Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-07-01

non IN the leOeTal government WIS
made by Miss Olive NJ Jones, presi-
dent of the National Education Asso-
citation. in her keynote address a. the
formal opening session of the sixty
second annual convention of the or
ganization last night in the stadium
of Central High School.
Miss Jones scored the enemies of
the education bill. and admonIshe'l
the teachers that the time has come
when educators of the country must
stand solidly and united and resolved
to obtain rightful recognition of edu-
cation in our gov ernment. She also
attacked the critics Of the n. Z. A.
'.propagandists who are attempting
to break down American democracy
through certain movements in rela-
ton to school activities, notably tho
courses of study in history and Toca.
tional work, and members of Con-
gress, publicists and demagogues
who secure applause by empty talk
on education as an abstraction while
at the same time they regard 'ho
teacher, responsible for that educa-
ton. as the most negligible element
in their constituency.
Outlines Confronting Issne.
THE issue that lies before us-the
nations teachers-today,' she de-
clared, lis, shall we let the bolshev-
list, the apostle of chaos, take from
our mission in civilization and by q
united stand preserve the democracy
by our devotion to the cause of edu-
cation? / make no apology for my
appeal to the nations teachers to vote
wisely and well for the cause of edu.
cation"
In her address, which was NOR,
than 10000 words in length, Miss
Jones reviewed the activities of the
N. E. 4. during the past year, and
emphasized that after year as presi-
dent of the organization she fel,
the nations teachers must keep E
path with a single goal in sight
equal opportunity to all children fol
an education which fits them to BIT
citizens of high character in a genuin.
democracy"
Navy Band Plays.
A concert by the United States Nav,
Band, under the direction of Charlie:
Benter. opened the meeting, which
the delegates and teachers attending
the convention. William B. Owen, pas
president of the N. E. A, presided, Thu
address of welcome was delivered b.
John ]. Tigert, federal commissions
of education.
fIdnk W. IdllOQ,
| ent of the District public schools
| followed with an address on "Educa
| ton in the Nations Capital" durini
which he expressed grateful appre
citation of the assistance which III
N. E. A has rendered to the cause o
public education here.
DR.. Ballou declared that more tina
one-third of all municipal expendi
lures in the larger cities of the coun
try is devoted to public education
but in Washington the ratio is niue
| less.
The general situation with lespec
to public education in the Nation
Capital, declared DR.. Bal1ou, does no
| differ materially from the presfn
situation in other American cite:
but in one important respect Wash
ington differs from every other Amer
lean city.
| Warrington Problem Outlined.
The people in every other city cal
determine how much money shall b
'In Washington this Is not the case
1.-The representatives and senator
elected by voters in the severa
states Of the nation are the repre-
| sentatives and senators who de
termine legislation and appropria
Capital. No governing body in tn
District is elected by the people. TIL
Commissioners are appointed by tn
President. The board Of education /
appointed by the Supreme Court Q
the District.
"At no time during the preparatio
of the school estimates or their prog
ress to and through Congress are the
dealt with by a single official VIII
was selected by the people of tn
District or who can in any direct c
usual way in a democracy be hel
| . hla nv tho mamie nf a II
trict for his official acts m determir
ing the amount or character of al
preparations for public education
Washington.
"The educational welfare Of the pee
pie residing in the Nations Capt.:
depends on an Intelligent understan n,
ing of this situation on the part
the people of the country and symps
thetic interest and action on the pa
Of the representatives and senator
whom the people elect to Congress"
Miss Jones, in her keynote address
said, in part:
See- Menace in History.
zone Of the most dangerous move
ments afoot for the breaking dow
teaching of American history. w
have some people in our midst, wit
a publication to sell, who periodical
shout scornfully about the time chi
dren must spend in learning of tn
past. and laud as new apostles {
light the people who throw histor
into the waste basket and replace
with the teaching OF current topic
What right have they, or you and
to shape the social, political or relie
ious life of children on the basis {
study of issues and occurrence
whose reporting is of doubtful az
curacy and even more doubtful i'm
partiality, when we ourselves chang
our point of view in regard to som
of them with almost every issue of
newspaper?
ed conservative than later you wi
know 1 am of the term politica
There are times when both terms al
honorable, and this is one Of Their
Wise judgment of present day issue
depends upon experience as. game
in our own lives and companionshiI
or as obtained from the lessons {
history. Our business with childre
is to teach facts as told by reliab
historians of the past and leave tt
formation Of positive conclusions 9
; to what time may sift out as trl
and valid in today's theories ar
: events.
even if it were true that we ha
taught history by wrong methot
and with insane prejudice in tt
across and discount all the exper
ences Of the past? How can we pr,
serve America as America unless "
teach its ideals and traditions to II
children Of people who know mol
about Mussolini and that dispute
strip of land in the Adriatic. abo,
the Talmud or the soviet than the
do Of our history or even our speech
Do not mistake me. I am not col
ltemptuous Of the history or tradition
of other lands. But they are Il
problems of Russians. Italians al
. Swedish in Russia, Italy and Swede
iOnce here to live on our soil and b.
come voters In the American demo
racy they must become stepped
Americas theories and history, IL