The Coconino sun., 1926-03-12
NATIONAL MEET OF
SLPERINTENDENTS

Fifteen thousand educators from
all parts of the country-presidents
Of universities, colleges, teachers coll
leges, and Normal schools, state SUI
perintendents of public instruction,
county superintendent OF schools,
city and town supefintendents and
principals, college and university pro-
fessors, and classroom teachers-all
these were at Washington, D. c., Feb
luary 18th to 25th attending the an
nual meeting Of the department of
superintendent of the National Edu-
cation association Of the United
States.
These educators represented 26 mil
lion pupils in the rural, elementary
and high schools enrolled in more than
100000 classTooms, and 665,O00 stu
dents enrolled in the more than 900
higher institutions of learning. These
millions of students are taught by
$4,000 teachers at an annual cost of
two and one-half billion dollars, or
more than three times the expenditure
OF only a dozen years ago. "And yet
it IS only 36 per cent more than the
nations annual candy bill"
The national scope and significance
of the convention was recognized by
the president and two members of his
cabinet, all of whom delivered adj
dresses, as well as by hundreds of the
nations most prominent educators.
There was no note OF pessinism re-
garding the morals of the present day
youth in the discussions at the meet
ings. The need of great teachers who
can win the confidence, sympathy and
loyalty OF the students, and be an in
spiration to them, was one OF the oat-
standing themes of the convention.
This need is being recognized in the
training and selection of teachers
throughout the country. a good
teacher in every school room in the
Ination is, considered the one big out
Standing need today. With this goal
an established fact, there would be no
doubt as to the morals Of our youth
1t was said that complaints have
been heard occasionally in recent
years about the growing cost of edu-
cation. This cost has been referred to
| in some quarters as a burden which
/ the people of the country would find
| it increasingly difficult to carry. The
cost of education, as well as all other
forms Of public expense, ought to
! have serious attention. It. would be
| possible TO spend too much on schools,
/ especially if the funds were not eco
! nomically administered, but with all
these considerations it remains a fact
/ that the nation has no form of in
yestment more likely to yield big re-
turns than that invested in education.
The expenditure in the training of
the youth of the nation is, III truth,
an investment in future citizenship.
! 1t is one of the best guarantees the
! country can have of its future well
fare, security and greatness. As one
] speaker said, "Fhe policies Of COM
prehensive school system are essen
italy the policies Of peace. They are
based, as this speaker said, con a de-
sire for intellectual and moral en-
4 lightenment. They are of the foun-
dations of order, of law, and of adj
vancing civilization"
One very prominent educator esti-
mated that only about three per cent
of the country's annual income is go
ing into the public schools. THAT
4 surely, is not an excessive price tc
/ pay for the maintenance of an enter
prise which, rightly considered, is the
most productive the nation possesses.
Arizonas delegation of educators il
attendance, based on population, was
one of the largest. Twenty-six peo-
4 pie from Arizona, including our two
| United States senators and represen-
tative in congress, attended the an
nual Wednesday breakfast. Superin-
tendents Thomas of Flagstaff, Steven.
son of Williams and Madden OF Wins
low and President Cotton OF Teachers
college were at the meeting.
The program Of the department oi
superintendence each year is one Of
4 unusual significance to the schools OF
the country.