“AMERICAN 
= TEACHER 


APRIL, 1919 


ee ee ree eee eT TTT TTL IU ULM cLi LAL 











AXBRAR, 
APR 


The Early Dawn (.’ 





Sanity in Seattle 





The Negro and Educational 
| Reconstruction in the South 





From the Locals 


Democracy in Education 
Education for Democracy 





The American Teacher 


Raising My Boy to Be a Soldier 


AVING given an _ interview 
H with Henry Ford on the sub- 
ject of the world in general, I 
will now give one with David Sinclair 
on the subject of military training in 
our schools. David is seventeen years 
of age, a student in high school, and 
they are trying to make a militarist out 
of him apparently not with entire suc- 
cess. 
“Say, father,” said he this morning, 
“I wish I could 


ble, and then a fellow comes along and 
glares at you and tries to look solemn, 
and if you don’t look back solemn, he 
writes you down in the note-book. 
What's the good of all that?” 

“How many of the boys feel that 
way?” I inquired. 

“All of them,” said he. “Sometimes | 
think I’U just cut it. What do you sup- 
pose they’d do to me?” 

“Well,” said I, “you know what they 

did to Jimmie 





get hold of the 


Higgins.” 





fellow that start- 
ed this drill busi- 
ness in school.” 

“Well,” said I, 
“the fellow that 
started it is hid- 
ing just now in a 
castle in  Hol- 
land.” 

“They say he is 
down and out,” 
said David, “so 
why go on with 
this military 
stuff ?” 

I explained, 
“It’s supposed to 


Editorials 


Sanity in Seattle 


H. S. Principal 








CONTENTS 


New Orleans Teachers Organize 


The Negro and Educational Recon- 


struction in the South 


Model Question Paper for License of 


You see, David 
has been reading 
the end of the 
manuscript, 
where Jimmie 
comes out as a 
“conscientious ob- 
jector.” 

“Well,” said 
David, "7 
wouldn’t want 
anything like that 
to happen to me. 
But, by heck, 
sometimes I 
think I'll start «a 
regular mutiny.” 

I made no com- 











be good for your 





physical develop- 
ment.” 

“Oh, bunk!” said David. “They don’t 
do a thing but dress you up and walk 
you around and stare at you. It takes 
a half hour every morning to get into 
these fool clothes, and if you wear this 
stiff hat half an hour, it makes your 
head hurt all the rest of the day. And 
you have to stand in the line like this, 
as stiff as a ramrod, and as uncomforta- 


ment. I hereby 
want to record the fact, for the 


benefit of the Department of Justice, 
that if ever this mutiny comes, I had 
nothing to do with it! 


—Upton Sinclair, in the Ap- 
peal to Reason, of March 15, 





Vol. VIII, No. 4 








The American Teacher 


Entered as second-class matter, 


. February 21, 1912, at the Post Office at New Yo: 
Published at 70 Fifth Avenue, New York, monthly, except July 


N. Y. 


and 


under the Act of March 38, 1879. 
August. 





—_— 


Vol. VIII, No. 4 


APRIL, 1919 


One Dollar a Year 








New Locals 
INCE the last number of THE AMER- 


S ICAN TEACHER went to press thirteen 
new locals have been added to The 


American Federation of Teachers. The new 
locals begin at No 54 and reach to No 66. 
Detailed information about these new locals 
will be published in the May number. The 
large cities represented in the thirteen are 
Philadelphia, Minneapolis, Galveston, San 
Antonio, Austin and Boston. The Boston lo- 
cal is made up of college teachers. The 
officers are teachers in Harvard University. 
Thanks 
ANY letters have reached THE AMER- 
M ICAN TEACHER expressing praise 
for recent numbers. The burden 
of these letters is that a real national organ 
is in sight. It is very gratifying if the mem- 
bers are beginning to think this way. A na- 
tional organ is a big thing to achieve for teach- 
ers, and it is also a big thing for the schools. 
Will our contributing members (which cat- 
egory should include every member) please 
keep this in mind? 

We need constant thought and help on the 
part of all the locals. Do they realize that 
the members like to hear of the work and 
the desires of distant locals? 

What of the National P 
NE of the officers of the American 
() Federation of Teachers has sug- 
gested that before long the locals 
will begin to expect help from the national 
organization, The American Federation of 
Teachers, This suggestion is not mentioned 


here to stimulate a run on the national. But 
it is rather to stimulate thought. What 
should the national do for the locals? 

It occurs to us now that one way to make 
the national useful is to use it, and thus de- 
velop its strength. Local Number 5, New 
York, has called President Charles B Still- 
man to help in a fight against the autocratic 
education administration of New York City. 
Here is a battle worthy of the strongest. 
And-from it must come strength for our 
national. 


The Early Dawn 


UR ancient enemies, the reactionaries, 
are showing signs of panic. Many 
of the firm convictions of human 

thought are breaking from their fastenings, 

and no man can tell whither we are drifting. 

So say the reactionaries, and they tremble. 
The Russian revolution has upset the 

world. It has also set the world on fire. 

Men think more swiftly than they have ever 

thought before. Some think and turn cold. 

The rest think and warm to the future. And 

everyone looks to the schools, for they are 

the institutions thru which our race enters 
upon its social inheritance. 

Certain self-appointed dictators in our so- 
cial and economic life are telling the teachers 
what they shall not teach. They are also 
telling the teachers what they shall not think. 
The dictators are.on the boards of education. 
Still they are not satisfied. They want to 
insure their dictatorship against possible 
downfall. And so, they punish by dismissal 
those whose thoughts they cannot control. 

Those who think their own thoughts may 
be the best teachers, but the dictators do not 
care. They can take no chances, They may 


75 


O 





76 The American Teacher 


wreck education by making their best pilots 
walk the plank, but that is preferable to 
taking chances. 

It is New York and Washington today 
whose educational systems are held in the 
trembling grip of the dictators, but tomorrow 
other cities may fall prey to the dictator- 
destroyers. Then let their teachers, if only 
a handful of them, come to the rescue, and 
save the schools for the future. 

Let the teachers be wise and note that the 
hands of the dictator-destroyers are trem- 
bling. They are doing foolish things, for 
they fear the end is near. 


Time and a Half 


T is a sin to be sick. And a large part 
I of the burden of the sin falls on those 
who are not sick. Teachers are con- 
stantly getting sick. That is wrong, and 
also bad for the teachers. But it becomes 
an imposition when the work of the sick 
teachers has to be taken over by well ones. 

Teachers like folks in general are used 
to putting themselves out whenever friends 
or associates turn sick. In fact, we think 
a person heartless who does not sacrifice him- 
self at the call of the bed-ridden. And so 
he is. But when no one in particular is sick 
it is a good time to sit down and think it all 
over, and decide whether much that teachers 
do under these circumstances is altogether 
right. We shall leave it to the future of 
medical science to clear up the question of 
how serious a sin it is to be sick. But we 
ourselves can settle, if we like, just how 
far it is right for teachers to take over the 
duties of teachers away from work on ac- 
count of illness. 

Under existing conditions with all members 
of a teaching staff on hand and working, 
each teacher has about all he can do. With 
the extra burden of an absent teacher’s 
classes, he has more than he can do. In 
consequence, all the well suffer with the sick. 
For one person’s illness many scores (teach- 
ers and pupils) are inconvenienced. After 
eliminating the blame on the sick one for get- 


Vol. VIII, No. 4 


ting sick, there is a responsibility on the edy. 
cational system. Is it possible to overlook 
the fact that the educational system imposes 
on the human sympathies of the well teach. 
ers, thereby rendering them more liable to 
illness? 

We are not used to thinking that it js 
unfair that teachers are constantly being 
called upon to take over endless extra duties, 
But it is unfair not only to the individual, but 
also to everyone whose interests are touched 
by the amount of reserve energy supply avail. 
able to the person most concerned. When 
we begin to see the unfairness of the extra 
demands on the physical resources of teach- 
ers, we shall begin to realize that these ex- 
tra services are not paid for. 

When educational systems are forced to 
pay for overtime work, their managers may 
realize the necessity of changing conditions 
in such a way as to make administration less 
expensive. Among these changes might well 
be changes in conditions which make teach- 
ers sick. 

An effective stimulus to fair play and in- 
telligence in this matter would be the demand 
by teachers of “ Time and a Half” for over- 
time work. 


To Unionize Professions 


New York, March 1.—About 200 civil, mechanical 
and electrical engineers attended a meeting in this 
city today to discuss the question of unionizing their 
professions.—From A F of L Weekly News Letter. 





—————— 





Ge American Teacher 


Democr: in Education 





Education for Democracy 
lished monthly, except July and August by 


THE AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS 
at 70 Fifth Avenue, New York City 
. Henry R Linvii1s, Editor 
ABRAHAM LEFKOWITZ, Business Manager. 








At the time of expiration, a bill will be found in the copy. 
age rang are requested to give prompt notice of changes 
in ress. 





Remittances should be made in 


postal 
raft, stamps or check (New York 


ler, express 
order, d e). 





SUBSCRIPTION PRICE, ONE DOLLAR FOR THE YEAR— 
FOREIGN, $1.10. 





Sanity in Seattle 


FRANK B COOPER 
Superintendent of Schools, Seattle, Wash. 


Seattle, Wash., March 7, 1919. 
To the Board of Directors, 
Seattle School District Number 1: 
N order to obtain full information of the 
] views and practises of high school 
teachers relative to instruction given in 
the Seattle high schools in history, civics and 
economics, and of the extent and manner of 
allowing discussion of current events in the 
high schools, I submitted the following ques- 
tions which are here accompanied by a sum- 
mary and digest of the answers returned. 
The answers to the questionnaire were 
signed by the teachers. 
Respectfully submitted, 
FRANK B COOPER. 
Superintendent of Schools. 


SUMMARY AND DIGEST OF QUES- 
TIONNAIRE TEACHERS OF HISTORY, 
CIVICS, AND ECONOMICS, NUMBER RE- 


PORTING 34 

1. Is it your practise to have free discus- 
sions in your classes in connection with: 

Yes No 
(a) Assigned lessons ........ 32 2 
(b) Current or national topics 30 3 
(c) Current local events 21 13 

2. Are the discussions in current world or 
national topics and current local events part 
of your ordinary procedure and proposed by 
you, or brought on by members of the class? 

Proposed by the teacher .... 6 

Discussion brought on by 
members of the class 

Both methods 

The following statements appear to cover 
the general methods in use: 

These discussions link present events with 
past history; they are necessary to develop 
thinking; they are necessary to explain big 
events. The Literary Digest appears to be 
used as basis of discussion quite generally 
because it presents both sides of a question. 


77 


3. What restrictions, if any, are imposed 
in discussions? 

In general, the following statements ap- 
pear to cover the restrictions employed: 

Parliamentary procedure; the teacher act- 
ing as advisor or moderator; time limit on 
length and frequency of recitations; both 
sides must be fairly presented ; substantiated 
facts, not opinions, are accepted ; discussions 
must be pertinent to the question; tolerance 
is required; discussions must be friendly; 
teacher should be impartial; teacher should 
be a guide to logical thinking and discussion ; 
teacher acts as a judge when necessary to 
insure fairness ; preparation must be evident. 

4. What part do you take in these discus- 
sions? 

In general, the following practises of 
teachers appear to be in use: 

The discussions are conducted according 
to parliamentary procedure; the teacher acts 
as guide, chairman or judge; personal opin- 
ions of teacher are withheld ; the teacher must 
sometimes take part, in order that both sides 
may be presented fairly. Participation by 
teacher includes statement of the general 
principles to a class of pupils, a statement 
of arguments for the side not clearly or 
fairly presented in the discussions; a sum- 
mary of principles on which an agreement 
can be made when such agreement is pos- 
sible; the teacher may ask questions for and 
against an argument to clear up misunder- 
standings or to correct misstatements; he 
may ask questions to guide the discussion in 
logical channels. Sometimes it is necessary 
to explain difficult points, technical and un- 
familiar expressions and allusions. 

Some individual practises noted are as fol- 
lows: 

Emphasis is placed on enlightened Amer- 
icanism; explain that the best means to ac- 
complish any change in a true democracy 
is thru legislation; quotations are used to 
present or to illustrate the truth. 





78 The American Teacher 


5. Have you observed that a few students 
may take a great disproportion of class time? 
Yes, 23; No, 8. 

The general expression of teachers appears 
to prove that this practise is easily discour- 
aged—that a pupil is not given the floor until 
all have had a chance to recite. One teacher 
said: “The pupils will not stand for it.” 

6. Why do you have the discussions? 

‘ Reasons for discussion: The general agree- 
ment appears to be that discussion is neces- 
sary for these reasons: 

To arouse interest and to encourage intel- 
ligent thinking, an essential for citizenship 
in a democracy ; to develop fair-mindedness ; 
to teach the American way of arriving at a 
conclusion; to develop initiative; to get a 
clear understanding of problems; to cultivate 
a sense of truth and a realization of the need 
for it. 

One teacher expresses the conviction that 
discussions are necessary because intelligence 
is the best safeguard against anarchy and 
disorder. Another emphasizes the value of 
the discussions because the pupil is trained 
in thinking and speaking while on his feet. 

7. Do you believe that at this time of ap- 
prehension and deep feeling, discussion of 
public questions by public school students 
would better be discontinued for the time 
being? Yes, 2; No, 30. 

The following opinions seem to prevail: 

This is the time of all times to teach Amer- 
ican ideals; the schools cannot dodge their 
responsibility, it would be cowardly ; teachers 
must combat the radical views pupils get out- 
side, since many of the boys work alongside 
of foreigners and lukewarm Americans and 
so get wrong ideas; as present high school 
pupils will have full citizenship within a very 
few years, such a responsibility requires an 
intelligent knowledge of the problems they 
will have a part in solving; boys and girls 
can be good citizens only as they possess 
the power of intelligent and independent 
thinking; suppression would cause more 
trouble and criticism than we now have; dis- 
cussion is a fundamental principle of modern 
education. 


Vol. VIII, No. 4 


Individual opinions are expressed as fol- 
lows: 

The intelligent public would rise up against 
the discontinuance of discussions. The deci- 
sion should be left to the Superintendents. 

Yes, if pupils are to become revolutionary 
by continuing them. 

8. Do you think, if discussions are con- 
tinued, that they can be conducted in such a 
manner as to give little ground for unfavor- 
able criticism of a teacher or of the schools? 
Describe how you would have them cop- 
ducted. Yes, 27; No, 1; Doubtful, 1. 

The following recommendations appear to 
be general: 

Both sides must be presented; the teacher 
must be impartial and must withhold his per- 
sonal views; patrons should visit classes and 
draw their own conclusions. 

The following opinions were expressed by 
individuals : 

A teacher will be criticized in any case, 
even for not expressing his opinion; the 
danger comes from misquoting. 

9. Would you advise (considering pres- 
ent conditions) that the study of modern his- 
tory, civics, and economics be discontinued 
for the time being? Why? Yes, 0; No, 33. 

Summary of reasons given: 

These subjects are the most vital part of 
the course of study in training for intelligent 
citizenship; this is the logical time to teach 
Americanism; it is the time of greatest need 
in our history; the majority of students will 
be voters within five years and must help to 
decide in the settlement or solution of many 
of the present problems; we need to know 
all peoples in order to get a cooperative spir- 
it; this would mean abandonment of the best 
means for Americanization; it would cheat 
the boys and girls out of their rights; it 
would be a backward step. 

Remarks of individuals: 

“In time of confusion, we do not get order 
by letting things drift.” 

“Shall we leave leadership to the ‘soap- 
boxers?’ ” 

“These studies as carried on have had no 
little effect in mitigating misunderstandings 
between economic groups.” 





April, 1919 


“Schools are too big to be swept from their 
course by a wave of hysteria.” 

“Educate the mischief-makers.” 

10. Would you advise that, for the time 
being, these subjects be taught solely by the 
“memoriter” or “question and answer” meth- 
od? Why? Yes, 2; No, 23. 

Summary of views expressed : 

Why not teach children to think? The 
method suggested is not conducive to think- 
ing; it kills interest; it takes away initiative ; 
it would mean the Prussianizing of the 
schools; it is an obsolete method; it would 
be a backward step; it would be better to 
drop the subjects than to do this; the results 
would not justify the use of the time spent. 

Individual answers: 

“Ts the text always correct?” 

“Knowledge of unrelated facts is of little 
value.” 

“If this will protect the teacher from un- 
just charges, yes.” 

“If necessary to guard against too free 
and too open discussion, yes.” 

11. Do you encourage investigation and 
consultation of different authorities by mem- 
bers of your class? Why? Yes, 31; No, 3. 

The reasons given for the use of this 
method appear to be covered in the following 
statements : 

It stimulates interest, establishes the hab- 
its of consulting authorities and of speaking 
the truth; it cultivates a sense of the value 
of knowing different views in arriving at con- 
clusions based on a broad knowledge. It is 
generally agreed that assignments should be 
considered well. 

Individual opinions expressed are as fol- 
lows: 

“Pupils learn not to swallow blindly one 
authority.” 

“The test of authority is investigation.” 

“Teacher is not in class to impose personal 
opinions.” 

“Wrong personal views are corrected.” 

“Hearsay evidence is discredited.” 

12. Do you believe that high school stu- 
dents are of sufficient age to use the scientific 


The American Teacher 


79 


or seminar method of study? Give reason 
for your answer. Yes, 24; No, 8. 

It appears to be the practise to use this 
method in the advanced classes with adapta- 
tions to the needs of students. 

It should be used because so many students 
who do not go on to college need the training. 

Teachers relate that the testimony of stu- 
dents who return after several years appears 
to be convincing as to its value to them. In- 
dividual opinions expressed are as follows: 

“The method develops initiative.” 

“It satisfies a need of adolescent minds 
in their need of exercise and intensive think- 
ing—conclusions are not expected, in fact, 
often are not possible.” 

Three teachers feel that its use involves 
a waste of time because of the immaturity of 
pupils. 

13. To what extent might it be advisable 
to substitute written reports of views and 
investigations of students for a part of the 
free discussions? 

In general, the replies appear to discour- 
age this plan and for these reasons: 

It would reduce criticism and correction 
to one critic; the work involved would mean 
drudgery for pupils and teachers; the results 
would not be commensurate with the work 
of preparation and criticism ; the keen inter- 
est awakened in discussions would be lost. 

It is agreed that written reports have value 
and should be a part of the work; that such 
value is lost unless the paper is discussed in 
class or in conference with the teacher, and 
there is not time for the number of confer- 
ences necessary, if this substitution were 
made. 


AS TO THE ANSWERS OF THE TEACHERS 
OF ENGLISH 


The answers returned by the teachers of 
English show that discussion is employed by 
them to as great an extent and in much the 
same manner as by the teachers of history. 
Rightly guided, discussion offers a most ex- 
cellent means for training in oral and ex- 
temporaneous expression, which, from the 
point of view of the teacher of English, 








The American Teacher 


is essential. The views of the teachers of 
English returned in the questionnaire cor- 
respond to those given by the history group. 
These two groups agree very closely upon 
every point submitted. Unanimity of the 
English teachers upon every question is even 
greater than in the history group. 

Upon the question of discontinuance of dis- 
cussion for the time being, the following 
quotations are some expressions given by 
teachers of English, not quite covered in the 
summary for the history group: 

“The discontinuance would mean Prus- 
sianizing the schools.” 

“The whole world has its mind on these 
problems.” 

“The schools have too long borne the ac- 
cusation of scholasticism.” 

“For the safety of the teachers, Yes; for 
the good of the pupils, No.” 


OTHER GROUPS 


Teachers of Science, Mathematics, Mod- 
ern Language, Commercial and Industrial 
subjects also contributed answers. 

Their answers show general favor for dis- 


Vol. VIII, No. 4 


cussion and for the topical or problem 
method of instruction. They show disap- 
proval of discontinuance of discussion or of 
the temporary abandonment of the social 
sciences. The trend of opinion and unan- 
imity of view is practically the same as in 
the History group. 


REMARK 


The tone of the answers in all the groups, 
the evident desire displayed by those answer- 
ing to speak truthfully, the intelligent com- 
prehension of modern methods of teaching 
shown, and the spirit of a sincere American- 
ism running thru the replies, furnish ample 
assurance of a high type of service from the 
high school teachers of this city. 


NoTE:—THE AMERICAN TEACHER is under obliga- 
tions to Miss Adella M Parker, of Seattle, for this 
article. The manuscript was submitted to Mr 
Benjamin Glassberg, the New York teacher of his- 
tory, who is being tried for answering the questions 
of pupils about Bolshevism. Mr Glassberg called 
the article so fair as to make comment unneces- 
sary. Marked copies will be sent to Boards of Edu- 
cation wherever desired.—EDITOR. 


New Orleans Teachers Organize 


MAY T. FROHLICH 
Associate Teachers League (Local No. 36, A F of T), New Orleans, La. 


T WAS not until recent times that there 

I have sprung up organizations which 

have developed affiliations with those 

co-ordinate or tributary work, and one of the 

most interesting has been that of the teach- 
ers’ affiliation with labor. 

Thinking men and women began to realize 
that the industrial people, whatever their so- 
cial status, hold the balance of power, politi- 
cally and socially, for they constitute about 
ninety percent of the population, and that 
for all practical purposes, and in the last 
analysis, they are the people. These thinkers 
knew that the aristocracy of education, like 
the aristocracy of religion, whereby a few 
were saved at the expense of the many, was 


over, and education, like religion, must help 
the common man to meet and solve the com- 
mon issues of life. Thus the teacher became 
interested, not only in the industrial prob- 
lems, but in the industrial people. 

For many years there had existed in New 
Orleans several organizations, which had for 
their general purpose the furtherance of edu- 
cational interests—namely the Public School 
Alliance, The New Orleans Educational As- 
sociation and The Principals’ Association. 

Two of them admitted, and still admit, to 
membership any one interested in educa- 
tional matters; the other is an organization 
consisting exclusively of principals. 





April, 1919 


About six years ago the Associate Teach- 
ers League was formed. It was the result 
of the ever increasing demand for an organi- 
zation composed only of associate teachers, 
an assemblage where teachers might get to 
know each other better, and have an oppor- 
tunity for an interchange of ideas in a quiet 
and free way. This League strove to help 
the teacher primarily, the unassuming pri- 
vate in the lowest ranks, as well as the more 
aggressive and experienced teacher. 

The objects, as stated in the Constitution, 
were: 

(a) To establish the identity of the teach- 
er as a factor in one community. 

(b) To promote efficiency. 

(c) To develop a spirit of co-operation. 

(d) To advance the interests of the teach- 
ing corps. 

(e) To discuss problems of general inter- 
est. 

This association enjoyed the distinction of 
being the one association which, on its own 
initiative, induced the School Board to sub- 
stitute an efficiency plan of salary increase in 
lieu of the prevailing mechanical plan. 

Approximately seven hundred of the one 
thousand. then in the Teaching Corps joined 
the League. These teachers demanded a 
means for expression. Hence, we find the 
establishment of an official organ—The 
Teachers’ Forum. 

The Forum was managed by capable men 
and women, who, for four years, safeguarded 
the interests of their colleagues thru editori- 
als, and did much to inculcate the principles 
of democracy in the hearts of the teachers, 
and to foster among them a spirit of per- 
sonal independence. 

At times interest in the League lagged, the 
fire being kept burning by a few faithful, but 
the majority of teachers knew that the 
League would fight for any just cause. Often 
there were heated arguments among its own 
members on some vital questions, such as the 
Nine Billion Dollar Bond Issue, the Efficiency 
System and the Johnson Bill. 

During the month of May, 1918, however, 
a contention arose over an amendment to the 


The American Teacher 81 


existing pension law, which contention re- 
sulted in the resignation from the League of 
about twenty members. The proposed 
amendment contained a provision changing 
the assessment from 1 and 2% to an assess- 
ment with a minimum of 1%, but without a 
maximum, and which left to the discretion of 
the Board of Trustees of the Teachers’ Re- 
tirement Fund the fixing of the assessment, 
giving them a latitude of from 1% to 100%. 


Opposition to the amendment was sup- 
ported by the majority of the League mem- 
bers, hence the resignation of the defeated 
members, who supported the policy of the 
administration. 

During the last session the School Board 
of New Orleans had promised that the teach- 
ers would be given an increase in salary, 
which increased would range from 25% to 
40%. The raise was long delayed, and many 
excuses were offered for the delay, and when, 
officially announced, it was disappointingly 
low, and in several cases less than 3%. 

Then it was that the League determined 
that its interests would be enhanced, and the 
welfare of the teachers promoted by affilia- 
tion with the American Federation of Labor. 
Consequently at the regular monthly meeting 
in December, the purposes of affiliation were 
explained, and resolutions were offered dis- 
solving the old League, and reorganizing ac- 
cording to the Constitution of the National 
Body. The teachers were enthusiastic in the 
reception of this plan, and the Associate 
Teachers League became the first teaching 
body in the far South to affiliate with union 
labor. 

At the January meeting the Associate 
Teachers League, No. 36, A F of T, as it is 
now called, elected officers who are zealous, 
fearless and unselfish. Four standing com- 
mittees and three delegates to the Central 
Trade and Labor Council were appointed. 
These delegates have been cordially and en- 
thusiastically received, and the President of 
the League, who is a delegate to the Council, 
has been recently elected a delegate to the 
State Convention of Labor, which is to meet 
during the current month in Lake Charles. 





82 The American Teacher 


She is the first woman delegate who has ever 
been elected to a labor conference in Louis- 
jana. 

A committee from the Associate Teachers 
League recently waited upon the School 
Board, and submitted a communication enu- 
merating a number of requests that embrace 
many changes in our educational program, 
including increased pay for the teachers, and 
a voice for the teachers in the administra- 
tion of the schools. These requests are now 
being considered by the School Board. 

The recent visit to New Orleans of Mr. 
Charles B. Stillman, President of The Ameri- 
can Federation of Teachers, has lent consid- 
erable impetus to our movement. The meet- 
ing, at which he spoke, was open to the pub- 


Vol. VIII, No. 4 


lic, and his clear, forceful and convincing 
manner did much to bring in recruits to our 
ranks. Since his visit there has been ‘a noted 
increase in our membership, which is now 
three hundred. 

His address created so favorable an im- 
pression that several of the principals who 
were present have since applied for admis- 
sion to our League, and have given evidence 
of sympathy with the movement. Their co- 
operation will doubtless result in a large 
membership within a short space of time. 

Thus it may be expected that the League 
will bring about the reforms for which the 
teachers have been long clamoring, and which 
will necessarily benefit the entire school sys. 
tem of the city of New Orleans. 


The Negro and Educational Reconstruction in the South 


JULIAN S. HUGHSON 
Norfolk (Va.), Colored Teachers Union (Local No. 25, A F of T) 


O PERIOD offers a better, more pro- 
N pitious opportunity for an open dis- 
cussion of educational reform than 
now. Democracy receiving its lead to loftier 
heights, encompasses a living sea of uplifted 
faces, variegated in visage and multiplied in 
color, mirroring an unquenchable hope—an 
expectation—seeking immediate fulfillment 
in the august presence and sublime person- 
ality of divine democracy—an expectation, a 
hope, of universal democracy and the broth- 
erhood of man. Among these multitudinous, 
palpitating faces stand out peculiar counte- 
nances, faces of dark hue, brown and ebony, 
denoting the African of the West and of the 
East, of the North and of the South, with 
hope, intense and living, gleaming from his 
sun-kissed countenance. 

I shall not touch on political reform. That 
is for the political scientist. I shall not delve 
into the delicacies of social reform. That 
comes under the sphere of the sociologist. 
Nor shall I attempt to enter the field of indus- 
trial reform, for that pertains to the econo- 


mist. But being a mere teacher, a pedagog, 
I shall briefly strive to present a subjective 
view on educational reform in the new era 
of after-war reconstruction, in its relations, 
particularly to the Southern Negro. 

It is a sociological truth that when two 
races of different development and heritage 
live in one society the race of superior train- 
ing and culture seeks and usually secures 
political, social, economic and, by virtue of its 
heritage, intellectual domination over the 
race of inferior training and culture. In- 
feriority of training and culture, however, 
does not and should not include and coincide 
with basic, absolute inferiority, because no 
race of man can rightly be judged basically 
inferior. But let us pause here. The superior 
cultured race, tho favored with an immense, 
well-nigh insurmountable handicap over the 
other race, can not willfully ignore the laws 
of God and nature in its dealings with it, for 
if the better, higher developed civilization 
does not lift the lower civilization unto the 
same plane with itself, the lower, in turn, 





April, 1919 


will reduce the higher to its plane of develop- 
ment. It is an inevitable law of human so- 
ciety. Therefore the higher culture can only 
progress to its final perfection when the lower 
culture attains a somewhat equal plane. An 
example of this, in concrete, vividly sears the 
pages of American history. The South with 
its millions of slaves could not advance to 
the social, political, economic and intellectual 
status of the North. Slavery shackled them. 
The freeing of the slaves partially liberated 
the South. Today the North is still far in 
advance of the South. Why? Because the 
South, tho free of the incubus of slavery, is 
yet chained by violent racial hatred and fool- 
ish fears of Negro ascendency. Thus the 
educational system below the Mason and 
Dixon line has made no substantial progress. 
The duty of the Southerner, in fact, the duty 
of the American in general, is plain. Since 
the Negro is a vital asset to the South and 
the South is an integral part of the United 
States, the conclusion naturally follows that 
the American people should and ought to see 
to it that twelve million or more fellow-citi- 
zens receive their just legacy of equal educa- 
tional opportunities and advantages. By so 
doing the two planes of culture will merge 
into one, insuring to American civilization 
that oneness of thought, that harmony of 
spirit and that brilliancy of ideals of which 
the great fathers of this nation dreamed. 
This brings to us our first proposal of peda- 
gogical reform. In order that education in 
the South be put on a firm and substantial 
basis to begin with, the compulsory educa- 
tion laws should be rigidly enforced. Those 
states that do not have such laws should pass 
them at once with ample provisions for en- 
forcement. In the city of Norfolk, Virginia, 
for example, we suffer from a fluctuating 
school attendance which rises and falls ac- 
cording to the whims of pupils, the parents 
or the weather. This unfortunate evil has 
for its component parts, non-punctuality, 
laxity of interest and poor scholarship. The 
evident remedy following the usual order of 
remedies in like instances leads us to the 
method and manner of enforcement. Able, 
well-paid truant officers, one for each school 


The American Teacher 83 


district, could efficiently persuade, by direct 
or indirect means, delinquent pupils to go to 
school and to go regularly. Of course, in re- 
gard to regular attendance, the co-operation 
of principals and teachers with these officers 
is of prime importance. 

Our second proposal, undoubtedly rather 
radical, particularly to the sensitive South- 
erner, appears candidly to be the only fair 
and democratic way of administering colored 
schools. I refer to the step of placing quali- 
fied colored men, preferably educators, on 
Southern city school boards, to represent pro- 
portionately their school constituents. In 
many large cities of the South Negroes form 
one-third to over one-half the population, yet 
none have representation as such on their 
school boards. Is that democratic? Is that 
just? To ameliorate the rising qualms of 
some in the other race, the two elements of 
the school boards, the white and the colored, 
could sit in separate meetings, convening 
jointly only at rare intervals for general dis- 
cussion. Let there be also a colored assistant 
supervisor appointed by the entire school 
board to supervise the colored schools. A 
Negro supervisor would sympathize, compre- 
hend and cope successfully with the intricate 
educational problems under his immediate 
supervision. A Caucasian can never enter 
into a full and impartial understanding of 
Negro character and Negro problems as a 
Negro can. The differences of race, accord- 
ing to Dr. C. V. Roman, of Meharry Medical 
College, are more psychological than physio- 
logical. Hence a colored supervisor and col- 
ored men on school boards, knowing the 
peculiar psychology of the Negro better than 
any white man ever can or ever will, would 
naturally enhance the educational advance- 
ment of their own race and thereby lessen 
the educational burdens of the other race. 
For a proof of the success of such a plan, one 
may turn to the school system of the city of 
Washington, in the District of Columbia, 
perhaps one of the best of its kind in Amer- 
ica. There the colored population, totaling 
one-third of the entire city, has three, I be- 
lieve, members of their own race on the 
school board and also an assistant superin- 














84 


tendent. The result justifies the attempt, for 
in Washington there is no discernible intel- 
lectual and cultural chasm between the aver- 
age Negro and the average Caucasian. Each 
race respects the other. There, also, the 

Negro government clerk, the Negro lawyer, 
the Negro doctor and the Negro teacher claim 
undisputed intellectual equality, if not in 
many cases superiority, with any of their 
co-workers in the other race. 

_ In the third proposition of educational re- 
construction we have the question of the cir- 
ricula. It is a well known fact that the aver- 
age secondary school of the South, white as 
well as colored, does not in any way com- 
pare with the average Western or Northern 
secondary school. Nor do the colleges, save 
perhaps the University of Virginia, rank 
with the great Western and Northern higher 
institutions of learning. In the Negro schools 
we find the cirricula exceedingly below grade. 
In the state of Virginia there are only two, 
possibly three, public high schools for colored 
pupils of any approved standard, and I un- 
derstand that this condition prevails, or 
nearly so, in the majority of the other South- 
ern states. What, then, is the remedy? In 
regard to colored schools, the general remedy, 
a higher standard cirriculum, divides three- 
fold into, first, a broadening and intensifying 
of the cirricula; second, increasing greatly 
the salaries of the teachers and principals, 
and third, raising and maintaining the effi- 
ciency of the teachers. 

Let us observe the first of these innova- 
tions, broadening and intensifying the cirri- 
cula. In brief the cirriculum should embrace, 
besides the regular secondary subjects, de- 
partments in business, physical culture, music 
and drawing, both free hand and mechanical. 
Most up-to-date high schools have these. Sup- 
plementing the physical culture department 
should come a well organized athletic asso- 
ciation, or rather two, one, of course, for the 
girls, with their various athletic teams. Ath- 
letics, often condemned, is a vital force in 
education when it is properly organized 
and supervised. Intensification necessarily 
implies ample research work with ample re- 
search facilities and apparatus, weekly stud- 


The American Teacher 





Vol. VIII, No. 4 





ies of current news, frequent lectures and 
demonstrations, field excursions, dramatiza- 
tion and a closer scrutiny of racial sociologi- 
cal conditions in urban and rural communi- 
ties. 
In the second remedy, increasing the salar- 
ies of the teachers, we note that Southern 
teachers are greatly underpaid and colored 
teachers especially so. In fact, colored teach- 
ers receive usually from twenty to thirty dol- 
lars less per month than their white co-labor- 
ers doing the same work, and often burdened 
with far greater difficulties. It has been urged 
in many educational articles and circles that 
the minimum salary a year for all high school 
teachers be placed at two thousand dollars 
inclusive of the summer months during vaca- 
tion. This seems fair and equitable. In ad- 
dition, I should advocate that a yearly bonus 
of no less than one hundred dollars be given 
to the teacher who showed marked advance 
in scholarship. And, finally, before leaving 
the subject of salaries, it would be well if all 
teachers could retire, after long and self-sac- 
rificing consecration to their work, with abso- 
lute assurance that an adequate pension of 
half of their salary received at the time of 
their retirement would be given them the re- 
mainder of their lives, and that, furthermore, 
they need not be required to contribute finan- 
cially toward such pension while active in 
their profession. 

The third remedy, raising and maintaining 
the efficiency of the teachers, brings us to the 
matter of training and preparation. Most 
states have standard normal or training 
schools from which teachers, desiring school 
positions in those states, must finish success- 
fully. These schools, however, do not pre- 
pare teachers for standard secondary schools. 
A successful high or secondary school teacher 
should have a college education correlated 
with specializations in pedagogy and, if pos- 
sible, some post graduate work or study. 
Many approved and progressive high schools 
require a master’s degree of their teachers. 
All approved high schools ought to demand 
this of their teachers. The unapproved 
schools could and should gradually work up 
to that requirement. In order that those who 






mes © & FS HH 4. te & 


ae ee ae ae | 


ie Oh et eo aoe ak OUettlCOklCC ee lUlUrrlUC l(t ll 


April, 1919 


are already in the school system can do this, 
year leaves of absence could be granted with 
half pay to those holding only a bachelor’s 
degree or less. This is done in some school 
systems of the country. And, as I men- 
tioned in the previous paragraph, to stimulate 
high and improved scholarship, bonuses 
could be given yearly, thereby sustaining the 
high standard of the school in the living in- 
terest and excellent ability of its teachers. 

The few innovations or improvements sug- 
gested in this paper have no novelty in them. 
Many schools and school systems have some, 
if not all, those mentioned. The South, he w- 
ever, needs the complete incorporation of 
these principles in her educational system 
for reasons already outlined. 

The fair Southland, that land of sunshine 
and of plenty, knows no truer son than her 
smiling industrious Afro-American. With- 
out him the South could not have made cot 
ton king before the Civil War. Without him 
today the South could not have advanced as 
she has advanced in the industrial and com- 
mercial world. He is a indestructible asset 
to, and an integral part of, the land. This 
being true, it redounds as much to the bene- 
fit of the Cacausian as to the African that the 
reforms or modifications in the educational 
system of the South herein discussed shall be 
immediately made into law and enforced. 





Just to Be Out of Doors 
Just to be out of doors, so still, so green, 
With unbreathed air, illimitable, clean, 
With soft, sweet scent of happy growing things, 
The leaves’ soft rustle, sound of sudden wings, 
The far faint hills, water wide between, 
And over all the feeling half serene, 
Of what this happy world will come to mean 
When no conventions hard shall intervene 
Content with the contentment Nature brings, 

Just to be out of doors. . 


—Author Unknown. 





More of the Symposium 


In the May number there will appear a symposium 
on Teachers’ Unions, for and against. e source 
of this symposium will be the newspaper editorials 
and news notes as they appear thruout the country. 
All members are to send in at once clippings, 
with names of papers and dates. 


The American Teacher 


85 


Statement of the Ownership, Management, 
Circulation, etc., Required by the Act of 
Congress of August 24, 1912, of 


THE AMERICAN TEACHER, published monthly ex- 
cept July and August, at New York, 7 
for April 1, 1919, State of New York, County o 
New York, ss. Before me, a Commissioner of Deeds, 
in and for the State and county aforesaid, personally 
appeared Abraham Lefkowitz, who, having been duly 
sworn according to law, deposes and says that he 
is the Business Manager of THE AMERICAN TEACHER, 
and that the following is, to the best of his knowl- 
edge and belief, a true statement of the ownership, 
management, etc., of the aforesaid publication for 
the date shown in the above caption, required by the 
Act of August 24, 1912, embodied in section 443, 
Postal Laws and Regulations, printed on the reverse 
of this form, to wit: (1) That the names and ad- 
dresses of the publisher, editor, managing editor, 
and business managers are: Publisher, American 
Federation of Teachers, 70 Fifth Avenue, New York; 
editor, Henry R. Linville, 36 Terrace Avenue, Jama- 
ica, N. Y.; managing editor, none; business manager, 
Abraham Lefkowitz, Grand Avenue, East Elmhurst, 
L. I. (2) That the owners are: American Federa- 
tion of Teachers; Charles B. Stillman, 1620 Lake 
Avenue, Wilmette, Ill., president; F. «. Stecker, 1618 
Lake Avenue, Wilmette, Ill., secretary-treasurer; 
L. V. Lampson, 1336 Otis Place, NW., Washington, 
D. C., first vice-president. The American Federa- 
tion of Teachers has 4,000 members. (3) That the 
known bondholders, mortgagees, and other security 
holders owning or holding 1 per cent or more of total 
amount of bonds, mortgages, or other securities are 
none. (4) That the two paragraphs next above, 
giving the names of the owners, stockholders, and 
security holders, if any, contain not only the list of 
stockholders and security holders as they appear 
upon the Sooks or ie company but also, in cases 
where the stockholder or security holder appears 
upon the books of the company as trustee or in 
any other fiduciary relation, the name of the per- 
son or corporation for whom such trustee is acting, 
is given; also that the said two paragraphs con- 
tain statements embracing affiant’s full knowledge 
and belief as to the circumstances and conditions 
under which stockholders and security holders who 
do not appear upon the books of the company as 
trustees, hold stock and securities in a capacity 
other than that of a bona fide owner; and this 
affiant has no reason to believe that any other per- 
son, association, or corporation has any interest 
direct .or indirect in the said stock, bonds, or other 
securities than as so stated by him. 
ABRAHAM LEFKOWITZ, 
Business Manager. 
Sworn to and subscribed before me 
this 22d day of March, 1919. 
[Seal] James S. Hurwirz, 
Commissioner of Deeds, 
New York City. 
My commission expires February 13, 1920. 


Support of Labor 
There are three bills to raise teachers’ salaries now 
in the legislature. One of them comes from the 
Teachers’ Union of New York connected with the 
Federation. This one will be supported by the Fed- 
eration—From Legislative News (Albany, N. Y.) 
of February 28, 1919. 





From the Locals of the American Federation 
of Teachers 


Staff of Chairmen of Press 
Committees 


Local No. 3, Chicago, Ill, Eruer E Beers 


, Local No. 5, New York, N Y, Witmer T 
STONE 


Local No. *8, Washington, D C, SUSANNE 
ULRICH. 


Local No. 16, Washington, D C, Grace LIND. 


Note: The names of the Chairmen of other 
Press Committees will be added as they are re- 
ceived from the locals. 


A Matter of Information 


for All Members 


F G STECKER 
Secretary-Treasurer, The American Federa- 
tion of Teachers 

LETTER is issued about the twentieth 

A of each month to the financial secre- 
tary of each local, giving the financial 
statement for the preceding month and call- 
ing attention to important developments 
which are of interest to all. It is hoped in 
this way to reach all the workers and most 
interested members and to keep them in- 
formed on such matters as are not contained 
in the letters written by the President. In 
time all such matters of general concern will 
be published in THE AMERICAN TEACHER. At 
present this material is in the hands of the 
local financial secretaries. Doubtless the let- 
ters are read before the members. I wish to 


pay tribute to the fine teamwork and co-op- 
eration being manifested by these officers who 


are the chief links connecting the locals with 
the national office. I believe that our machin- 
ery is well installed, and is working satisfac- 
torily. There are a few exceptions, however, 
and I wish the help of the members of these 
locals in making corrections. Occasionally 
the complaint comes that the information con- 
tained in the monthly letters is not made 
known and, what is more serious, proper re- 
ports are not being made to this office, thru 
the fault of one or two officers. 

This leads to the belief that the local is 
suffering hardship and causes embarrass- 
ment to the officers cf the local when they 
find that their organization is being placed 
in a false light. It wil! greatly facilitate 
matters if the officer and members of the 
locals set a high standard of efficiency for the 
financial secretaries and demand results. It 
is highly important that the local dues be wel! 
looked after in order to determine the mem- 
bership and provide finances for the activi- 
ties. The finances should be well handled to 
secure the best results and acquire good 
credit. The reports to the national should 
be prompt so that the officers of the latter 
may know correctly the conditions in the lo- 
cals. And, finally, the reports and informa- 
tion from the national should be given suffi- 
cient attention for the benefit of the members. 

It lies in the power of the Financial Sec- 
retary (or the financial officer) to create or 
destroy the efficiency of the organizations. In 
addition to the efforts of that officer there 
must be the support of other officers and the 
membership. We are all anxious to secure 
the greatest possible results from our move- 
ment. It is not from any lack of appreciation 
of the fine work being done by most of the 
financial secretaries, but from a desire to 
strengthen where strength is lacking, that | 
make this appeal to officers and members for 
high-grade organization. 


86 





April, 1919 


From Local No 8 


(The High School Teachers Union, 
Washington, D C) 


A Union Protest 
Washington, D C 


To the Members of the Board of Education— 
Mr George E Hamilton, President; 
Mr Ernest L Thurston, Supt of Schools: 


Teachers Union and of the Grade 

Teachers Union of Washington, 
do hereby formally protest the suspension for 
one week without pay of Miss Alice Wood, 
and also take issue with the statement of 
the President of the Board (in his reply to 
our inquiry of March 22, 1919), that the 
“Board’s action in the premises is not the 
proper. subject of interrogation or review by 
other teachers or groups of teachers.” 

We are of opinion that if the Board does 
not consider its action in the case of Miss 
Wood, it wili have been decided by the Board 
that teachers are liable to separation from 
their positions and salary and to public dis- 
grace, on the report of one or two pupils, for 
class discussion in the line of duty of topics 
not known to be excluded or objected to, 
without investigation or recommendation by 
the head of the department or the principal 
of the school, and without opportunity on 
the part of the teacher to hear the charges 
or to defend herself before those who recom- 
mend or take the action. To approve such 
a course of procedure is to place an indignity 
upon the whole teaching force, and to effect 
seriously its efficiency. Such a matter is 
one in which we, and all of the teachers, have 
a vital interest. 

The following is a summary of the case as 
it concerns us, and if any fact in the follow- 
ing summary is disputed, we are prepared 
to substantiate it by proof: 


W E, the members of The High School 


The American Teacher 87 


1. Miss Wood is a patriotic American cit- 
izen, born of American lineage antedating 
the American Revolution. No circumstance 
connected with her (except the interpreta- 
tion put upon your action) gives rise to any 
suspicion of her loyalty or patriotism. She 
is not a Bolshevist, has not advocated Bol- 
shevism, and has not at any time so ex- 
pressed herself as fairly to be understood, 
even by a student, as favoring its propaga- 
tion in this country. 

2. Prior to February 12, 1919, teachers in 
English, in the high schools were charged 
with the duty of teaching “Current Topics.” 
Bolshevism and the League of Nations were 
then current topics, not supposed to be ex- 
cluded from discussion. Miss Wood was then 
a teacher in English in the Western High 
School, of twelve years’ experience and un- 
tarnished record. 

3. Here we note that the direction from 
the Superintendent of Schools transmitted 
thru the head of the English Department ex- 
cluding from discussion in “Current Topics,” 
the subjects of Bolshevism and the League 
of Nations, was not issued until after Miss 
Wood had been punished. 

4. Miss Wood having learned on or about 
February 13, that her “Current Topics” dis- 
cussion principally in respect to Bolshevism 
had apparently been misunderstood and that 
two parents had complained, wrote her prin- 
cipal under date of February 14 an explana- 
tion, and assured him that in view of the 
criticism she would avoid such topics in the 
future if her superiors in the school system 
so desired. 

5. On March 12, Miss Wood was sum- 
moned by telephone to meet Mr Thurston and 
two members of the Board for an informal 
conference in the matter which was held 
March 17. Before going, Miss Wood in- 
quired thru a friend whether it was to be 
in the nature of a trial, and was definitely 
informed by Mr Thurston that it was not, 
but merely a friendly conference and that she 
therefore needed no counsel. 

6. No charges were made at this confer- 
ence and no reference was made to the letter 





88 


of the parents. In view of the statement in 
Mr Thurston’s letter of March 20 promul- 
gating her punishment that the Board mem- 
bers feel that she ‘‘made an exceedingly slight 
effort at defense, and exhibited only the 
slightest display of regret,” it is worth not- 
ing that it was not made known to her at 
the conference that she was in any sense 
defending herself against charges. Miss 
Wood has given us from memory the mat- 
ters inquired about at this conference and it 
seems to have resolved itself into a series 
of questions from the two Board members 
present on Miss Wood’s views on Economics 
and Ethics. 

7. The conference ended with the ex- 
pressed opinion of the Chairman of the Com- 
mittee that it was the conclusion of the com- 
mittee (who, however, had not conferred 
during the conference) that an indiscretion 
had been committed by Miss Wood in discuss- 
ing these economic and social subjects. Miss 
Wood stated that she would obey any direc- 
tion given her that such subjects should not 
be discussed and she and her principal, who 


accompanied her, withdrew under the im- 
pression that the incident was closed. 

8. What the report to the Board of this 
Committee was neither Miss Wood nor we 
are informed, tho we inquired of the Board 
by our letter of March 22 which has been 
answered as fully as the President of the 


Board deems it proper to answer us. The 
Board considered the matter in secret and 
voted Miss Wood’s suspension with only one 
Board member of the Committee present. 
Whether the Board had before it any infor- 
mation other than that conveyed by the par- 
ents of two of Miss Wood’s one hundred 
and twenty pupils, neither we nor Miss Wood 
are informed. 

9. In the public press of the city on March 
20, 1919, were printed prominent articles 
the effect of which was to brand Miss Wood 
as unpatriotic, thus injuring her professional 
and personal reputation. This story was ac- 
credited to school officials and purported to 
state the reason of her suspension. It has 
not been corrected by school officials. 


The American Teacher 


Vol. VIII, No. 4 


10. Contrary to the press story, the official] 
notice of suspension to Miss Wood states that 
the action taken by the Board was taken 
“because of your attempt to touch on and 
interpret certain economic and social subjects 
in which you were clearly an amateur and 
in which you revealed indiscretion and poor 
judgment in assuming to be anything else.”’ 
That on the contrary, Miss Wood was strictly 
within the line of her duty in discussing the 
subjects in question sufficiently appears from 
the above summary of facts. Furthermore, 
Miss Wood stated in her letter of February 
14, and her principal in his letter of Feb- 
ruary 24 to the Superintendent, and it has 
not been contradicted by any one, that such 
discussion as was had of Bolshevism in her 
“Current Topics” class was introduced by 
questions from the pupils themselves. 

11. The suspension without pay was ob- 
viously a punishment. A punishment is not 
an appropriate remedy to be applied for in- 
efficiency and lack of academic or pedagogic 
qualifications. The Superintendent in his 
letter of suspension and the President: of the 
Board in his letter to us stated that it was 
imposed for disciplinary purposes. As a 
matter of common justice and right we sub- 
mit that Miss Wood should not have been 
punished without first having been informed 
definitely of the precise offense with which 
she was charged and then given a full and 
fair hearing before those who were to pass 
upon her guilt. We submit also upon the 
same grounds that the press statement of 
her case should be corrected by the Board. 

12. Furthermore, we are advised that un- 
der the Organic Act approved June 20, 1906, 
a teacher may be separated from her position 
and salary only (1) for misconduct or der- 
eliction of duty after trial in accordance 
with Section 10 of that Act, or (2) for acad- 
emic or pedagogic inefficiency, and that rule 
70 referred to by the President of the Board 
in his letter to us is intended to provide only 
for the temporary suspension of an employee 
pending the next meeting of the Board of 
Education in cases where such ad interim 
action is necessary, and has 20 application 





April, 1919 


to the present case. 

We are, therefore, advised that your action 
was not in accordance with law. 

We, therefore, ask that the Board rescind 
its action of March 19, 1919, in Miss Wood’s 
case and also correct the injurious state- 
ments in the public press concerning the rea- 
sons for her suspension. 

We ask further that we be given a hear- 
ing before the Board at a regular public 
meeting in order to make plain our position 
in this matter and with reference to the gen- 
eral status of teachers in the Washington 
Public Schools. 

Very respectfully submitted, 
ALICE DEAL, 

President, High School Teachers Union. 
CLARA STUTZ, 

President, Grade Teachers Union. 

NoTteE:—The Board has refused to rescind its 
action, or to grant the public hearing asked for by 
the teachers. The unions will begin mandamus pro- 
ceedings to set aside the action’ of the Board.— 
EDITOR. 


From Local No 5 


(The Teachers Union, New York) 


The Teachers Union held a meeting in Public 
School 27, Manhattan, New York, on Saturday eve- 
ning, March 29, 1919, on the subject of the “Crisis 
in the Public Schools.” The idea was to bring be- 
fore our members the serious situation relative to 
the tenure of position, and to the issue of freedom 
of opinion of the teachers. The question of salary 
was also to be a topic for discussion. 

The speakers selected by the Publicity Committee 
were Mr Gilbert E Roe, counsel for the Union, who 
was to speak on “The First Amendment:” Mr Ed- 
ward Rybicki, of Typographical Union, No 6, who 
was to speak on the economic question and on the 
labor union method of conducting trials of members, 
and Mr Samuel Schmalhausen, a member of the 
Teachers Union, who was to speak on the insecurity 
of the teacher’s tenure of position, and on the ques- 
tion of freedom of opinion. 

The usual public announcements were made, and 
special invitations to attend the meeting were sent 
to Mr Arthur S Somers, President of the Board of 
Education, and to Superintendent Wm L Ettinger. 
The only response to these invitations was a tele- 
Phone message to the office of the Union the day 
before the meeting stating that Mr Schmalhausen 
would not be permitted to speak in a public school 
building. Altho surprised and shocked beyond meas- 
ure, the committee decided to go ahead with the 
meeting, and to leave it to the members to decide 
what other steps to take. 

The officers were met at the school building by 
an emissary from the Board who said the room could 

(Concluded on page 92) 


The American Teacher 89 


Statement Made by the President 
of the Teachers Union at 
a Meeting Held on 
March 29, 1919 


1. The question of whether teachers 
must continue to be a definitely submerged 
profession will have to be settled shortly. 


2. Labor is fairly well on the road to 
settling the question for itself. Shall we 
join hands with labor, or shall we rest 
content? 


3. Economically we are to be tossed aside 
by the Legislature, and the question of 
teachers’ pay will not be settled by us, but 
by those who settle the rest of our business 
and professional interests. 


4. Professionally we have no standing, 
because our tenure of office no longer ex- 
ists, for we may be dismissed on the charge 
of “conduct unbecoming a teacher” by per- 
sons who determine the standards of our 
conduct by themselves, persons who are not 
bound by any standards of the social wel- 
fare in this matter, but are bound by the 
interests of their group or class. 


5. Politically we do not exist, for not 
only is our speech determined under a sys- 
tem of merciless punishment, but even our 
unexpressed thoughts cannot be maintained 
safely. Therefore, as thinking individuals 
we might as well be dead. 


6. Socially and as citizens we have no 
standing whatever, for the Department of 
Education had determined who shall not be 
speakers at this very meeting, and has given 
no word of explanation. A member of The 
Teachers Union whose case is before ‘the 
Supreme Court on appeal has been denied 
permission to speak to us tonight. The 
schools under this act belong to a selfish 
group, not any longer to the people, and are 
no longer forums for free discussion. 


7. Teachers of New York, what are you 
going to do about it? 





90 The American Teacher 


The 


Union “Literature” That 
Stirred New York School 
Authorities to 
Action 


Terrorism in Our Public Schools 


In November, 1917, the intellectual Reign of Ter- 
‘Yor in the New York public school system was in- 
augurated by the suspension of three De Witt 
Clinton teachers for holding views assumed to be 
“subversive of discipline.” These teachers were not 
dismissed for what they taught, nor for what they 
did, nor yet for what they failed to teach. They 
were ousted for HOLDING VIEWS which were not 
approved of by their official superiors. These views 
were gleaned from private interviews conducted in 
the true spirit of an inquisition by Dr Tildsley, 
superintendent in charge of high schools. 

Next in order followed the dismissal of Miss Mc- 
Dowell of the Manual Training High (for twelve 
years a teacher of Latin), because as a Quaker she 
held certain views looked upon with disfavor by 
the Board. Then came Miss Pignol, a teacher of 
French and German, who was dismissed because 
she confessed to believing that she would not like 
to see the Germans “crushed.” Most astounding 
of all is the case of Mr Philip Perlstein, a teacher 
at P S 62 (Man), who was suspended in January, 
1918, on his return from Camp Upton from which 
he had been honorably discharged on account of 
physical incapacity. Why was he suspended? No 
charges have ever been lodged against him! The 
public has been kept utterly in the dark. Recalled 
to Camp last summer, Mr Perlstein has been serv- 
ing the Government ever since. He was suspended 
without pay fourteen months ago. Recently he 
was notified that the “charges” against him would 
be dropped if he consented to return to school with- 
out claiming back pay! Such conduct is beneath 
contempt. Talk about prussianism in education! 
Could it go farther? 

The latest and most significant incident in this 
mad-cap policy is the suspension of Benjamin Glass- 
berg, a teacher of History in the Commercial High 
School. On January 17, 1919, without preliminary 
warning, hearing, or statement of charges, he was 
suspended for an indefinite period without pay. Ac- 
cording to press accounts, the sudden suspension 
was due to alleged remarks presumed to have been 
uttered by Mr Glassberg in class to the effect that 
there were two sides to the Russian question. Eight 
weeks elapsed without pay, without any intimation 
of the offense. Then suddenly official charges are 
sent with notice of trial in 5 days. 

The striking fact concerning all these cases is 


Vol. VIII, No. 4 


this: the teachers involved were all “guilty” of 
holding social and political views which do not find 
favor in the sight of certain superior officers. They 
were DISSENTERS. These teachers did not hold, 
nor were they charged with holding, that they had 
the right to impose their views in class, but they 
did claim that as Americans they were entitled to 
hold to their views and to follow the dictates of 
conscience, even though they were teachers. That 
the question of pro-Germanism was in no case in- 
volved may be inferred from the recent reinstate- 
ment of a teacher (Mr Leuchs) who admitted hav- 
ing tried to enlist in the German army before 
America officially entered the war, and admitted hav- 
ing invested in German war bonds! That teacher, 
be it noted, was reinstated because he held no so- 
cial or political views differing from the well-known 
views of his official superiors! At least he ac- 
quiesced in their views. He was not a dissenter! 
Also, let it never be forgotten that the great ma- 
jority of those teachers who have been made to 
suffer are Jews: this is not by any means an acci- 
dental fact! 

It may come as a shock to the public to learn 
that the Board of Education has begun a policy of 
propaganda in the public schools wholly vicious in 
character, if not distinctly illegal. Besides pre- 
senting a false interpretation of revolutionary Rus- 
sia, the “Syllabus on the World War,” issued to 
teachers, contains a long brief in behalf of Uni- 
versal Military training. The nation is far from 
being committed to such a policy, but teachers are 
required by the Board of Education to teach with 
enthusiasm the great value of such a policy. It 
may well be questioned as to whether we are ready 
to turn our schools into a propaganda machine for 
the National Security League. 

In the conduct of Mr Glassberg’s case, all Amer- 
ican judicial procedure is flaunted openly. The 
evidence relied upon to convict him, of whatever he 
will be charged, is based wholly, so far as one can 
gather, on the evidence of 12 boys handpicked by 
Principal Raynor and by Mr Campbell, containing 
incidentally all the Gentiles in that class, ten in 
number. 

Since the suspension, Mr Raynor has been in 
constant conference with the boys, coaching them 
almost daily. Recently Dr Tildsley himself spent 
a whole day at the Commercial High School, clos- 
eted with the accusers gathering “evidence” from 
interviews with the handpicked pupils, against this 
ousted teacher. 

The issue is clear, and we must face it. Shall 
the views of the Board of Education be forced upon 
the school children to the exclusion of all other 
views? Shall we permit only those teachers to re- 
main in the schools who meekly and blindly accept 
those opinions that are pleasing to the School 
Board? Or shall we go back to the old-fashioned 





April, 1919 


American doctrine that no censorship of personal 
political and social views shall be exercised? 

We can terrorize dissenters, and produce a class 
of lifeless automata in our schools, both teachers 
and pupils, with the consequent stagnation and 
sterilization of thought, or we can encourage virile, 
fearless thinking for both teacher and pupil. Which 
shall it be? Are the people’s Public Schools unfit 
for Democracy? 


Will Union Be Barred? 


President Somers will lay before the members of 
the Board of Education today the communication 
from Superintendent Ettinger relative to the at- 
tacks upon the board made at the recent meeting 
of the Teachers Union. In his letter to Mr Som- 
ers Dr Ettinger requested the board to consider: 

“ (a) Whether or not, the Teachers Union should 
be denied the use of school buildings, and 

“(b) Whether or not, in view of the official re- 
port of the meeting, and the character of the at- 
tached circular given out at said meeting by the 
publicity committee of the Teachers Union, charges 
should be preferred against the officers of the Teach- 
ers Union for conduct prejudicial to the good or- 
der, efficiency, or discipline of the service.” 

The official report of the preceedings at the meet- 
ing transmitted to the board by Dr Ettinger ex- 
plained that: 

“The subject of free speech and the rights of 
teachers was discussed, and the spirit of the meet- 
ing was one of defiance to and criticism of the 
Board of Education. This board was represented 
as ‘tyrants,’ ‘oppressors,’ and a ‘privileged class,’ 
and one desirous of suppressing the rights of both 
teachers and pupils. The syllabus adopted by the 
Board of Education on the World War was bit- 
terly attacked as teaching untruths to children and 
giving them a prejudicial and false idea of con- 
ditions. 

“A resolution was drafted by Abraham Lefko- 
witz protesting against the action of the Board of 
Education and its subordinates in refusing to allow 
Mr Schmallhausen to speak at this meeting. It 
was unanimously adopted and is to be sent to the 
Mayor of the city. The introducing of this reso- 
lution was accompanied by bitter invective against 
the Board of Education. I am enclosing a pam- 
phlet which was distributed in the school building 
and which is in direct accord with the sentiments 
expressed at the meeting. 

“In view of all these facts I strongly recommend 
that the Teachers Union be not allowed to meet 
in the public schools of the City of New York for 
any reason whatsoever.”—From The New York 
Globe, of April 7, 1919. 


The American Teacher 91 


Teachers Challenge Board of 
Education 


WANT INVESTIGATION BY PUBLIC 


AUTOCRACY, PERSONAL POLITICS, AND STUPIDITY ARE 
RULING ATTITUDE, THEY DECLARE 


Henry R Linville, president of the Teachers’ 
Union, said today that a meeting of the organiza- 
tion would be held next Saturday at 3.30 o’clock to 
consider the action of the Board of Education in 
denying the use of public school buildings for meet- 
ings of the union, and that he would urge the ap- 
pointment of a committee of teachers to work with 
a public committee in an investigation of the city’s 
educational system. 

“The action of the Board of Education,” said Mr 
Linville, “in denying to the Teachers’ Union the right 
to use the school buildings is a short-sighted attempt 
to destroy the only movement in the educational sys- 
tem that has stood for freedom of discussion of edu- 
cational policies and practices. The board will not 
succeed in this endeavor. The world is moving rap- 
idly away from the old idealism of the domination 
of human thought by the powerful. 

“The board proposes to withdraw from the union 
a privilege which belongs to the teachers by natural 
courtesy, and is endeavoring to use its accidental 
position of control to censor the thoughts of those 
who criticise the board. The schools which belong to 
the people are thereby the schools of the Board of 
Education. The Teachers Union denies absolutely 
the validity of this position. The union is ready for 
the board’s investigation of its 1,100 members. 

“All suggestions of disloyalty thrown out possibly 
from official sources are beside the issue. The record 
of the union is absolutely clear in this matter of 
loyalty. The ideas presented at our meeting of 
March 29, to which the board objects, had no con- 
nection with loyalty or disloyalty. The part to 
which the board objects was in criticism of the board 
in denying to us the privilege of having a certain 
member speak at our meeting. 

“At a time when the educational system is sadly 
in need of teachers the board takes action that 
will create antagonism in the minds of thousands 
and frighten other thousands. This menace to the 
work of education must be stopped. I shall there- 
fore urge upon the Teachers Union, at a meeting 
to be held at Terrace Garden, Fifty-eight Street and 
Third Avenue, on Saturday afternoon at 3.30, the 
immediate organization of an investigating com- 
mittee to work conjointly with a public committee 
to undertake the investigating of the educational 
system. We shall be able to show that the Board 
of Education is less qualified by education and ex- 
perience for the direction of the schools than are 
the teachers. 

“Years ago the Hanus Committee reported on the 
iniquities of our educational system. Nothing ever 
came of the recommendations of this committee. 
And the committee did not report on the worst of 
the conditions. Evils have grown in the system. 
Autocracy has developed to proportions that out- 
shame Russia in the time of the Czar. Partisan 
and personal politics determine the appointments to 
the higher positions in the service. The last two 
appointments to high school positions were deter- 
mined absolutely on political grounds by members 





92 The American Teacher 


of the Board of Education, and the recommenda- 
tions of the superintendents, the legally authorized 
body, were cast aside. The supervisors of the 
teachers by fault-finding supervisors has destroyed 
most of whatever professional spirit existed. 

“The Union claims that the New York schools are 
fundamentally un-American, that the training given 
to the children does not prepare them for citizen- 
ship in a democracy, and that the Union stands in 
defence of the ideals on which the republic is 
founded. 

“Stupidity is the ruling attitude of mind in the 
educational system, and intelligence, when used in 
criticism of existing conditions, is crushed. The 
educational system is held in contempt by great 
numbers of citizens. The teachers can stand these 
conditions no longer.”—From The Evening Post 
(New York), of April 9, 1919. 


(Concluded from page 89) 


not be used unless it was understood that Mr 
Schmalhausen was not to speak. The meeting met 
with that understanding, but with deep resentment. 

Members of the A F of T should understand that 
Mr Schmalhausen was dismissed in December, 1917, 
“for conduct unbecoming a teacher.” This case is 
referred to in the literature published herewith. 

The other speakers carried out their part of the 
program with dignity and ability. Then resolutions 
were introduced strongly condemning the action of 
the Board in refusing our member the privilege of 
speaking. After some discussion these were adopted 
unanimously. The emissary reported that Mr 
Rybicki reported on the joint trial board methods 
of handling differences in unions “to the discredit 
of the Board of Education,” that Mr. Gilbert E. Roe 
had uttered what were meant to be treasonable 
statements, and that the Board had been referred 
to as “tyrants,” “oppressors,” and representatives of 
a privileged class. 

This report was sent to Supt Ettinger, who for- 
warded it to the Board of Education with the recom- 
mendation that the privilege of meeting in school 
buildings be withdrawn and that the superintendent 
investigate “the life, affiliations, opinions and loy- 
alty of every member of the Teachers Union.” 

Four of the officers of the Union were summoned 
to the office of Superintendent Ettinger to undergo 
a “friendly conference.” Three of them refused to 
answer essential questions because they “mistrusted 
the proceedings, and were without counsel.” 

The Union has been conducting a rapid fire cam- 
paign, and has shown up the injustice of the system 
to excellent effect. Labor to the number of about 
six hundred thousand workers has come to the aid 
of the Union as indicated in these columns. 

On Saturday, April 12, a splendid meeting of the 
Union was held, addressed by President Stillman. 
At that meeting the Union was able to announce 
that President Somers had definitely indicated the 
day previous that he was ready to meet the Union 
in a conference. The Union agreed to hold a con- 
ference, and adopted fourteen points as the basis 
for it. These will be printed in the May number. 

While agreeing to the conference, the Union calls 
on Mr Somers to retract publicly his published 
statement that the Union had printed treasonable 
literature. “Terrorizing the Public Schools” is the 
most outspoken literature the Union has ever print- 
ed. Read it, and say whether it is “treasonable.” 

In this controversy one fact stands out boldly. 
Labor has the power to make officials reasonable. 


Vol. VIII, No. 4 


The Way Labor Helps 


the Teachers 
HE Central Federated Union of New 
York, the Central Labor Union of 
Brooklyn, the Women’s Trade Union 
League and the United Hebrew Trades jointly 
resolve as follows: 

That we form a special joint-committee of 
the above bodies to undertake a thoro in- 
vestigation of the attitude of the Board of 
Education toward the Teachers Union, their 
proposed investigation and their past attitude 
and conduct toward the members of the said 
union, and to specifically inquire if the in- 
nuendos and inferences of disloyalty given 
out by the Board of Education are not for 
the purpose of terrorizing its officers and 
members and thus destroying it. 

Be it further resolved, that this committee 
enlists the services of experts to investigate 
in all respects the attitude and conduct of 
the Board of Education, its professional sub- 
ordinates especially Dr John L Tildsley, and 
Dr William L Ettinger, and their educational 
policies. Pending the report of the investi- 
gating committee, the Board of Education 
should abandon its unquisitorial methods of 
investigating and trying teachers and sub- 
stitute, therefor a trial committee of seven 
selected as follows: three from The Teachers 
Union, three from the Board of Education, 
the six to select the seventh member. 

Be it further resolved, that the right to 
use the public schools be immediately re- 
stored to the Teachers Union. Only thus can 
our schools be made safe for democracy. 


It Looks Easy 


The city of Schenectady, New York, is trying an 
interesting experiment just now in forming the 
personnel of its school committee. The board there 
chances not to be elected as with us but to be ap- 
pointed by the mayor. He has recently been called 
upon to fill a vacancy on the board caused by the 
resignation of a woman member, and has asked the 
teachers’ association of the city to name from its 
own number a member to fill the vacant place on 
the board. The kinds of ability needed on a school 
board are various, but at least one member among 
them should surely be an expert in education. The 
outcome of the mayor’s appointment will be watched 
with interest. Which city will be the next to try 
the experiment?—From the Boston Teachers News 
Letter, of April, 1919. 





Plans for Development of the Teachers Union 


PRESENTED AT A MEETING OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD, AND RECOMMENDED FOR PUBLICATION 
FOR ITS PROBABLE USE TO ALL LOCALS 


I. 


The Union must have a policy that will 
insure the continuous activity of the 
organization as a whole and a progres- 
sive development of special functions. 

1. Without a continuous policy by 
which we may connect periods of 
unusual activity over periods of de- 
pression, serious losses of prestige 
and membership must result. 


. The work of the Union has become so 


significant to our members that we 
find ourselves being held by them to a 
high standard of performance, as well 
as to many sorts of duties. In other 
words, they expect the officers and vol- 
unteer workers to perform the regular 
services of a real union. 

1. This attitude of the members has 
resulted in the uncoordinated de- 
velopment of many kinds of activ- 
ity. 

. It has also resulted in throwing 
upon the shoulders of a few the 
burdens of the many. 

. It has further resulted in some 
cases in the wearing out of the pa- 
tience and the good will of some of 
our members, and the final loss of 
their services thru lack of organi- 
zation and thoughtful apprecia- 
tion. 


. Instead of letting the development of 


our movement take place thru the 
severe conditions of natural selection, 
we should take hold of it and shape it 
while we are making it continuous and 
functional. 

1. This organized shaping of our 
work and policy is necessary in 
order to maintain a proper balance 
of all our purposes. 

2. It is necessary in order to make 
sure of undertaking all the kinds 


of work which we should be doing 
for our members. 

. It is also necessary in order to de- 
velop our professional standards 
and to maintain a position of power 
and influence in a teaching body 
that is being thwarted profession- 
ally by selfish or ignorant teacher- 
politicians. 


IV. The kinds of work that have been im- 


portant, or may become important, for 
us to do it seems to me are about as 
follows: 

1. Keeping up the fight for improved 
economic conditions of the teach- 
ers, collecting data to show the 
necessity of improved conditions, 
getting groups of labor unions and 
others continuously interested in 
the matter, making the question an 
issue in political campaigns, and, 
above all, educating the teachers to 
comprehend the importance of in 
telligent cooperation in the strug- 
gle for better returns for work. 

. The beginning of a campaign to 
get legislative action for substan- 
tial tenure of office, with the rights 
of the public protected by a joint 
reviewing board of teachers and 
elected representatives of the pub- 
lic. 

. A campaign for the establishment 
for a Conciliation Board or Coop- 
erative Judicial Body for the ad- 
judication of administrative dif- 
ferences between the teaching body 
and the supervisory staff, or the 
Board of Education. 

. A campaign for demanding that 
teachers be represented on the 
Board of Education. 

. The beginning of a campaign for 





The American Teacher 


the changing of the state educa- 
tion law to require members of 
the Board of Education to be 
elected, and paid. 

. A campaign leading to legislative 
action making possible the court 
review of the acts of the Commis- 
sioner of Education of the State. 


. The elimination of fear on the part 


of teachers in relation to their 
rights as teachers and as citizens. 
. A campaign to establish the prin- 
ciple of merit in promotion to the 
higher positions in the service. 

. A campaign to eliminate educa- 
tional officials that may be shown 
to maintain and to act upon re- 
ligious and political prejudices in 
their educational positions. 


. The development of a desire among 


teachers to assume a responsibility 
for the work and the policy of their 
schools. 

. The development of the idea of the 
school council of teachers. 


. The establishment of a school to 


train our own members for obtain- 
ing higher licenses, or for doing 
better work in their chosen or as- 
signed positions. 


. The establishment of a publishing 


department to publish original 
studies of our members on matters 
of educational practise. 


. The establishment of a sinking 


fund for owning a club house. 


. An improved organization of 


Standing Committees. 

. The development of a more cheer- 
ful social spirit among the teach- 
ers and the superiors elected by 
them, the principals, directors and 
superintendents. 


. The organizing of our ideals and 


their constant presentation to the 
public and to the teachers thru 
newspaper letters and magazine 
articles. 


Vol. VIII, No. 4 


18. The training of a speaking staff to 
arrange meetings in the schools to 
get members and meetings before 
labor unions, and before the gen- 
eral public, in order to bring to the 
attention of all the principles for 
which we stand. 


. The following suggestions are made for 


organizing and maintaining a continu- 
ous policy, and for executing it. The 
method of the labor unions, the Ameri- 
can Federation of Teachers, the London 
Teachers Association, and the National 
Union of Teachers of England is to 
select workers from their own member- 
ship and to pay them for their services. 
As we might apply the idea, it would 
be to employ some workers on part- 
time until we get strong enough to em- 
ploy them on whole-time, if that policy 
seems advisable later on. The groups 
of “unorganized” teachers are able to 
use the services of their leaders, beause 
in most cases the leaders expect to use 
the influence developed in the process 
to obtain advancement in the system. 
We are not in that kind of business, 
and the Union cannot afford to exploit 
its own workers by accepting their con- 
tinued services for nothing. 

1. The Union should pay its workers 
at rates commensurate with the 
importance of the work, and with 
a rate of pay approximately that 
given for school work. 

. The carrying out of the plan to pay 
workers should be made to depend 
on the development of special abil- 
ity and efficiency of members in the 
performance of voluntary work, 
and on the need of the Union for 
particular kinds of service. 


. The responsibility of the members 
employed should be to the Execu- 
tive Board, with which body would 
rest the responsibility for organiz- 
ing the efforts of the employes and 
the policies of the Union. 





April, 1919 


4. I should like to propose that we 
arrange at once to employ four of 
our members on part-time service 
upon the approval of a general 
meeting of the Union, on salaries 
of not less than $40 a month and 
not more than $60 a month for 
each of the ten school months. 

. On account of special qualifications 
and on account of faithful work 
done in voluntary service, I am 
glad to propose that we arrange 
with four members to take up work 
with pay: 

One, to have charge of organ- 
izing membership campaigns, 
and to organize a school for the 
members. 

One, to be the legislative rep- 
resentative or agent, to do the 
many things we want done in 
legislation, to organize co-opera- 
tion with the labor unions, and 
to assist in the speaking cam- 
paigns for members. 

One, to organize the publicity 
work, by creating a staff of writ- 
ers for writing newspaper let- 
ters, for preparing occasional 
communications to the members, 
to the “unorganized” teachers, 
and to the general public; to ar- 
range plans for meetings with 
various civic and social bodies, 
before which the ideals of the 
Union could be presented; also 
on occasion to assist in the 
speaking at the membership 
meetings. 

The Secretary-Treasurer, to 
perform the regular. duties of 
the office, and to be the Office 
Manager. 


Respectfully submitted, 
HENRY R LINVILLE, 


President, The Teachers Union 
of the City of New York. 


The American Teacher 95 


A Testimonial Dinner* 


TESTIMONIAL dinner to Dr Henry 
A R Linville, President of the Teachers 

Union, will be held Saturday evening, 
May 3, at the Cambridge Restaurant, 33d 
Street, opposite the Waldorf-Astoria, New 
York. The Teachers Union of the City of 
New York, Local Number 5, was founded in 
March, 1916. It has been decided to celebrate 
the third anniversary in this manner. Un- 
der the leadership of Dr Linville, Local 
Number 5 has grown rapidly into strength 
and influence. The campaign to unionize the 
teachers of New York is still going on. 

The Teachers Union now numbers 1,100 
members in good standing, all of whom are 
firmly pledged to the advancement of the 
union idea. Tickets may be procured from 
any of the members of the Dinner Committee 
consisting of William I Heller, Mrs Johanna 
Lindlof and Max Rosenhaus. Prominent 
speakers have been invited to attend as 
guests. An interesting as well as an en- 
tertaining evening is promised. The price 
of a ticket is one dollar and members are 
urged to make their reservations immedi- 
ately, as a large attendance is expected. 
Those in search of a good meal, accompanied 
by verbal fireworks, please take notice. 


* Inserted because the Editor needs a dinner. 





This is the Official Organ 


of the 


American Federation of Teachers 
ORGANIZED APRIL 15, 1916 


Affiliated with the American Federation of Labor 
OFFICERS OF THE A F OF T 


President, CHARLES B STILLMAN, Chicago, 
1620 Lake Avenue, Wilmette, II. 


Secretary-Treasurer, F G Strecker, Chicago, 
1618 Lake Avenue, Wilmette, II. 


National Organizer; First Vice-President, 
L V Lampson, Washington, D. C., 
1336 Otis Place, N. W. 








— 


- 


The American Teacher 


Model Question Paper for 


License as High School 
eon  Frincipal 


I do solemnly affirm (1) that I am 100 percent ignorant of the following 
books and writings: The Declaration of Independence; the Federalist, Tenth 
Paper; Wilson, The New Freedom; the Constitution, First Amendment; 
Marx, Capital; Russell, Why Men Fight; Rolland, Above the Battle. (2) 
That I do not read the following periodicals: The Nation, The Dial, The 
New Republic, The Public, The Liberator. 

Questions. 
1. If you suspected a teacher of radical tendencies, what methods would you 
employ to prove (a) that he is pro-German; (b) that he is pro-Russian ; 
(c) that he is pro-Eskimo? 

. What principle of selection would you employ in choosing pupil-witnesses 
and teacher witnesses against a teacher whom you suspected of radical 
tendencies? Discuss with special reference to religion, desire for favor, 
and hopes of promotion. 

. “While I deprecate supervision involving espionage or oppression, etc.” 
Show how, while deploring such espionage, you would train teacher- 
detectives and pupil-provocateurs to trap a teacher-suspect. 

. Show how each of the following subjects can be taught from the Ameri- 
can point of view: 

(a) Economics; (b) the Binomial Theorem; (c) the Ionic Theory; 

(d) the Law of Gas Pressure; (e) the Six Per Cent Method. 

. Socrates conceived it as the teacher’s function to assist in the birth of 
ideas. Trace the change in the conception of the function of the 
teacher, and show how the teacher now practises birth-control of ideas. 

. With regard to the League of Nations: 

(a) Write a ten-minute speech for school assembly in which you 
show that the League should receive the support of every 
loyal American ; 

(b) Write a ten-minute speech to show that the League should be 
condemned by every loyal American; 

(c) Write a ten-minute speech on the subject in which you say 
nothing at all about the League. 

. Describe in detail three ways in which you would “encourage” teachers 
to join associations to which they are opposed, or to which they are 
indifferent. 

. Write a 200-word essay on the professional dignity of the teacher, em- 
phasizing the “higher obligations and love of the work” business. 

. Write three questions which you would put to a teacher in a friendly 
interview, each question containing at least three “ifs”; indicate how 
you would interpret the answers of the teacher, both as to content as 
well as to accompanying gestures, head shaking, etc. 

. Write a 200-word essay on the subject: Whatever is, is right. 

J. A. B. 
The Teachers Union of the City of New York 
(Local No. 5, A F of T)