Jackson advocate. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1939-current, 1951-11-17
X { N d RIx
CO M Nj Z N T S
TEACHERS AND OUR COMING
GEN VIBRATIONS

/ GEN ERAIIONS
Richmond, Va. - Whenever |
think of teacher, | think in terms
Of the two little Sabotage men in
our household. That, | believe, is
the manner in which all parents
think of teachers. The uppermost
concern in our minds is one regard
ing how our children are faring
with the teacher.
This attitude in itself places a
tremendous responsibility on the
I teacher. Most teachers are aware
OF this, some are not. could feel
a burning appreciation for the
teaching task here in Richmond
where some 1000 of the slightly
more than 5000 teachers of this
state had assembled for the annual
conven ion of the Virginia Teach
ers Association.
These teachers had come to
Richmond for business. 1t would
seem that they had accepted their
roles as Future Builders of Ameri-
ca. The fact is, they must build the
future, and such is their task
from day to day as guide and teach
our children. SO in this writer's
mind the teacher carries the status
of public servant number one.
At the VITA convention, not less
than half hundred experts in
| the various areas of educational
activity appeared in sectional, de-
partmental and group interest and
/ general meetings. AS | moved a
bout Virginia Union University's
campus, the local public schools,
! the dining rooms of the local hotel
and the VITA headquarters, it was
/ quite evident that these teachers
had come to Richmond for some
thing other than weekend in the
city.
In recent weeks, | had seen such
professional interest demonstrated
in all of the Eastern seaboard
states from Maryland to Florida.
A few weeks back, the teacher lead
ers of Georgia were in camp at
Camp John Hope, near Fort Valley,
for a weekend conference on mat
tiers of concern to education in that
state. Only the past Sunday, | saw
teacher leaders from twenty-five
of the twenty-three counties of
Maryland set upon a spot to dis
cuss items of concern to them.
An important factor of observa-
ton is the fact that the Negro
teacher convention is becoming
more professional. Actually the
teacher organizations are giving
! more stress to matters to direct in
terest to teaching as a profession.
Here | found myself honestly held
by interest to a lecture on audio
visual aids, while there was in SEES
sion only a few doors from me a
discussion on human rights.
1t would be asking too much to
expect our teachers to forget the
significant matter of human rights
at time when this is suchsa vital
subject both in our domestic and
international life. However, it is
good to see these organizations ar
rive at the point where such dis
cussions as involve the "rights"
consume but 25Ge of the agenda-
time as against 1850 of same in
the days when the teachers conven-
ton came closer to being a civil
right parley than professional as
sembly.
A more active public support of
the cause of education is enabling
the teacher and teacher organiza-
tons to devote more time to the
problems directly connected with
the classroom duties of this pro-
fessional endeavor. As the public
becomes more alert to the needs of
teachers and schools and more ac-
tive in campaigns to meet these
needs the more able will be the
teacher to adequately exercise
those duties that she is expected
to perform as custodian of coming
generations.
As l listened to the many fine,
challenging and inspiring talks de-
livered before this convention.
was more than ever charged with
the responsibility given to our
teachers. A definite fact is that
teachers cannot, and should not, be
expected to give the best to our
children if they are forced to labor
under circumstances that are all
verse to the execution of the best
systems and programs of seduca-
ton.
No teacher who is unhappy be-
cause she is underpaid or has to
teach in some make-shift classroom
will be able to supply today's lit
tile minds with the stuff they need
and demand. Yet these little beings
and the teacher are so, so import
ant RI Am crioose +~,~,o~x