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1920-07-09
National Association Warns
Teachers Against Affiliat-
ing with Other Groups
CONFIDENCE OF
PUBLIC ENDANGERED
Committee Report Backs Towner Bill
Urges Higher Salaries-Teachers
Should Have Minimum of $1,000 to
Gain Economic Independence.

Should Have Minimum of $1,000 to,
Gain Economic Independence.
SALT LAKE CITY, July 9.-Recom-
mendation against utilization of teachers
it'll any religious, political or economic
groups" was made in a report presented
to the National Education association by
its. eolnission on the emergency in educa-
ton.
The report, with others to be made by
various committees, will be acted upon at
the session today.
The report, read by George D. Strayer
of Columbia university, vice-president of
the association, said: Teachers as a unit
cannot federate with. labor and at
the same time hope to keep the conf
dence of the whole people,
1t described steps leading to the draft
ing of the Smith-Towner bill to create a
department of education with its head a
member of the presidents cabinet, and
presented an argument in behalf of the
measure.
1T is a sound principle which proposes
| that the wealth of the nation be put bach
| of the education of all its Children the
report declared. ......
Touching ON salaries, the report asserted
| 81 800 was the minimum necessary fol
existence" without provision for the fu
| ture, and declared that $500 annually
| was necessary to assure the averag,
| teacher economic independence. 1t addeC
| that 10 to 20 per cent additional must b,
| paid if the teacher is to have opportunit!
for cultural growth. The report said /
was an error to draft the ''ablest of on
class room teachers for administration
posts.
The question of affiliation of teachers
organizations wi labor bodies brough
ON a colloquy in the meeting of the ma
tional council of education, in which Mrs
Susan Dorsey, superintendent of school
of Los Angeles, referred to Miss Margare
| Haley of the Chicago teachers association
as a ''soap-box orator.
4 The report on teachers affiliations mad
this declaration.
i THE Commission believes in the profes
/ sional organization of teachers. We be
lieye just as sincerely that the profession
al organizations of the teachers should no
i affiliate with any other body. We kno,
Il of 40 surer way to destroy confidence j
the American public school system and i
our profession than for our great body O
teachers to organize themselves in afhlia
ton with any church, party or grou
whose aims and purposes are peculiar t
the members of the group.
u Whatever may be our judgment wit
: regard to the legitimacy of the program
of organized labor, teachers as a unit car
not federate with labor for realizatio
, of their aims and at the same time hop
: to keep the confidence of the whole pee
pie. We must forever refuse to hecom
; affiliated as a profession with any rel
/ gious, political or economical group. Pros
| ress in the direction of American ideal
j lies not in the direction of the soviet
/, but rather in the cooperation of all {
us for the public good"
The report proposed formation Of lee
/, islative committee to work in Washing
t ton for the passage of the Smith-Towne
: bill. ..--.. .......... ........a
: p. P. Claxton, United States commits
= sioner of education, in an address, d'
. clared one need of the schools was a
3 surance of permanently high salaries. Sa
aries with the same relative purchasin