The New York herald., 1922-07-02
Outside Calls on Schools Grow
Special Campaigns Interfere With Classroom Work
and Present an Acute Educational Problem.
By CLARENCE H. DEMPSEY.
Commissioner of Education of Vermont.

PUBIC BcnOol fOunddtion tiTohi ~iv'v~o
600 to $25. 5.0o0. 900 annually)
6. Miscellaneous-for publications. pho
nographs. school decorations. local hos
pitfalls and charities. &c.
ESSAY CONTESTS
1. Essay Contest-How Can ! Make
the Highways More Safe?
2. Essay Contest-Better Highways.
.. Essay Contest - vermont's Attrac-
tions.
4. Essay Contest-Americanization OF
Aliens.
8. Essay Contest-How the American
Legion Can Best Serve the Nation.
MISCELLANEOUS.
/. Decoration OF voting places by
pupils
g Week day religious instruction un-
der school auspices.
3. Participation In cleaning. repairing
and improving school buildings and
grounds.
4. Participation in miscellaneous civic
celebrations, exercises OF patriotic organ
izations, philanthropic clubs.
.. Direct and indirect advertising OF
private schools. institutions. events. prod
ucts.
Almost all States have special days
and calls not listed above. Communi-
ties also propose many special tasks for
schools to perform--school bazars, en-
tertainments. Christmas tree exercises,
musical and drill programs for civic
affairs. police duties. local charities. tag
day workers, special exhibits, decoration
of soldiers graves. &C.
A thorough study OF the subject OF
interruption of regular school work
would also reveal frequent individual or
personal calls upon the time OF teacher
and pupils. covering wide range OF
ctivities--recovery OF lost articles, use
OF children for special church, CONNER
cial and social work and errands; dis
missal of pupils for rehearsals, excur-
sions. trips demands on teachers for
preparation Of public and society pro-
grams and the like.
| Within the school itself there are not
a few activities that, vhile valuable.
\ interrupt more or less the regular work
of the school. Such are experimental
and research work, educational studies
and questionnaires, competitive athletic
sports, secret societies. special dramatic
musical and other entertainments, ex-
tended preparation for graduation exer-
cises class days and field days. teach
ers' meetings and conferences in school
hours, interruption OF school programs
for non scholastic purposes. such as read
ing notices, collecting pennies, selling
school photographs, candy, soap. &c.
Which activities should be encouraged
allowed or rejected?
How much time and energy should
be assigned to such calls?
Which contribute to and which sub
tract from real education?
Is given activity worth more than
the regular work 1t supplants?
When do these distractions cease te
enrich and develop, and begin to break
down and dissipate educational growth?
In how far and when should the
teacher and children be exploited for a
given worthy cause?
To what extent should the school bt
utilized as public welfare establish.
ment instead of an educational insti
tuition?
If 'the Commonwealth requires th'
education of its people as safeguard
for order and liberty" OF what doe,
such education consist. and what i'm
mediate civic, social or economic ser
vices are OF such superior value as tc
justify diminishing that education?
The cost Of every such activity equal,
the money value Of the time devoted
to 1t in school hours-paid by the towr
or city-plus the loss OF regular worf
supplanted, plus the diffusion Of Inter
est; which calls justify the heavy cost?
In a conflict between regular worl
and a special cause, which should have
the right of way?
1t is difficult, Of course, to answer
these and similar questions in any com
prehensive way. Each instance mus
be Judged on its own merits. Certain
principles do seem pretty clear, that viii
enable us to promote desirable measure,
and to reject those that detrsct from
the real tasks of the school. Such ar,
the following:
No advertising or commercial activ
ity should be permitted in the schools.
Sectarian. partisan or controversial
propaganda should be excluded.
Schools should not be used for collec
tion or solicitation OF money
The educational value for the childre
Of a given cause, and not merely tn
worth Of the cause. should determine 1t
adoption. Such educational values in
clude increased knowledge, patriotism
health. social mindedness, development
OF character. &c.
The burden of proof is upon the pet!
tioner to show that a given project 1
of value so superior to the regular wor
it displsces as to Justify the town, tn