The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-06-30
RAPS
AL|GN|NG Of
CLASSES
Dr. Payson Smith Addresses
N. e. A. Convention In
Front Of Capitol

Class distinction and race preju.
dice must go, DIR. Payson Smith.
commissioner Of education Of Mass
achusetts, declared yesterday when
thousands of teachers and their
friends in Washington for the con-
vention OF the National Education
Association gathered at the east
front OF the Capitol at the solemn
vesper service held to dedicate the
educational conclave to the highest
Ideals.
There are, unfortunately, some
Of our fellow-citizens in q minority,
we must believe, who seem to think
that they can serve their country
by trying to array class against
class, section against section. and
racial group against racial group,"
DR.. Smith asserted.
'These citizens are wrong. They
are denying to themselves even the
highest privilege Of American citi-
zenship, that Of standing each day
as one believes he should stand on
the issue Of that day alone. The
attempt to align groups Of citizens
by section, class, creed, race, ie
wrong in principle and utterly de-
structive.
Duty Of Public School.
Among our institutions, the pl.b-
lie school best expresses the de-
sire of the American, people to
secure equality Of opportunity and
to avoid discriminating distinctions.
Democracy does not imply uniform.
| ity OF thinking or uniformity OF
action. It does, imply a certain
unity on fundamental principles.
Among these principles none is more
important than that OF the essen.
tiAl right Of the citizen to make
In his own way his own contribu.
ton to the life and culture Of the
nation so long as he does not make
| that contribution to the offense or
deriment Of his fellows"
There is a heavy responsibility
on the public school to produce the
right type Of citizen. said Doctor
day is challenging the public school
to produce citizens "who will strive
to answer political, economic and in
dustrial questions on the basis Of
fundamental principle rather than
on confederation Of tradition, emo
ton, prejudice or personal or sec
tional interest"
| 5000 Present.
More than 5000 persons throneec
the east concourge Of the Capito
grounds. A hymn opening the s5rv
ice was followed by America, suns
by the entire assembly. Doctor J.
Shera Montgomery, chaplain Of the
House, offered the invocation. Doc
tor Smith was introduced by Mis-;
Olive M. Jones, president Of the
National Education Association. TIL,
Army Band, led by w. J. Etannard
played for the service.
An evening session at Contra
High school last night was devoted
to consideration Of moral and 70
ligious phases Of education. Tillit
s. Gecks, Of st. Louis, asserted
there is q need for religious educa
ton in the schools. Disagreement
with this view was voiced by Leor
Nv. Goodrich, Pleasantville, N. Y
Margaret Knox, New York, smoke
on "Our Children's Neglected In
herttance;" William Byron Ferbush
New York, on Teaching Business
Morals" and Edwin d. Starbucix
Iowa City, on Fundamentals d
Character Training
The report urged as argument:
In favor OF federal education de
partment its possible service to loca
committees In revising school cur
riculum and lifting school financ,
methods out of chaos, as two prac
teal instances OF aid. The repoF-
pointed out that the Secretary o
Education the bill would place. ii
the Cabinet would be in q position
"vitally to affect educational pro
gress," and that the conferences an
nually Of the national council Of edu
cation composed Of school teachers
u Of the nation would b ,productiv,
, oe great good,