Year: 1879

THE NATIONAL EDUCATIONAL ASSOCIATION AS
sEMBLEs IN PHILADELpHIA-o OPENING OF
THE CONVENTION.


PHILADELPHIA, July 90. 1879.
The school teachers from various parts OF the
United States have assembled in this city in large
numbers take part in the deliberations OF the
Convention of the National Educational Association
The assembly room Of the Girls Normal
School is the meeting place. and at ten
O'Clock this morning the room was hlled
with the members of the association the
ladies being the more numerous. John HANCOCK
Phi d. president of the association. called the meet
ing to order and Mayor stokley delivered graceful
welcoming address, saying that it was fitting they
should celebrate their majority in the city where
their association was born twenty -one years ago.


Mr. Edward T. whifen. prominent citizen, for
many years interested III educational matters. also
made a speech welcome on behalf of the Philadel-
phia Board of Education.


p'''" HALF A cxNruRYs WORK.


President Hancock, in reply alluded to the famous
public educational system OF Philadelphia and its
100 900 school children, and then sketched the his
tory OF educational associations in this country.
"a half century ago., said he 1.-TWO great educa-
tional organizations established in this
try. The one embraced in its field Of operation
chiefly the New England States the other the States
Of the Mississippi, & valley great cloud Of teachers
in OF the ttieh annual meeting of the


first during the present month; the second held its





Justly claim precedence by year aud this is no
place to discuss the question. In the one were
i9und the learning; M VISION, % zea. ana
of that section which has done so much to shape all
our Institutions; in the other united Ior like
purposes the educators of the same character be-
longing to the States OF the great Vest.


Speaking of the present association, beginning
with the organization OF the Academic Institute at
Cincinnati 1929 the president traced its history
down to the present. In 1S47 the name adopted was
''rhe National Teachers Association. and this in
with wis alrl,as
quently adopted in regard to membership. was
changed to the present one of National Educational
Association The reason membership was carefully
restricted to those engaged in the active work in
struction doubtless to promote one of the lead
ing objects of the association--the building up of
the teachers calling into profession. Like the
American Institute our association did not recog
nize the equality Of men and women in the pro-
tession though it took step in advance OF the
stitute regard to the rights OF the latter; for
whereas the institute only accorded women the right
of listening to the wise things made public by their
brethren, association extended TO them the ad-
ditional privilege OF presenting thoughts OF their
under curious restriction. as wall be seen
from the article OF the constitution relating to mem
bership OF woman, which quote:-


Ladies engaged in teaching may, on the recommenda.
tio Of the Board OF Directors 9es9m, honorary
form OF written to be read by the secretary
other member whom they may seec their views upon tho
subject assigned for discussion.


COMPULSORY EDUCATION.


Mr.. Hancock concluded his address fo1lows-
'In what have said have attempted to give voice
to what lconceived to be the general mind Of the
association to what its future work should be.
l now beg to express in q word views entertained
probably by only minority Of the association, and
certainly by only minority of the people. Impor-
tant as l deem the different lines OF work have
pointed out, do not think them grand enough to
call all the powers of the National Educational
Association. believe 1t ought to test its strength
greater than the greatest of these. one
of these measures-the supreme one as view It's
compulsory education. weary OF half way meas
II education is what we profess to believe it
the earthly good to be chosen before al others
why should hesitate to throw ourselves into the
advocacy Of measure that will make 1t universal?
To carry learning into all houses and make 1t the
possession OF every creature, that there shall
more be neglected class in this country. That, as
1t to me. is work altogether worthy the full
power Of this great organization."