SEPTEMBER, 1926 VOL. XI—No. 1 


Democracy in Education _ Education for Democracy 


‘The AMERICAN 
TEACHER 


a 
es 














THE ORGAN OF THE AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS 


a 








Convention 
Number 


No conqueror can make the multitude different from what 
it is; no statesman can carry the world’s affairs beyond the 
ideas and capacities of the generation of adults with which 
he deals; but teachers—I use the word in the widest sense 
—can do more than either conqueror or statesman; they 
can CREATE a NEW VISION and liberate the latent 
powers of our kind—H. G. Wells. 








‘Single Copy 15c—Yearly Subscription $1:00 


‘ 








THE AMERICAN TEACHER 











Labor Omnia Vincit! 


The Union Promise 


VICTOR A. OLANDER 


Sate iE heraldic motto—“Labor Conquers All Things’ "—inscribed on 
aehe ™ the seal of the American Federation of Labor is not an egotis- 
i) tical threat. 


It j 1S a promise and its interpretation may be found inthe music of poetry: 


“Why, conquering may prove as lordly and com- 
plete a thing in lifting upward, as in crushing low!” 

The American trade union aims to vanquish unfavorable circumstance, never to conquer men. 
It seeks to exercise control over conditions, that men may have control over themselves. 

The trade union mastered the forces that drove children into the factory. It carried the little 
ones upward into the realm of the school. 

It triumphed over conditions under which men sacrificed life and limb in their daily tasks. It 
lifted the workers to a plane of greater safety. 

The trade union prevailed against the long and arduous work day of the past. It raised the toil- 
ers towards the greater leisure necessary to family life and citizenship. 







Education! Safety! Leisure! Three great essentials of civilization. These are the triumphant 


achievements of the American trade union. “Peace hath her victories no less renowned than war.” 


There remains more, much more, to be accomplished? True! That is why the conquering 
march of organized labor presses forward. Labor omnia vincit! 





























CONTEN: 


President’s Convention Address......... ee hk sy idee 3 
Report of Legislative Work.......................000005 5 
On Being a “Joiner”—Harold M. Groves.................. 8 
Platform of Principles for the Classroom Teacher......... ll 
Program for American Education Week.................. 13 
BE i Co de aay pads gu ae yo 14 
Our Executive Council.......... Guo Seep) St 2 Se pcMraep 15 
The One Day Institute Women’s Trade Union League..... 17 
. Illinois State Federation of Labor Convention............. 19 
Oraanmimation News ... 2.5... . ccc ccc cee cceececeens 20 


Book Reviews ................... cae, aa aa et 


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FEB 2 - 1934 


Pub. 


The American Teacher 


Entry as second-class matter applied for Sept. 29, 1926 at the Post Office at Chicago, Ill., under the Aet of August 24, 1912. 
Published at 327 S. La Salle St., Chicago, Ill, monthly, except July and August. Acceptance for mailing at special rate of 
postage provided for in Section 1108, Act of October 3,-1917, authorized September 27, 1919. 





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Volume XI, No. 1 


SEPTEMBER, 1926 


a ed 
___Qne Dollar a Year, 








Tenth Annual Convention of the American 
Federation of Teachers 
President’s Address 


To the Delegates to the Tenth Convention | 


of the American Federation of Teachers: 

From year to year our conventions express 
conviction and promise for further work on 
an accumulating list of subjects and in a grow- 
ing field of interest. Where is there another 
group that is attempting to give such serious 
consideration to so many subjects of vital and 
far-reaching importance? The American Fed- 
eration of Teachers in the ten years of its exist- 
ence has laid the foundation for a magnificent 
contribution to social betterment. It has al- 
ready made history. It is destined to make 
more. 

The eyes of the country are upon us. Some 
are wondering what we want to do. Some are 
fearing wliat we may do. Others are anxiously 
looking for assurance that we shall make good 
in the particular field of opportunity that is 
ours, a field for social-service that is without a 
parallel. 

While our gain in membership during the 
past year has been small our gain in influence, 
we have reason to believe, is steadily growing, 
and the year has brought some expansion in 
work accomplished that is most gratifying. I 
havé in mind the research bureau which has 
been up in Washington under the direction of 
Miss Borchardt. She no doubt will give you 
details of this enterprise in her report so I 
shall not speak further of that. 

But experience gives convincing proof that 
there is another expansion that is absolutely 
necessary to take care of the. accumulating 
work that the conventions are pledging the 
Federation to do and which we are unable with 
our present machinery to accomplish. Half 
thé work that the Ninth Genvention author- 


ized has not been touched. It is nobody’s fault. 


_ The members of the Executive Council are 


busy people. School work and responsibilities 
in their own locals together with the demands 
upon them incident to all these make it difficult 
for them to do their duty even in the most 
pressing work that the convention directs 
them to carry out. In addition there are al- 
ways unexpected developments that arise, 
making it necessary to do a great deal of con- 
ferring at long range. While the Secretary’s 
office handles the correspondence, it is a long 
and tedious process, for the Secretary must 
necessarily wait on the convenience of -the 
several members of the Council and it often 
takes several efforts to get sufficient concord 
of opinion to clear the way for action. 

The remedy is not in curtailing our work, 
but in getting more people at work on our 
ptoblems and in organizing to define respon- 
sibility. One of the resolutions of the Ninth 
Convention suggests the method. On page 25 
of the Proceedings, Resolution No. 20 you find 
this: “To carry out this resolution we estab- 
lish a committee—to be known as the Com- 


‘mittee on Professional Staridards.” In pursu- 


ance of this idea the following recommenda- 
tions are made: : 

1. That the Convention establish several 
committees, the following being a suggested 
list : 

(a) Professional Standard already provided 

(b) Education 

(c) Organization 

(d) Publicity 

(e) Education of Membership 

(f) Legislation 

2. That the Executive 


Council be in- . 











4 THE AMERICAN TEACHER 


structed to organize these committees within 
one month after the Convention closes if pos- 
sible. 

3. That the Executive Council be asked to 
pursue the following policy: 

(a) Assign all work authorized by the Ninth 
Convention and not yet provided for to some- 
one of these committees as the nature of the 
work may determine. 

(b) Refer the activities initiated by the 
Tenth Convention to the appropriate commit- 
tees, except such measures as can be more 
advantageously handled by the Executive 
Council or such as demand special committees. 

(c) Assign all the work authorized by the 
Tenth Convention, with whatever limitations 
and directions may be advisable, either to a 
committee or to some member or group of 
members of the Executive Council, by Sep- 
tember Ist, 1926. 

(d) Hold a meeting following the conven- 
tion, to review the work of the convention 
and to facilitate getting the acts of the conven- 
tion into operation by September Ist. Let any 
additional expense to members incident to this 
méeting be borne by the American Federation 
of Teachers. 

How Shall Our Membership Grow? 

In February the president took advantage of 
a trip to Washington and New York, to have 
a conference with the members of the Execu- 
tive Council in Washington and New York 
state. Full report of the conference was made 
to the entire executive council following the 
meeting. At that time we discussed the ques- 
tion of organizing and the possibilities for 
locals’ undertaking that work. The idea pre- 
vailed that it was not advisable for locals to 
try to do that work, the organizing could not 
begin until such time as an organizer could 
be financed. Quoting from the report of the 
conference, “The reasons advanced were two. 
First, the workers in a given local do not have 
time to do organizing work. Second, even if 
locals could be formed in this way they would 
fail, because new inexperienced groups of 
teachers would not be able to keep up interest, 
meet opposition, and achieve success unless 
there were someone free to visit them occa- 
sionally, remain with them a season if neces- 


sary; and pilot them through an experimental 
or apprentice stage.” 

There is no question that these two barriers 
to organizing are very real ones. Progress by 
the method of local efforts could hardly be ex- 
pected to become appreciable for a long time. 
But there is another viewpoint that must be 
considered. If the members of A. F. of T. are 
not sufficiently in earnest about the value of 
their program to spend money and time and 
effort in promoting the idea among other 
teachers how can it be expected that other 
teachers will be very rapidly impressed with 
the value of the idea? A plan to promote sys- 
tematic efforts to place our ideas before teach- 
ers as individuals and in groups would neces- 
sarily bring results. The concentrated efforts 
of an organizing committee ought -to be able 
to develop such a plan. Individual locals could 
profitably give consideration to the same 
course. , 

The conventions of 1924 and 1925 authorized 
the effort to get funds outside of A. F. of T. 
for the promotion of our program. Would it 
not be well to consider seriously whether the 
membership should not begin to accumulate 
a fund for this purpose out of its own group? 
The reaction to such an enterprise might be 
more wholesome, both for the membership and 
for the success of efforts to procure assistance 
from interested people outside the movement. 

A study of the history. of some other organ- 
izations in the labor movement might be. very 
helpful to us. I am told that one of the:largest 
and strongest groups in the A. F. of L. was 
for twenty years as small as our group is at 
the end of ten years. There is no reason to be 
discouraged, but let us continue to sow the 
seed and to cultivate the soil where our plants 
are already growing. 

There is one feature attending organizing 
activities in the A. F. of T. that it seems worth- 
while to note, Apparently there are two. diver- 
gent ideas in practice in regard to soliciting 
membership. Some of the locals practice the 
labor injunction “Organize the craft,”, and 
make the effort to get all teachers into the 
union whether or not they subscribe to. all the 
ideas for which the union stands. Other locals 
apparently organize on the basis of “intellec- 


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THE AMERICAN TEACHER 5 


tual assent” to the principle for which the 
union stands. It may be profitable at some 
time in your deliberations to discuss the rel- 
ative values of these two practices. 

Another related point of policy that it may 
be well to bear in mind as we plan for ex- 
pansion is to what extent it is advisable that 
the organization accommodate itself to the 
thinking atmosphere of a major portion of the 
qualified teachers of the country. Will it 
render the greater service by leading the 


thought of so large a portion of the craft, or, 
can it be more useful by encompassing a\ 
smaller group and keeping far in advance of | 
the thought of the majority of the qualified 


members of the craft? 
The Bureau of Education 


The Education Week program adopted by 
the Ninth Convention was submitted to the 
Commissioner of Education. In September 
when he sent out copies of the bureau’s’ pro- 
gram under caption “Prepared by the United 
States Bureau of Education, the National Edu- 
cation Association and the American Legion 
under whose joint auspices the observance is 
held” the Executive Council protested the 
practice of a government bureau collaborating 
with any one or more non-government organ- 
izations to the exclusion of all other such or- 
ganizations having similar interests. We 
pointed out the unfairness as to publicity and 
the danger that the chosen ones might in time 
come-to be regarded as official. We were told 
that our program last year was too late for the 
material to be considered in making up the 
official program. 

Since the commissioner has announced re- 


cently the discontinuance of Education Week, 


so far as the bureau is concerned, it remains 
for the A. F. of T. to determine what course it 
shall pursue, if any, in furthering such a 
program. 





WASHINGTON OFFICE. 
' The report of the Washington Office in- 
cluded a report.on its legislative work, its 
research, and the general activities which the 
Office carries on in relation with other organ- 
izations. 





Legislation 

The status of each measure in which the 
organization is interested is briefly given 
below: 

Child Labor Amendment 

The American Federation of Teachers has 
continued its active support of this measure 
and each local is asked to provide time for 
the discussion of this question in at least three 
of its meetings during the coming year. The 
Washington Office will gladly send literature 
and suggestions on the Child Labor Amend- 
ment campaign, on request. 

Department of Education 

From the very conception of this idea the 
organization has. sponsored it, because it 
heartily approves of any carefully drawn pro- 
vision which would help promote education 
throughout the country. From time to time 
the organization has felt that certain wording 
in bills embodying this principle should be 
changed so as to afford the greatest possible 
good to the greatest possible number of com- 
munities and citizens. The American Fed- 
eration of Teachers continues to safeguard the 
principle of state autonomy in school admin- 
istration, and gives its support only to legisla- 
tion providing for the establishment of a 
Federal Department of Education which will 
in no way hamper the free and full exercise 
of state control of school administration. The 
organization will also use its utmost power to 
see that no legislation is enacted which would 
permit the misuse of educational machinery, 
allowing it to serve as a means of propaganda, 
particularly for military control. The value 
of the principle of the Curtis-Reed Bill was 
pointed out and the possibility of objection- 
able interpretation of the wording of certain 
features thereof; the dangers of the Phipps’ 
Bill, supposedly providing simply for the en- 
largement of the Bureau of Education but in 
reality giving power of administration in edu- 
cational matters to private and non-educa- 
tional organizations, was pointed out. It was 
recommended that the organization. continue 
to support the principle of the creation of a 
Federal Department. of Education for Re- 








THE AMERICAN TEACHER 


Legislation Limiting Academic Freedom 

Attention was called to the numerous at- 
tempts made by the Federal Government, state 
Governments, and local school authorities to 
curb academic freedom. The _ so-called 
Summers Amendment to the Appropriation 
Bill for the District of Columbia, which was 
one of the most glaring examples inhibiting 
academic freedom, was not enacted by the 
last Congress. The American Federation of 
Teachers was the organization largely re- 
sponsible for the defeat of this provision. 
Matters of Interest to the District of Columbia 

Inasmuch as the Federal Congress legislates 
for the city of Washington, attention was 
called to legislation of that city. During the 
last school year, there was enacted an equi- 
table Teachers’ Pension Law for the teachers 
of the Washington schools. The Teachers’ 
Union of Washington intends to seek to have 
introduced into the Federal Congress next 
year a bill providing for the granting of the 
sabbatical year to the teachers of Washington 
and support of the organization for this under- 
taking was asked. 

Educational Attachés 

In keeping with the instructions of the last 
Convention, the Washington Office drafted a 
Bill providing for the appointment of educa- 
tional attachés, and at the request of our 
organization, the Bill was introduced into 
Congress by Representative Henry Allen 
Cooper of Wisconsin. The organization was 
asked to extend its vote of thanks to Mr. 
Cooper for his interest in the Teachers’ Union 
and its projects, and to co-operate with the 
Washington Office in securing the enactment 
of a measure embodying the principles of the 
Cooper Bill. 

Welsh Bill 

The American Federation of Teachers ap- 
peared in the support of the Welsh Bill which 
provides that no government funds should be 
paid to an educational institution where mili- 
tary training is compulsory. The endorsement 
of the organization was asked for the Welsh 
Bill. 

RESEARCH 
This report was as of July Ist after the re- 


search work had been in operation for a period 
of six months, 
Teachers’ Councils 

A study of Teachers’ Councils in the United 
States had been made. The report is now 
being printed by the United States Bureau 
of Education. The study shows that of the 
140 cities replying to the questionnaire, 35 
stated that they have representative teachers’ 
councils; 27 have some medium enabling 
teachers to contribute to school administra- 
tion, and 74 have no organized medium 
through which the teacher may make his con- 
tribution to the administration of the school 
system ; 3 cities have discontinued the council, 
and in one, the Council is inactive. 

Teacher Load 

At the request of the American Federation 
of Teachers, the Bureau of Education is con- 
ducting an extensive study on the adminis- 
trative side of teacher load. As soon as the 
Bureau of Education has completed and made 
public its studies, the Teachers’ Union will 
make a study on teacher load in relation to 
extra curricula activities and incidental cleri- 
cal work. 

Fatigue in Relation to the School and 
School Work 

Practically no material is available on this 
subject and practically no research has been 
undertaken thereon. As a first step in -that 
direction, the American Federation of Teach- 
ers has asked the Bureau of Education to 
make a study of the physical conditions of 
the schools of this country. After all of these 
studies on teacher ‘load and physical conditions of 
the schools have been completed, the Wash- 
ington Office in co-operation with several con- 
sulting engineers will make a scientific inves- 
tigation of the causes and possible control of 
fatigue of both pupil and teacher in relation 
to the school environment. 


Elimination of Propaganda from the Schools . 


In view of the generally current statements 
that there is propaganda in our public schools, 
the Washington Office decided to collect as- 
sembly programs from all over the country 
and analyze them. As only 78 school pro- 
grams had been received up to July Ist, no 














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THE. AMERICAN TEACHER 7 


compilation or analysis of the date thereon 
contained is attempted. Locals and individual 
members were asked to co-operate with the 
Washington Office in securing for them the 
largest number of assembly programs. 

Attendance Laws in the United States 

At the request of the Committee on Edu- 
cation, the American Federation of Labor, a 
detailed analysis and compilation was made 
of the attendance laws, child labor laws, 
mothers’ pension laws (with the incidental ad- 
ministrative features attached thereto) and 
such other school legislation as is of immedi- 
ate and vital importance to educational 
progress in this country. The Washington 
Office reported that the American Federation 
of Labor is actively interesting itself in this 
subject and seeks to have formulated the fun- 
damental principles—minimum essentials—for 
school attendance legislation. Our organiza- 
tion is also asked to concern itself with the 
qualifications of attendance officers, inasmuch 
as no state at present has any statutory pro- 
visions for those qualifications. 

Textbooks 

At the request of the Committee on Edu- 
cation of the American Federation of Labor, 
a study was made on the textbooks in use 
in the social sciences in the public schools of 
this country. The study sought the name of 
the textbooks, the method of selection thereof, 
the personnel of the selecting body, and the 
official reason given for selecting a particular 
text. The Committee on Education of the 
American Federation of Labor has analyzed 
a large number of history textbooks and with 
the information compiled by the Research 
Bureau a full report has been made. 

Current Legislation 

The Washington Office is at present com- 
piling and analyzing all school legislation en- 
acted by state legislatures throughout the 
United States in the last ten years with a view 
to determining tendencies in educational leg- 
islation during that time. 2 

In accord with these and other bodies of 
citizens, the Federation was asked to support: 


1. The participation of the United States in inter- 
national conferences. 


2. The outlawry of war. . 

3. The publication of State Department reports. 

4. The extension of the Sheppard-Towner Infancy 
and Maternity Act. 


It was asked to oppose: 


1, The so-called Wadsworth-Garrett Amendment, 
to prohibit further amendment of the Constitution. 

2. The proposed Equal Rights Amendment which 
would eliminate special protective labor legislation 
for women. 

3. Legislation to abridge our civil liberties. 





Mr. William Green, president of the Amer- 


\i¢an Federation of Labor, sent this congratula- 


\tory message to Miss Mary C. Barker, presi- 
dent of the American Federation of Teachers, . 


at the tenth annual convention: 

Our American labor movement, which relies for 
sustained progress upon educational methods, has a 
very warm feeling for those educators who have allied 
their organization with that of labor. 

Labor has insisted upon equal educational oppor- 
tunities for all. To attain this end Labor was the 
chief advocate of a free public school system and 
feels a continuing responsibility to contribute to the 
development of better educational methods through- 
out this system. 

Our movement whose initial objective has been the 
making available to those who work for wages an 
agency through which they might share in the ma- 
terial progress of society and command opportunities 
for a larger life, has been steadily adding to its edu- 
cational purposes. We believe that education should 
be a continuous development of physical, mental 
and spiritual power through the ability to apply past 
experiences and information to bear upon situations 
in life. We seek growth in work, in the activity of 
the labor movement, in our social and civic relation- 
ship and in the duties of citizenship. 

We ate glad that the teachers, banded together in 


the Américan Federation of Labor, have cast in their — 


lot with us, for we believe the relationship will bring 
reciprocal benefits. Your counsel upon the technical 
problems of education and your co-operation in our 
workers’ education undertakings will be most wel- 
come. 

I congratulat:. you on the success of your conven- 
tion and wish you Godspeed in the coming year’s 
work. Service in the labor inovement demands detli- 
cation to high ideals of humanism and uridetstanding 
of the practical things of life. It requires bigness of 
‘vision, generous faith in humanity and self-discipline 
to carry out such policies as représent’ common 
counsel, 

—WM. GREEN, 
President, American Federation of Labor. 














On Being A “Joiner” 
‘By HAROLD M. GROVES 


University of Wisconsin, Local No. 35, 
Madison, Wis. 


A little less than a year ago we stepped 


into the office of Professor X and asked him | 


what he thought about joining the American 
Federation of Teachers. X is a professor in 
economics. He is an acknowledged liberal in 
his views, and very friendly toward organized 
labor. He replied to us something as follows: 
“I believe in the American Federation of 
Teachers. An organization among the rank 
and file of those engaged in educational work 
is necessary, both to maintain their standards 
of living and their standards of teaching. But 
I have never joined this organization and I 
advise you strongly against joining. I would 
no more think of joining the American Fed- 
eration of Labor than I would of becoming 
a member of the National Chamber of Com- 
merce or the Republican Party. I have never 
been a ‘joiner’. One of the first principles 
which one who is going in for an academic 
career, especially if the social sciences are 
his field, is to keep himself objective. I always 
state both sides of a proposition and never 
take sides on a controversial question in the 
class room. I could do no good to the cause 
of labor on the inside. Students and others 
would discount what I said in behalf of labor 
organizations with the thought, ‘Of course he 
thinks that way; he’s a member of the Ameri- 
can Federation of Labor; he’s biased’. On 
the outside, on the other hand, I can speak 
with authority. Employers and labor unions 
both seek my services as a mediator or 
arbitrator in their disputes. The importance 
of observing every appearance of fairness and 
objectivity can not be overemphasized.” 


Because we value X’s advice very highly, 


and. because we were contemplating academic 
careers in the social sciences and membership 
in the Teachers’ Federation, we thought this 
counsel oveft. very carefully. Certainly the 
_ issue raised by Professor X is one of vital 
importance to the American Federation of 
Teachers. If X is right and his views are 
accepted, it disqualifies a great many teachers, 


_ sonality. 


8 


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college, secondary, and elementary, from 
membership in the organization. Generally, 
too, those interested in the social sciences 
will furnish a rather large proportion of those 
interested in the Federation. We came to the 
conclusion that, though there is much to be 
said for X’s point of view, nevertheless, he 
was wrong. Here are the reasons for our 
decision : : 

In the first place it seems to us that the 
rule, “Never be a ‘Joiner’” unduly limits the 
possibilities for the development of one’s per- 
It would be well for one to some- 
times play the role of the advocate as well 
as that of the judge. To never actively take 
sides on any proposition in the class room 
or outside would tend to make one overly 
cautious. Also it would make one extremely 
academic. A fairly normal individual sacri- 
fices something when he makes up his mind 
to an academic career and decides to spend 
his life behind the sheltered walls of the 
college cloister. He has a self which craves 
to “get into the game” and do things. This 
self has to be somewhat inhibited at best. 
The rule we are contemplating would neces- 
sitate more inhibition. Aren’t people engaged 
in educational work too. academic already? Is 
it not because these people think too much 
and act too little that we have so many 
“ghosts teaching living men’? 

In the second place, and closely allied to 
the point just mentioned, is the fact that the 
no-joining rule would limit the usefulness and 
attractiveness of the. teaching profession. We 
are all familiar with the oft stated fact that 
we teach more by example than by precept. 
The kind of example which young people 
should have to follow is that of a man with 
strong convictions and willing to do all in his 
power to see them realized. Is there not after 
all too much objectivity in teaching? The 
great American sin of indifference is the one 
that needs to be attacked in our schools and 
cold objectivity in the teacher is certainly not 





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THE AMERICAN TEACHER 9 


its cure. The missionary type of teacher with 
burning zeal would be a better antidote. But, 
says someone, if we are to make idealists out 


of our children they will certainly be radical. . 


Well, supposing some of them are a little 
radical in their younger days? They'll get 
over it soon enough, won’t they, when they 
strike the great immovable lump of conserva- 
tism in the world outside? And if a few of 
them should accidentally keep a little desire 
to change things would it not be a good thing 


to leaven the huge loaf of those who are over- | 
come with intertia and would keep the old | 
. world exactly as it is? 


Perhaps, too, textbooks would not suffer 
from a little miore idealism in the authors. 
For example, because of the degire to be ex- 
tremely scientific and objective, economics, 
for a long time at least, was little more than 
a “cloistered scholastic exercise carried on for 
the amusement of its initiates.” Although 
social welfare has a somewhat larger place in 
its consideration than formerly, it could still 
stand considerable more development in its 
present direction. 

In the third place, if we were to follow X, 
great movements to improve the world would 
be . deprived. of valuable leadership.. The 
divorce between men of thought and men of 
action not only limits the vision of both and 
makes each the object of the other’s contempt, 
but it is bad for the conduct of the world’s 
affairs. The Wisconsin Idea, of which we 
have heard so much, was based upon the 
notion that the state’s legislators:and admin- 
istrators should seek the counsel of the state 
university and that the latter in turn should 
work out and promote a program for the 
state. To promote a program means to favor 
measures; this means to favor men; and this 
in turn means to favor parties. Of course, 
this would not mean that everyone in.a state 
university would need to agree. But everyone 
in the social sciences at least would be in- 
tersted in a program for the state and no one 
would be afraid to show his colors. 

In the fourth place, is one’s influence with 
either students or others much enhanced by 
the superficial appearance of objectivity? Isn’t 


the confidence which others put in one more 
a matter of one’s inherent fairness of mind, 
one’s willingness to present and to hear both 
sides of a proposition, one’s spirit of tolerance, 
and one’s saneness of judgment? Of course 
no one would advocate making the class room 
a medium for propaganda. But this does not 
preclude the teacher from warmly expressing 
his own views. And it certainly does not pre- 
clude him from championing and actively sup- 
porting outside the class room whatever cause 
he may choose. 


Now as for influence with employers and 
labor unions. We know of a professor who 
has never hesitated to join any cause and 
any party which he thought needed champion- 
ing. Yet he is so inherently fair in his point 
of view that both employers and unions con- 
stantly seek his advice. He is widely known 
as an exponent of trade unionism and col- 
lective bargaining. Yet when he served on a 
federal commission to investigate industrial 
relations some years ago he won the approval 
of employers as the fairest man on the com- 
mission. Nor did he'sacrifice at all the good 
will of labor to do it. Real objectivity and 


. fairness run much deeper than their superficial 


appearances. They are what count. 


If the above reasons are conclusive enough 
to justify a verdict against the principle of 
not being a “joiner,” the next question. to arise 
is: Would it not be-foolish, nevertheless, to 
join a body which is allied to the American 
Federation of Labor? Why go so far in 
taking sides upon controversial issues? The 
answering question is: Just.how far does one 
go, after all? When one joins the American 
Federation of Teachers does one subscribe to 
each and all of the tacti¢s of the American 
Federation of Labor, the strike, the boycott, 
the closed shop, perhaps. restriction of output, 
and all the rest? We in no way wish to dis- 
credit here anything for which the A. F. of L. 
stands. But we believe that in joining the 
Federation he need subscribe to none of these 
things. He need only subscribe to the view 
that any group of people with common inter- 
ests must act coliectively in order to make 
themselves articulate, and that teachers are no 








10 r THE AMERICAN TEACHER 


exception. In this age of combination and 
group action, this should have long since 
ceased to be controversial among intelligent 
people. Of course the Open Shop Review 
and similar fear-mongers, with each new local 
of teachers will shout, “Socialism in the 
schools again!” As a matter of fact and as 
the American Federation of Labor has fre- 
quently emphasized, the surest way and per- 
haps the only way to make the world safe 
for capitalism (and capitalism safe for the 
world) is for groups with common interests in 
industry and the professions to organize and 
put their own house in order so that the gov- 
ernment will keep out. 

All of which leads us to the conclusion that 
with all due respect for X, and a recognition 
that many sane and intelligent people will 
subscribe to his views on these matters, we 
can not agree with him. 





FRENCH TEACHERS AS TRADE UNIONISTS 





(From the International Federation of Trade Union 
Press Report) 

(I. F. T. Ui) At the time of the Pope’s War Re- 
construction of the French Trade Union, a large 
number of elementary teachers placed themselves on 
the side of the organized workers. In the year 1921, 
the National Union of Teachers affiliated with the 
Federation of Employees in the Public Services. The 
Teachers’ Congress of 1925 resolved that so far as 
possible every member of the Union of Teacliers 
should, before the date of the 1926 Congress, be in 
possession of a card of membership in the French 
National Trade Union Centre (C. G. T.) and thus to 
the tremendous propaganda effort of the National 
Committee, which, without disturbing existing rela- 
tions, did everything possible toward arousing the 
sense of class-consciousness and appreciation of work- 
ing class organization among teachers, complete suc- 
cess can be recorded. Ont of the hinety Departmental 
Sections, (including colonial sections) there is only 
onewhich does not report a total number of mem- 
bership cards of the C. G. T. equivalent to the 
membership strength. In addition four hundred and 
thirty-six cards were bought by the Section in 
Morocco, three hundred by the branches in Mar- 
tinique, and twenty in Indo-China. The total number 
of cards placed was sixty-four thousand and fifty. 
Although representation at this year’s Congress was 
made strictly dependent on membership of the C. G. 
T., only nineteen sections recorded a decrease in 
membership, and that slight. Thirty-six sections 
have sent their membership intact, and thirty-one 


recorded, increases. (Returns are still to come from 
eleven sections). The Teachers’ Union thus includes 
the majority of the elementary teachers in France, 
and is in a position to represent them in negotiation 
with the education authorities. In a large number 
of Departments, the Teachers’ Unions co-operate 
with the Trade Councils. 
A TEACHERS’ TRADE UNION 
INTERNATIONAL 








(From Press Reports of the International Federation 
of Trade Unions) 

(I. F. T. U.) On August Ist, delegates of teachers’ 
organizations met in Paris under the chairmanship of 
Sassenbach, Secretary of the I. F. T. U., the pro- 
motor of the meeting. The organization repre- 
sented were those which through their National Trade 
Union Centres, are affiliated with the I. F. T. U. 
Germany, France, Holland, Luxemburg, and Austria 
were represented. The conference discussed in detail 
the tasks and possible activities of a teachers’ trade 
union international and reached complete agreement. 
The following decision was unanimously voted: 

“The Conference recognizes the need for the 
teachers’ organizations belonging to Trade Union 
Centres affiliated with the I. F. T. U., to form an 
international organization. 

“The form to be taken by this international organ- 
ization shall be decided at a second Conference which 
is to meet in the Autumn. 

“The preparatory work for this further Conference 
is entrusted to a committee which shall prepare draft 
rules in accordance with the principles laid down 
above. 

“Only those organizations shall be invited to the 
second Conference which through their Trade -Union 
National Centres, are affiliated with the 1. F. T. U.” 

The proposed Conference is to take place on No- 
vember 27th, in Brussels. 





The American Federation of Labor asked the 
American Federation of Teachers to send material 
for use in the booth at the Sesqui-Centennial. We 
sent 1,000 copies each of our Constitution, Program 
of Action, and leaflets, and 50 each of the last three 
Bulletins. A second request has come, saying that 
they can use much more of our material at their 
booth. They say that “there are a number of teachers 
who come by the booth and all are ever so interested 
in the fact that there is a Teachers’ Union and want 
to know about it.” 





The outlook for the teacher organization movement 
is bright. Inquiries regarding the forming of locals 
come to the office almost daily. 

A number of communities were visited in August 
and labor bodies and teachers talked with. It is too 
soon for returns but there will be. 





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Platform of Principles for the Class Room Teachers 
Academic Freedom for Teachers and Pupils 


Last spring Local No. 3, Chicago Women, felt that sey sight pale a clearer insight into the real position of the 


teacher ormulating a set of professional principles out 
« Local be dea, a he brs stabecdenk oF principles, and requested that it be put 


turned into the 


proper activities and A committee 


S. 
before the National for 


discussion and improvement. This will be done by printing the various sections of the report im early issues of the 


American Teacher. . 


It is hoped that all the locals will make suggestions as to how this original statement may be improved so that 
a ~<a Fed set of principles may be worked out which would represent the mature thought of the American Federa- 
tion of Teachers. 


With the Public 


In the relations of teachers with the public, 


teachers should: 


1. Interest themselves in movements for 
public betterment and take a leading part in 
all activities for child welfare. 

2. Work actively with other civic groups 
to secure the nation-wide establishment of the 
proper, standards of public education, and 
hence equalize the educational opportunities 
for the children of all the people. 

3. Be alert, intelligent, impersonal students 
of local educational conditions and set forth 
their findings fearlessly and truthfully. In 
such reports they should project constructive 
policies for improvement rather than simply 
recite prevailing poor conditions. 

4. Experiment, study, and report upon 
educational experiments with scientific imper- 
sonality so that the public may come to depend 
upon them for thorough, unbiased: explana- 
tions of new educational theories and methods. 

5. Promote and perpetuate in the children 
under their charge the ideals of human rights 
and of human duties, and develop in them the 
ideal of a virile citizenship. 

6. Strive to understand and respect the 
ideals and activities of our foreign population 
and seek to retain such of those as would 
broaden and enrich the stream of American 
life. 

7. Help to awaken and influence public 
opinion as to the nature of good government 
and see it as 2 changing organism which tests 
and. conserves the good of the past, while try- 
ing out and adopting such new ideas as are 
for the benefit of the general public. 

8. Understand and accept the right of the 
public and of the parents in particular to a 
voice in the operation of the public schools. 
This right is naturally based on the admitted 


11 


power of the schools to modify social condi- 
tions, and on the fact that as vital and per- 
vasive a factor as public education calls for 
wise study by all intelligent citizens of the 
objectives of public education and for investi-— 
gation of actual results attained. | 

~9. Co-operate with the public in the joint 
task of building an intelligent humane school 
system and recognize the duty of the public to 
set up broad aims for the school, while the 
teachers in addition to making their own con- 
tributions to the setting up of these aims, con- 
cern themselves with selecting the ways and 
means by which these aims are to be worked 
out. These ways and means would include 
the. administration of the schools, the making 
of the course of study, the selection of texts 
and the determination of the. methods to be 
used. 

10. In all relations, exhibit an attitude of 
restraint and fairmindedness. - 

With Other Teachers 

In relation with other teachers, teachers 
should: a 

.l. Show a generous desire to discern what 
is good in their work and support it. 

2. Assist new teachers to understand the 
local situation ‘and demands, in order to 
achieve a uniform excellence of practice. 

3. Support each other in professional in- 
vestigation and constructive work. 

4. Refuse to underbid other teachers for 
positions, or to try to secure extra privileges 
for themselves in any way. 

To the Teaching Profession 

Teachers should: | 

1. Use every honorable 1.eans to uphold 
the dignity and honor of their vocation, and 
extend its\sphere of usefulness. 

2. Individually and in organized groups ex- 
tend and intrease professional training and 








12 THE AMERICAN TEACHER 


spirit until an experienced classroom teacher 
is regarded as an expert able to determine 
what he should do in his own profession. 

3. Resist the control of the schools by po- 
litical or other selfish interests. 


4. Be honest, loyal, and sincere in their 
work, disdaining to gain applause or prefer- 
ment on any ground but merit. 

5. Insist that no one be granted permission 
to teach who does not have excellent personal 
character and good training in the technique 
of education. 


6. Stand for tenure of office for teachers; 
such tenure to be terminated in particular 
cases only after trials openly conducted, in 
which incapacity or misconduct has been 
proved. 

7. Stand for such salary schedules as pro- 
vide a cultural wage, and attract to teaching 
the best of the young men and women in the 
colleges. 

8. Affiliate with teacher organizations and 
work collectively for the principles for which 
they stand. 

With Their Pupils 

In their relations with their pupils, teachers 
should: 

1. Regard the children under their care as 
organic entities who carry within them in- 
terests and qualities of widely divergent range 
and who should not be “factoryized” into 
standard human beings, but who should be 
encouraged to develop these diversities of na- 
tive endowment, in which lie possibilities for 
great enrichment of the individual and of the 
national life. The teacher’s ideal should be 
to understand the social, moral, physical and 
intellectual life of the pupils. 

2. Recognize that many children vary from 
normality, and endeavor. to secure intelligent 
sympathitic study of children so that all 
classes, from the super-natural to the sub- 
normal, shall be placed in the environment 
which will give their faculties the best scope. 

3. Criticize the conduct and work of pupils 
constructively and kindly. 

4. Have as the aim of the class work the 
development of sound judgment, the will to 
do right, and the acquisition of illuminating 


experience; not resourcefulness 
machine-made tests. 

5. Regard the child as the future citizen 
and worker, and lead him to gain a well- 
informed, well-balanced conception of the po- 
litical and economic environment of the mod- 
ern human being. 

6. Actively oppose the idea that the U. Se, 
the richest nation insthe world, shall make the 
cost in dollars the deciding factor in her main- 
tenance of public education. 

7. While supporting the good features of 
such educational activities as vocational guid- 
ance and intelligence testing, be on guard to 
see that these are not misused to serve selfish 
interests and to limit the opportunity of Ameri- 
can youth. 

8.: Allow pupils to participate in room and 
class activities to the degree in which such 
participation is constructive, thus vitalizing 
class room method, releasing energy, and lead- 
ing to positive personal achievement on the 
part of the pupil. 

With the Parents 

Teachers should: 

1. Recognize the right of the parents, both 
as parents and as citizens, to assist in de- 
termining the objectives of public education 
and their right to judge whether those ob- 
jectives are being realized in the lives of their 
children. 

2. Welcome special methods of contact be- 
tween parents and themselves; for example, 
Parent-Teacher Associations, visiting teachers, 
etc. 

3. Encourage the establishment of relations 
with the parents in which parents and teacher 
will grow to understand each other, in order 
that family and school life may co-operate 
helpfully in furthering the education of the 
individual children. 

4. Treat confidentially intimate knowledge 
of family life of pupils. (To be continued) 


in passing 





Congress has authorized and Secretary of the In- 
terior Work has called a Pan-Pacific Conference on 
Education, Rehabilitation, Reclamation and Recrea- 
tion, to be held at Honolulu, April 11-16, 1927. Na- 
tions bordering on the Pacific and those having 
territorial possessions in it will be asked to send 
representatives. 





Program for American Education Week 


The American Federation of Teachers has 
prepared a suggestive program for each day of 
American Education Week, November 7th to 
13th. A slogan is proposed for each day. 

The program and slogans are as follows: 


MORAL DEVELOPMENT DAY 

Sunday, November 7th—The Development of High 
Moral Standards Among all Men. 

1. The record of achievement in moral growth 
under freedom in America. 

2. Creative activity and self-direction in education 
in relation to character development. 

3. The release of the Creative Power of workers 
as the key to industrial ethics. { \ 

4. Social ideals as a power in individual and group 
conduct and in relations between the nations. 

Slogan: Freedom to Choose and Intelligence to 
Know the Right, Lead on to Character. 

AMERICAN TRADITIONS DAY 

Monday, November 8, American Traditions of 

Freedom 

1. Freedom of the Press; the Zenger case of 1734 
in which a printer of the Colony of New York won 
the freedom of the press for Colanial Americans. 

2. The Revolution—The Declaration of Indepen- 
dence; the influence of Thomas Jefferson; political 
freedom. 

3. Democracy; Lincoln’s First Inaugural Address; 
the Gettysburg Address; the Emancipation Procla- 
mation.” 

4. Freedom of speech. 

5. America establishes the principle of religious 
freedom to all (a) The Statute of Toleration of Mary- 
land, 1649; (b) Religious liberty in the colony of 
Pennsylvania, 1685; (c) Roger Williams in Rhode 
Island, 1636 (1663); (d) Thomas Jefferson in Vir- 
ginia (1777-78); (e) The First Amendment of the 
Constitution (1791). 

6. America, the Haven of Political and Religious 
Refugees. (a) The Pilgrims, 1620; (b) Louis Kos- 
suth, the President of the Hungarian Republic, 1848; 
(c) Refugees of the German liberal movement, 1848; 
(d) Russian refugees from religious pogroms, 1880- 
1904; (e) Cases of our governthent refusing to sur- 
render Russian refugees to Czar’s government; (f) 
Huguenots, Germans, Moravians of the 18th Cen- 
tury. : 

Slogan: America First in Freedom and Democracy. 
‘NATIONAL PROGRESS DAY 

Tuesday, November 9th—National Progress in 
Times of Peace. 

1..The Development of Agriculture. 

2. The Development of Industry. 

3. Transportation. 

4. Commerce. 

5. The development of public education, workers’ 
education and of general educational institutions; the 


part played by the labor movement and other or- 
ganized groups. 

6. The development of new world culture; liter- 
ature; philosophy, art, music, drama. 

7. The promotion of the national spirit through 
friendly relations with other countries—as advocated 
by Washington, Jay, Franklin, Jefferson. 

AMERICAN INSTITUTIONS DAY 

Wednesday, November 10th—American erceeeea ned 
Promoting Social Progress. 

1, Representative assemblies voicing the will of 
the people in community, state, and nation. (a) The 
Virginia House of Burgesses, 1619; (b) The estab- 
lishment of the principle of self-government through- 


. out America, about 1689. 


2. The Northwest 
versus imperialism. 

3. The Constitution; a government instituted by 
discussion, not by violence. 

4. The administration of Government; when car- 
ried on by honest, qualified and devoted officials in 
local, state and national branches. 

5. Voluntary associations on a community basis; 
community councils; city clubs, playground associa- 
tions, garden clubs, probation societies. 

6. Political organizations to proclaim political is- 
sues; political parties, old and new. 

7. Economic organizations operating in our indus- 
trial and commercial life; the American Federation of 
Labor and the railroad brotherhoods; U. S. Chamber 
of Commerce; manufacturers associations and farm 
organizations. 

8. The public school and other educational institu- 
tions. 

9. Federal, state and local courts. 

Slogan: The Will of the People, the Supreme Law. 

POLITICAL LIBERTY DAY 


Thursday, November 11th—The Extension of Po- 
litical Intelligence Among the People of the Nation. 

1. Town Meetings. - 

2. Free discusion of all political questions to pro- 
mote general understanding. 

3. Freedom of assemblage. 

4. Freedom for all political parties, 

5. Universal suffrage. 

6. The duty of the teachers and of all other citi- 
zens to encourage the discussion of political and 
social questions, subject to the guidance of sound 
educational principles. 

7. Freedom of the: radio. 

Slogan: No Progressive Government Without 
Ideas; No Progressive Ideas Without Freedom. 

SOCIAL JUSTICE DAY 


Friday, November 12th—Social Justice for All. 
1. Child Labor Law; compulsory education ; ju- 
venile courts. 
(Continued on page 22) 


Ordinance, 1787; statehood 


13 





14 THE AMERICAN TEACHER 








The American ‘Teacher 


Democracy in Education Education for Democracy 
Published monthly, except July and August, by 
THE AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS 
327 South La Salle Street, Chicago 
FLorence Curtis HANSON 
Sec.-Treas. and Editor 











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





Remittances should be made in postal money-order, 
express order, draft, stamps or check (Chicago ex- 
change). 


SUBSCRIPTION PRICE, ONE DOLLAR FOR THE 
YEAR—FOREIGN, $1.10—SINGLE COPIES, 15c 


cesta 406 


EDITORIALS 
The American Federation of Teachers is ad- 
vancing into its eleventh year with the same 
courage and high purpose of its first. Its pro- 
gram is unchanged in character but intensified 
in purpose. The new year opens another 














period of energetic effort to our members. We 


gtasp another glorious opportunity to promote 
the welfare of education and the cause of 
labor, to create true ideals of citizenship 
through the democratizing of the schools. 

Somebody once said that success comes to 
those who do well the things that are to be 
done at the right time. This applies to us. 
We must all get together to make this a year 
of opportunity for growth in a spiritual as well 
as a material way. We will forget the ob- 
stacles that have beset us but increase cur 
exertions and achieve higher and better things 
with faith in ourselves and organization.. 

A few practical suggestions: 

1. Co-operate in an intensive organization 
campaign. As a method of organization it is 
suggested that each local select a committee 
to visit before the first of November, some 
nearby town or city, within auto distance, we 
will say, to confer with the teachers of that 
community regarding organization, a place 
being selected in which there is already some 
acquaintance so that arrangements for a con- 
ference can be made by correspondence. Ask 
the national office for the necessary organiza- 
tion material. Your success in your first at- 


tempt will make you wish to try again. If 
your first attempt is not successful, it will 
make you more determined to succeed the next 
time. Watch over your offspring carefully to 
see that it keeps really alive and reaches a 
mature growth. This will be to you the great 
privilege of serving the cause in which you so 
thoroughly and sincerely believe. 

2. Keep in close touch with the national 
office. Have a correspondent who will write 
us regularly. 

3. Support your magazine by keeping us 
informed of local happenings and other educa- 
tional affairs, by contributing literary articles, 
and by securing subscriptions from non-mem- 
bers, teachers or others interested in education. 

4. Let us have the benefit of your citicisms 
and suggestions. Give us an opportunity to 
help and be helped. With your full co-opera- 
tion along these lines the American Federa- 
tion of Teachers can certainly maintain the 
reputation of which it is justly proud and make 
continuous progress and improvement in unity 
of purpose, organization and contribution to 
the cause of education, the teacher, and the 
child. 





ACADEMIC FREEDOM FOR TEACHERS 
AND PUPILS 

Especially in the Social and Natural Sciences 

(From the Program of Action, 1926, of the A. F. of T.) 

Most pertinent is the New Republic’s edi- 
torial (Sept. 15) entitled “Poisoning the Pie- 
rian Spring,” which aims to answer the ques- 
tion, Where do we stand today in regard to 
compulsions laid upon the teacher for political 
reasons? Says the editorial: 

Luckily, we do not need to resort to guess-work 
in answering this question. Dr. J. K. Flanders has 
written, and Teachers’ College; Columbia University, 
has published, a book entitled Legislative Control of 
the Elementary Curriculum, which shows the situa- 
tion in the various states in the year 1923 (the last 
for which complete records were available) and ten 
and twenty years previous. It is true, of course, that 
the elementary school is only one part of the educa- 
tional system; but we think our readers will agree 
that it is the most important part both quantitatively 
and qualitatively. In it are formed the first and 
therefore most vivid and ineradicable impressions. 
For many thousands it is the only contact with formal 
education. 

According to Dr. Flander’s findings the 





oer ee ee ee, ee, ee, ee, es 


— 


oO 


THE AMERICAN TEACHER 15 


number of “prescriptive” laws—including both 
things required and things prohibited—has al- 
most doubled in 20 years. Those on the con- 
servation of life and property have mounted 
from one to 43; those on health (including 
“prohibition”) from 102 to 171, while those 
prescribing precisely the tenets of “national- 
ism” to be taught have grown from 147 to 304. 


“Patriotism,” the teaching of which was compul- 
sory in only one state in 1913, was required by 
twelve in 1923—the result, of course, of the labors 
of the aforementioned professional 100 per centers 
Formal flag exercises were required in three states 
in 1903, and in ten in 1923. That instruction be 
carried on in the English language only was com- 
pulsory in fourteen states in 1903, and in thirty-four 
in 1923, all but three of the new laws having been 
passed since 1913. Alabama and Oklahoma divide 
the distinction of requiring that no other language 
shall be studied until after the sixth and eighth grades 
respectively. Several states still forbid the teaching 
of German, a lingering remnant of wartime hysteria. 


“That these laws have been passed largely 
through the efforts of ‘professional patriots,’ 
single or in groups is strongly suggested by 
the uniformity of wording. This flock of new 
laws is the result of systematic pressure ap- 
plied, usually on the nationwide scale, by per- 
sons intent on having their ideas adopted.” 

Dr. Flanders paints out that all these laws are at 
direct variance with the current tendency of the best 
educational thought of today. Curriculum making is 
now regarded as an expert science, and one which is 
constantly and necessarily changing: these laws take 
an increasingly large part of it out of the hands of 
the experts and leave it fixed immovable, the abiding 
work of always incompetent and often grossly ignor- 
ant men. Pedagogical theory now tends to make the 
child’s studies grow directly out of his own interests 
and activities: the legislative énactments dump down 
upon him studies which usually have no relation to 
his life. Indeed, this compulsory education is likely 
to be self-defeating in the fullest sense. As Doctor 
Flanders says of the now popular laws for Constitu- 
tion worship: 

“What effect does the teaching of a subject like the 
Constitution of the United States have upon an im- 
mature mind? Does it have the desired effect when 
one is forced to study it? What does it mean ‘to 
teach’. the Constitution? Has it been adequately 
taught when the child is able ‘to recite’ specific facts 


‘about it?” ; 


Probably it is true that much of this compulso 
study has an opposite effect from that intended. An 
anti-evolution law like that of Tennessee is sure to 
result in the “bootlegging” of books on science at 


least among the intelligent minority of the older 
students. Yet this fact should lull no lover of truth 
into any false security. When the 100 percenters 
have obtained everything they want—and they are 
rapidly reaching that goal—it will be their kind of 
world in which the child will grow up. He will get 
no chance to learn of anything different until it is, 
in most cases, too late. Germany under Bismarck 
is sufficient evidence as to the ease with which the 
mind of a nation may be regimented through skilful 
misuse of the state schools. 

Equally important in the long run is the effect_on 
the quality of the teaching. How can a self-respect- 
ing educator accept the status of a mere automaton 
parroting the words which politicians, at the order 
of propagandists, have put into his mouth? The 
answer is that he can’t; and if the present tendency 


_continues the best teachers will be increasingly likely 


to abandon their profession, and the best potential 
recruits will turn to other fields. Certainly, anyone 
who wants to see old-fashioned Americanism pre- 
served can find, in combating the tendency which 
Doctor Flanders has revealed, a field of usefulness 
fully worthy of his best efforts. 


Our Executive Council 


TABLOID BIOGRAPHIES 
PRESIDENT MARY C. BARKER 
Educated in the public schools and at Agnes Scott 
College. 
Taught in Atlanta schools for twenty years. 
Last four years principal John B. Gordon (ele- 
mentary) School. 
Officer of the Atlanta School Teachers’ Asgoci- 
ation. 
Represented Local 89 of the Teachers’ Association 
in the American Federation of Teachers. 
Three years Vice-President of the American Fed- 
eration of Teachers. 
Served as delegate to Atlanta Federation of Trades. 
Also served as delegate to Georgia Federation of 
Labor. 
President of the American Federation of Teachers. 
Sincere, earnest, devoted, capable. 





SECRETARY-TREASURE 
FLORENCE CURTIS HANSON 


Educated at Vassar College and University of 
Chicago. 

Taught in Chicago schools for twenty-one years. 

Teacher of History and Civics at Hyde Park High 
School, Chicago. 

President and Secretary of Chicago Federation of 
Women High School Teachers, Local No. 3, Ameri- 
can Federation of Teachers for past four years. 

President, High School Teachers’ Council. 

Delegate to American Federation of Teachers. 

Delegate to Illinois State Federation of Labor. 











16 THE AMERICAN TEACHER 


LEGISLATIVE REPRESENTATIVE 
SELMA BORCHARDT 

Educated Washington public schools, Syracuse 
University, John Hopkins and University of Chicago. 

Teacher Washington Public schools, Supervisor 
rural schools, Montgomery County, Md. 

Vice-president and legislative chairman Local No. 8. 

Delegate from Women’s Trade Union League to 
Washington Central Labor Union. 

Chairman Legislative Committee 
Women’s Trade Union League. 

Member Legislative Committee of the Washington 
Central Labor Union. 

Representative American Federation of Teachers 
on Women’s Joint Congressional Committee, on Na- 
tional Council for Prevention of War. 

Delegate American Federation of Teachers to 
World Federation of Education Associations, Edin- 
burgh, Scotland, in 1925. 

Vice-president American Federation of Teachers. 

Author many articles, educational and social. 

Enthusiastic, brilliant, wise and witty. 


Washington 





LUCIE W. ALLEN 

Educated in the grammar schools of Greencastle, 
Ind., and DePauw University. 

Teacher Lake View High School, Chicago. 

President Chicago Federation of Women High 
School Teachers 1920-1922. 

Delegate Chicago Federation of Labor. 

Delegate Illinois State Federation of Labor. 

Delegate Illinois Federation of Women’s Clubs. 

Member Women’s Trade Union League. 

Vice-President American Federation of Teachers 
since 1922. 

True as the needle to the pole. 





ABRAHAM LEFKOWITZ 





Teacher, editor, lecturer. 

Educated New York public schools, College of the 
City of New York and New York University. 

Legislative representative New York Teachers’ 
Union since 1917. 

Member Committee on Banking, New York Cen- 
tral Trades and Labor Council. 

Member advisory committee Manumit School. 

Member executive committee, Brookwood Labor 
College. 

Member national council Pioneer Youth of America. 

Vice President American Federation of Teachers 
since 1919. 

Leave it to Lefkowitz. 





A. J. MUSTE 
Educated in the public schools of Grand Rapids, 
Mich., Hope College, New Brunswick Theological 
Seminary, Union Theological Seminary, New York 
University, Columbia University. 


Clergyman in New York and Boston. 


Leader in Lawrence textile strike for 48-hour-week 


and in Paterson strike for 44-hour-week. 
Member Board of Editors of Labor Age and The 
World Tomorrow. 
Vice-President Pioneer Youth of America. 
Dean of faculty and instructor in history, Brook- 
wood Labor College, since 1921. 
Vice-President American Federation of Teachers, 
He has the vision and the force to make the 
vision a reality. © 
DR. HENRY R. LINVILLE 
Teacher and author. 
Educated University of Kansas and Harvard, 
First Vice-Chairman Manumit School. 
Vice-President American Federation of Teachers 
and President of Teachers’ Union of New York City 
since 1916. 
HENRY RICHARDSON LINVILLE 
Out of the child buoyant into youth, 
Then questioning youth’s roadway into man, 
He strove persistent on the paths where truth 
Summoned, though the steep approaches ran 
Through bane-weed or past fair, inviting dell. 
Precipitate, he stumbled; and they mocked 
Who measure merit by the wether-bell, 
Whose souls are supervised and are time-clocked 
To mute acceptance. Rising, he strode on 
With caution born of infinite despair 
And phoenix hope:—and every step he’s gone 
Comes nearer truth, to know life’s answer there. 


He seeks the child’s true birthright for the child, 
That now, preparing for the days to come, 

The ever future days, unreconciled 

To the always present, looks out with a numb 
Wonder at ways that wring it to the schemes 

Of a world it cannot grasp. Then his the plan 
To give the child its own life, its own dreams: 


From the childlike child shall rise the manly man. 


Democracy, that art thyself a child,— 
With a child’s eagerness and cruelty 
Of self-concern, tender and swift and wild: 
Only when thou shalt question shalt thou be 
Cured of the cankers earlier chains have scored, 
Ready to take the road that such as he 
Have beaten, and by the light their souls afford 
Move onward to a world made truly free. 

: —JOSEPH T. SHIPLEY. 





FLORENCE ROOD 

Miss Florence Rood has given a long term of 
valuable service to the American Federation of 
Teachers, to her local and to Labor. 

She has been on the Executive Board of the 
National continuously since the affiliation of her local. 
Her value to the organization, and the strength and 
charm of her personality was so strongly felt that 





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nn os = os 





THE AMERICAN TEACHER 


when Mr. Stillman resigned from the presidency in 
1923, there was no question. as to whose shoulders 
should receive the mantle. 

She served as National President of the American 
Federation of Teachers from 1923 to 1925 and was 
our delegate to the American Federation of Labor in 
1924. 

In St. Paul she serves the teachers of the city 
as the Secretary-Treasurer of the Teachers’ Retire- 
ment Fund Association. 

She has been Vice-President of the St. Paul Trades 
and Labor Assembly, and is the only woman who 
has ever presided at meetings of that body. She 
also edited for several years a column in the Minne- 
sota Union Advocate. 





E. E. SCHWARZTRAUBER 

Mr. E. E. Schwarztrauber is beginning his third 
year of service on the Executive Board. 

He represented his local and the far Northwest at 
the National convention of 1923 and left a lasting 
impression of ability, clear thinking and devotion. 

He was the delegate from the American Federation 
of Teachers to the convention of the American Fed- 
eration of Labor in 1923. 

The faith of his local in him is attested by, his 
oft repeated election to the presidency. 

Of equally great value to labor and to education 
has been his service to the Portland Labor College. 

He was a member of the first Executive Board to 
which the launching of the college was entrusted. 
He has repeatedly served as chairman of the Board 
of Directors of this very successful adult school. 

He is frequently called on to present the cause of 
labor, of the schools and of adult education to 
churches, educational and social organizations. He 
has conducted a department in the Oregon Labor 
Press, editing a column each week entitled Labor 
College Notes and Comments. 





CHARLES B. STILLMAN 

Charles B. Stillman, who has never failed the 
organization, who has dreamed when dreams seemed 
vain, who has achieved when accomplishment seemed 
impossible, who has maintained skillful leadership 
through thick and thin, and who has been able to 
harmonize widely divergent attitudes for the good 
of the organization. 

His services for the national organization repre- 
sent on a larger scale, the record he has made in 
his own local. As an organizer and long time 
president of the Chicago Federation of Men Teachers 
he built so well that recently he was unanimously 
drafted to serve again as president. He has led in 
the Chicago High School Teachers’ Council and the 
city-wide Schools’ Committee. ’ 

His record for the American Federation of Teach 
ers needs no review. Of the little group of creators, 
he served for years as president—a full time worker 


MTletrrTT AaTODICaAr’r TCA CLILCYdD 


conventions. 





17 


when possible and a part time worker when neces- 
sary. His continued membership on our Executive 
Board assures us of ripe judgment, sound counsel, 
and purposeful planning. 

In addition to teaching, Mr. Stillman is now 
occupying an important administrative position at 
the Lane Technical High School. 





MR. ED. L. SUTTON 


The tenth convention made few changes in the 
Executive Council, the committee in charge of nom- 
inations placing in nomination all the vice-presidents 
of the preceding year. At his own earnest request, 
however, Mr. Ed. L. Sutton of Atlanta was retired, 


\ and Mr. Scott, president of the Atlantic Local, suc- 


ceeded him, on the recommendation of the Atlanta 
delegation and by the vote of the convention. 

Mr. Sutton is a past-president of the Atlanta 
Public School Teachers’ Association which has a 
proud history of twenty years of growth and progress 
as a factor in the educational affairs of that city. 
He has attended the last three conventions of the 
American Federation of Teachers. 

With a long trade-union.experience, as a member 
of the Typographical Union, Mr. Sutton brought to 
the convention and to the Executive Council an 
understanding of the organized labor movement, 
both extraordinary and beneficial. Most of us af- 
filiated with labor after it had reached its present 
position of influence and strength. Mr. Sutton’s 
years of labor membership have spanned its period 
of struggle and development. He knows through 
what defeats has come whatever success Labor has 
attained. 

On many occasions the conventions have listened 
with pleasure to his delightful humor; with benefit 
to his words of wisdom. He has won the high 
esteem of the delegates as a man of fairness, poise 
and constructive ideas. He will be welcome at future 


(To be continued) 





THE ONE DAY INSTITUTE OF THE 
NATIONAL WOMEN’S TRADE 
UNION LEAGUE 





% 

The high spot of the tenth. Biennial Convention of 
the National Women’s Trade Union League, which 
took place in Kansas City, Missouri, the week of June 
28th, was the “One Day Institute on the Technique 
of Organization.” An entire day of the convention 
was devoted to a discussion of the problems of or- 
ganization, the first “seminar” ever conducted by a 
Labor Organization in America on Methods of Or- 
ganization. 7 — 

Just as the League had been the first Labor Or- 
ganization in America to found a Workers’ School, so 
it is now sensing the changes in social and industrial 
conditions which demand a different approach, a new 


19 





18 THE AMERICAN TEACHER 


technique. For years workers have had to organize 


their fellows as the immediate occasion demanded 


without special regard to technique. The “trial and’ 


error” method is, of course, the first stage in the de- 
velopment of any movement, but the time comes 
when it must give way to a more carefully-planned 
procedure, when successes of the past must be set 
down in writing as guides for like successes under 
similar conditions in the present. 

A new approach is necessary in the organization 
of workers, because industrial conditions and public 
opinion have undergone great changes. Organization 
can no longer depend upon the accidental emergence 
of an inspired leader. Woman’s economic status is 
also changing, and with it changing the whole psy- 
chology of women and girls. A new procedure is, 
therefore, particularly required in the unionizing of 
women workers, with which the National Women’s 
Trade Union League is especially concerned. 

It was with a deep consciousness of this pressing 
need that the One Day Institute was planned by the 
League. The first step was the appointment of a 
committe several months before the convention to 
collect the material and oytline the main subjects for 
discussion. Besides members of the League, there 
were represented on the committee such economic 
experts as Robert Bruere, A. J. Muste, David Saposs, 
E. C. Linderman, Ordway Twead and Evart C. Rout- 
zohn. 

‘A careful study was made by the 1926 students of 
the League school of the proceedings of thirty-three 
national and international Labor Conventions. It 
was found that only twenty-one of these thirty-three 
even mentioned the problem of Organization and that 
only fifteen of the twenty-one recognized the question 
of “Method”. or “Technique” as particularly vital or 
perplexing. The League was indeed entering a new 
and untried field. The material collected by the com- 
mittee was outlined to the delegates under the fol- 
lowing heads: 


The Questions Summarized 
In general: How can trade unions increase their 


membership particularly among women, and ac- 


complish their aims more effectively? 

1. What are the present difficulties in organiza- 
tion? 

2. What are the particular problems in organizing 
women? ; 

3. What are the most important methods of or- 
ganization? 

4. How can the individual worker be interested in 
membership? 

5. How can the work of organizers be made more 
effective? ‘ 

6. How can an employer be induced to give recog- 
nition to a union? 

7. What are the conditions in industry today 
which most vitally affect the program of trade 
unions? 


8 Are the aims and purposes of trade unions 
adequately stated today? 

9. Should the structure of trade unions be changed 
in order to accomplish their present purposes better? 

10. How much attention are unions giving to 
methods of organizati6én? 

11. How can public interest and confidence be 
secured? 

12. What steps shall be taken by the National 
Women’s Trade Union League to follow up the sug- 
gestions made in the Institute? 

The Institute from the very beginning bristled with 
lively discussion. Instead of an apathetic group lis- 
tening to a leader holding forth volubly on a pet 
hobby, the delegates drawing upon their varied ex- 
periences, made the day the most stimulating event of 
the week’s convention. It was not an occasion for 
vague vaporizings or arm-chair philosophizing, for 
these women, many of them, were not only working 
at their trades in mill and factory, but also experi- 
enced organizers. Nor did they try to “whitewash” 
their own mistakes or those of their fellow-workers. 
The spirit was that of “hewing to the line, letting 
the sparks fall where they may!” ‘ 


The difficulty of organizing women was laid partly 


at the door of union men because they had failed to 
bring home to their families the ideals of trade union- 
ism. The organized men in skilled occupations were 
severely criticized because they usually felt no re- 
sponsibility for organizing the unskilled women 
workers in the same industry. Union officials, like 
other “males of the species,” were said to be most 
reluctant to share the offices with women, even in 
occupations where a majority of the workers were 
women. The entire blame for the last offense was 
not placed on the men, however, as the women dele- 
gates admitted that women frequently shun the. re- 
sponsibility of holding office or taking part in union 
activities, 

The problem of the married woman in industry 
was most thoroughly discussed. The older women, 
it was found, who had worked for some time feared 
that they would lose their jobs if they joined a union. 
Women who have dependents, although they repre- 
sent the majority of women in industry, are likely to 
be giving so much thought to their households that 
they will not take part in union activities. 

The liveliest discussion, however, centered on the 
“Flapper.” The increasingly large number of young 
unmarried women in the industrial field and the grow- 
ing prepondetance of the modern frivolous type with 
the resultant heavy turnover was considered one of 
the most important problems affecting the future of 
trade union organizations. 

The more serious-minded delegates advocated the 
institution of lectures and courses of study which 
would imbue the young girls with the principles of 
trade unionism, whether they liked it or not, but the 
consensus of opinioti among the more experienced 





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THE AMERICAN TEACHER 


organizers was that it was best to meet the “flapper” 
on her own ground. Several delegates insisted that 
the younger workers were perfectly justified in their 
demand for a good time, a happier life; that the union 


ought to encourage this desire for a fuller life. It 


- meant, they declared, that industry had not entirely 
crushed the spontaneify of the woman worker. Miss 
Alexia Smith, one of the youngest organizers, and 
formerly a worker in a Maryland textile mill, gave 
an interesting “testimonial.” 


“IT guess I’m what you Northerners would call a 
Fundamentalist,” she declared. “I certainly wasn’t 
brought up to go to dances, but I have gone to two 
or three dances a night, four nights a week, in order 
to get the attention and interest of young flapper 
factory girls. Why I’ve even learned to Charleston!” 


The question of gaining for Organized Labor the 
confidence of the public and even of employers was 
discussed openly and with considerable difference of 
opinion. There were those who felt that their cause 
was just, that the workers must not waste time or 
energy on a “public” too indolent to become informed 
or on an employer too obdurate and self-centered to 
sée the cause of the workers. There were others 
who argued that in the long run the “public” vague 
entity though it be, is the final arbiter in all industrial 
disputes and that the workers must gain its good 
will; that all employers were not hopelessly recal- 
citrant and that they could be made to see that the 
policy of “guerrila warfare” was disastrous to all con- 
cerned. 


Many organization problems were discussed with 
much spirit and openness of mind. The committee, 
however, had gathered enough material for a week’s 
discussion so that no delegate or visitor got the feel- 
ing that the problem .of organization had been solved 
by the “One Day’s Institute.” The National 
Women’s Trade Union League feels that it has made 
only a beginning of a careful study of the problems 
of method, which will be taken up by the general 
Labor Movement. 


This fall each of the local leagues affiliated with the 
National will conduct a similar institute at its annual 
city or interstate conference. 


The “Institute Committee” will pool the contribu- 
tions of these conferences with the discussion which 
took place at the National Convention, organize the 
material and publish its findings in a pamphlet for 
distribution. 

The One Day’s Institute has focussed the attention 
of the labor movement of America on the problems 
of a new approach, which will doubtless. find expres- 
sion in an objective study of the problems of industry 
and in the substitution of a scientifically planned pro- 
cedure for the “trial and error” methods of the past. 

LILLIAN HERSTEIN, 
Chicago Federation of Women High School Teachers. 


19 


ILLINOIS STATE FEDERATION OF LABOR 
CONVENTION 





The 44th Annual Convention of the Illinois State 
Federation of Labor,was held at Streator, Ill, Sep- 


tember 13-September 18, with about 700 delegates 


present. The sessions were held in the auditorium of 
the Streator High School. Mr. James A. Meade, 
Chicago Federation of Men Teachers, Miss Lillian 
Herstein and Mrs. Florence Curtis Hanson, Chicago 
Federation of Women High School Teachers, were 
delegates. Mrs. Hanson was chairman of the Com- 
mittee on Schools. 

Much emphasis was placed during the entire con- 
vention on the subject of Education. Robert C. 
Moore, secretary of the Illinois State Federation of 
Teachers, spoke eloquently and effectively on the 
equalization of educational opportunity. Mr. Moore’s 
talk was illustrated with graphs and charts and he 
certainly got his message across. This clear and care- 
ful statement resulted in the adoption of the follow- 
ing resolution: 

“Resolved, that we recommend and insist upon 
liberal increases in the state school fund appropriated 
by our General Assembly, and that such fund be 
apportioned to the schools primarily for the purpose 
of promoting one of the fundamental principles and 
purposes of democracy, the equalization of educational 
oportunity; and be it 

“Resolved, that we call upon the State Department 
of Finance to include an adequate increase in the 
state school fund in the State Budget prepared for 
the 55th General Assembly, that we support bills pro- 
viding for an adequate increase and for a proper ap- 
portionment, and that we urge the Governor, the 
Superintendent of Public Instruction and the Director 
of the Department of Registration and Education to 
endorse and aid our efforts to bring about the en- 
actment of such bills.” 

The convention adopted the Chicago slogan, “No 
High School of More Than 2,000 Pupils” and a legis- 
lative program for equitable, productive, and rigidly 
enforced tax laws, for tax amendment to the Con- 
sitution, for larger territorial units for taxation and 
administration, for special schools for the handi- 
capped, and for improvement in the ability, efficiency 
and permanency of the teaching force. 

The Committee on Schools recommended an inten- 
sive campaign for the organization of teachers in 


‘Illinois. The Chairman spoke to the motion as 


follows: 

“The organized teachersware very grateful to the 
Illinois State Federation of Labor for all that has 
been done so loyally, devotedly and continuously in 
the support of teachers’ organizations, against which 
there are so many obstacles. 

“Your committee believes that the time is ripe for 
the Illinois State Federation of Labor to support ac- 
tively the teachers’ organization movement. We 











20 THE AMERICAN TEACHER 


recommend that the State Federation of Labor con- 
tinue its efforts for the organization of teachers. 

“The American Federation of Teachers, of which 
I have the honor to be the Secretary-Treasurer, is an 
organization of class room teachers affiliated with the 
American Federation of Labor. It is therefore an 
educational organization and a trade union. Its pur- 
poses are two-fold, to work for educational improve- 
ment and to work in the labor movement. You will 
agree, I am sure, with the preamble of our constitu- 
tion, which is as follows: 

“We believe in democracy, and in the schools as 
the chief agency of democracy. 

“We believe that the schools have failed of their 
fullest attainment because of undemocratic adminis- 
tration, adherence to tradition, and lack of responsive- 
ness to the needs of the community; and that the 
remedy the teachers must find that remedy, if it is to 
be found. 

“We believe that servility breeds servility, and that 
if the schools are to produce free, unafraid men and 
women, American citizens of the highest type, the 
teachers must live and work in an atmosphere of 
freedom and self-respect. 

“We believe that the teacher is one of the most 
highly productive of workers, and that the best inter- 
ests of the schools and of the people demand an in- 
timate contact and an effective co-operation between 
the teachers and the other workers of the community 
—upon whom the future of democracy must depend. 

“I want to read a letter from one of the great men 
of the University of Chicago, who says: 

“*T think the organization of teachers into compact 
bodies is a natural and essential part of our evolution 
and these organizations seek to raise the level of ef- 
ficiency and morale among the teachers as they also 
seek always to improve the economic status of the 
teaching profession, a profession none too highly 
prized in this country of ours.. Nor do these organ- 
izations cease at that point. They seek the benefit 
of the students under them, a better attitude of par- 
ents toward education and a clearer conception of the 
meaning of freedom of teaching. I therefore wish 
them all success. 

“Tt would not be to my purpose to speak on this 
subject in such positive language if the business men 
of this country had not long ago organized every im- 
portant business except farming in so compact a way 
that all others must organize for self-protection. It 
was the business of a democratic state to prevent 
the various organizations or to render such organiza- 
tions unnecessary by its conduct of affairs; but the 
democratic state failed and we are in the midst of a 
rising feudalism in which every man has his place 
and must seek to protect himself in it. 

“‘WLILIAM E. DODD, 
“University of Chicago.’ 

“The teachers that belong to the American Federa- 

tion of Teachers recognize the fact that the labor 


movement is the biggest thing in the world today, 
and they want to be in that movement. They want 
to do everything that they can to promote the labor 
movement as well as to have the people in the labor 
movement do everything that they can to help the 
teachers. They want you to recognize that it is a 
matter of self preservation for you. When you cast 
about for reasons for lack of growth and lack of 
sympathy in the trade union movement, put well up 
on your list that the children are taught by non-union 
teachers who are teaching them non-union principles. 

“Many a father has said to me, ‘My son or my 
daughter sneers at the trade union,’ and I reply, ‘Why 
not? Wasn’t he taught in the school by an opponent 
to the trade union?’ If the labor movement is going 
to be what it should be, we must organize the 
teachers. If the teachers are to be what they should 
be, we must organize them. It cannot be done in a 
day, but it can be done if we work together. 

“T have heard a great deal this afternoon about the 
union label. I wish you would add to your slogan of 
‘No goods unless union made,’ ‘No teachers for our 
children unless they are union teachers.’” 

President Walker and Secretary Olander endorsed 
the recommendation and the convention pledged 
themselves to the campaign. 

The meeting was inspiring and helpful. Much is 
expected as a result and under the capable leadership 
which the Illinois State Federation of Labor has, the 
expectations cannot but be realized, 





MRS. HANSON AT THE AMPLIFIER 





The Federation News thus summarizes a talk re- 
cently given by Mrs. Florence Hanson, Secretary- 
Treasurer of the American Federation of Teachers. 
It was broadcasted from WCFL (The Chicago 
Federation of Labor) station. 

“The aims and achiévements of the American Fed- 
eration of Teachers, the reforms realized because 
of the activities of this organization with the aid of 
the general labor movement, and the manifest ad- 
vantages realized because of solidarity, were brought 
to the attention of the public by Mrs. Florence Curtis 
Hanson, Secretary-Treasurer of that organization 
recently in a well conceived review that also covered 
the needs of the schools. 

“Mrs. Hanson covered many points not known by 
the general public. She spoke of the teachers’ labor 
affiliations and the resultant advantages gained. She 
told how organization won recognition for the 
teachers. She emphasized that schools today fail to 
respond to public needs and that teachers must live 
in an atmosphere of freedom and self-respect. She 
viewed the objects of the organization and its con- 
structive program of action. She laid stress upon the 
teachers’ successful fight to collect delinquent taxes. 
And she finally urged that every effort be made for a 
greater organization of teachers to bring forth also 








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Om? at aoe 





THE AMERICAN TEACHER 21 


the intellectual, spiritual and moral values rather than 
the material ones.’ 

For the edification of those who need the reminder 
—and who does not?—we quote the excerpts from 
our constitution and program of action to which Mrs. 
Hanson gave publicity: 

“The objects of this organization shall be: 

“1. To bring associations of teachers into relations 
of mutual assistance and co-operation. _ 

“2. To obtain for them all the rights to which they 
are entitled. — 

“3. To raise the standards of the teaching pro- 
fession by securing the conditions essential to the best 
professional service. 


“4. To promote such a democratization of the | 


‘ 


schools as will enable them better to equip their 
pupils to take their places in the industrial, social and 
political life of the community.” 

The Program of Action for 1926: 

“1. The normal five-hour day in the public schools. 

“2. The single salary schedule for those having 
equal experience, preparation and other qualifications. 

“3. The sabbatical leave with adequate tompensa- 
tion, automatically operative in order of application. 

“4. Academic freedom for teachers and pupils, es- 
pecially in the social and natural sciences. 

“5. A cultural wage with annual automatic incre- 
ments. 

“6. Payment for absence due to illness, quarantine, 
or death in the immediate family. 

“7. The abolition of the rating system to be re- 
placed by iritelligent co-operative supervision. 

“8. A pension after 30 years’ service, sufficient to 
maintain the teachers’ standard of living. 

“9. A maximum of 1,500 pupils to a building, a 
maximum of 30 pupils to a class. 

“10. School buildings that are comfortable, safe, 
sanitary and well equipped, retaining an ree 
of friendliness and non-institutionalism. 

“11. Teachers’ Councils, controlled by the idiniliaire 
and participating in the determination of educational 
policies. 

“12. Democratic trial, ‘appeal ‘gallly and educa- 
tional boards, including, among others, representa- 
tives of the teaching staff and organized labor. 

“13. Teacher tenure. 

“14. Application to the public schools of the most 
modern methods developed in the field of experi- 
mental edtttation. 

“15. Elective boards of education possesing finan- 
cial’ independence and having ‘teacher and labor 
representation. ad 

“16. Equal educational opportunity for all without 
disctimination on account of race, religion or social 
status,” ‘ 

Then followed the names of the officers and the 
executive board. She closed with a word about the 
Chicago locals and their prosecution of tax delin- 
quents. 


“THE PRACTICE OF TEACHING IN THE 
SECONDARY SCHOOL.” By H. C. Morrison, 
Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1926. 
Pp. 653. $4.00. 

' Reviewed by Nell W. Peterson 

Here is a book that éducators must weigh care- 
fully, for itis trying to give a method of pedagogical 
thinking which may in time enable teachers to de- 
velop a new and better kind of education. 

Back of its theory there is experience gained in the 
Laboratory Schools of the University of Chicago, 
where each step of the proposed method "has been 
tried. If results obtained there could be duplicated 
throughout the country, the average citizen would 
probably be delighted. Moreover, granted that tax- 
payers can be persuaded to finance any effective sys- 
tem of schools, the one suggested is feasible. It is 
not like some attractive plans built around a charming 
personality and dependent upon his presence for 
success. Rather it represents the co-operation of in- 
telligent men and women who have devised ways of 
giving systematically and on a large scale such 
guidance of individual students as could be given in 
old times by the best village schoolmasters. The re- 
sulting school is one which could in time be repro- 
duced, even in the large cities by the sort of men and 
women who are now teaching. 

For that reason those who are not satisfied’ with 
the way of thinking about education advocated by 
Mr. Morrison must read his book thoughtfully. Af- 
ter doing so, many will be convinced that even under 
the ideal conditions courageously demanded the 
method would be more apt to produce citizens fit to 
live happily in the world as it is than to create a 
new society of changed purposes and desires. These 
critics cannot oppose the plan on the ground that it 
is too expensive to be put in operation in public 
schools, for they will agree with the author’s con- 
tention that genuinely effective schools will always “in 
their products pay the bill and some over.” Nor can 
this group accomplish much by destructive criticism 
alone. If they are th make their dreams come true, 
they must first set up a method of thinking and then 
develop appropriate and practical operative and ad- 
ministrative technique; for it is not possible to oppose 
a substantial reality with a vision. If the challenge 
of “The Practice of Teaching” rouses ‘a contradictory 
intelligence to this effort, its publication may be 
epoch-making. 

Meanwhile during this time of changing standards 
a loyal acceptance of the theory underlying this book, 
or of some better theory, will enable educators to use 
their force constructively. Perversions of any prin- 
ciple will occur while it is being worked out in a 
new environment. Morrison says, “Pedagogical his- 
tory is full of the wreckage of method, in itself sound 
and good, picked up and put in practice in an apish 


‘sort of way by enthusiastic men eager to be in peda- 


gogical style.” 








22 THE AMERICAN TEACHER 


Already one can point out abundant instances of 
such unwise applications of the theories contained in 
“The Practice of Teaching.” The author strongly 
urges the substitution of sympathetic supervision for 
rating of teachers. Yet many teachers who are in 
systems where rating for promotional credit is a 
reality, have had their first introduction to the book 
by being informed that some unknown “attention ex- 
pert” has assigned them a grade of 50 or 98, as the 
case may be by using Morrison’s group attention 
test. Others who have long realized the importance 
of mastery teaching for each individual child are in- 
expressibly shocked by orders to promote or demote 
children merely to save money or to fill each seat in 
the room. If we can remember that where old pro- 
motional methods are being discredited and new ones 
are not in existence such evils are inevitable, we may 
turn what might be futile despair into an effort to 
work out new and convincing ways of measuring 
pupil progress. 

Finally, people who have worked devotedly, and 
with a measure of success, to secure real education 
under the old system are being overwhelmed by im- 
possible classes of forty or forty-five on the theory 
that “a school which handles its program on a daily 
lesson basis * * * should be able to handle one size 
class about as well as another.” Yet Mr. Morrison’s 
statement must surely mean simply this: That a fight 
for small classes will not in itself give us what. we 
want, while the widespread acceptance of true educa- 
tional standards will ultimately bring both small 
classes and an opportunity to do real teaching. At 
any rate one can scarcely read his book without being 
convinced anew that lasting results may be attained 
only by people who are willing to work untiringly 
at the task of converting their desires into intelligence 
and revising them “in terms of the ways and means 
which nature makes possible.” 


Suggested Books 

“The Normal Mind,” by William H. Burnham. D. 
Appleton & Co. Pp. 686. $3.50 

“The American Public School,” by John L. Horn. 
The. Century Co. Pp. 404. $2.00. 

“The Education of Exceptional Children,” by John 
L. Horn. The Century Co. Pp. 342. $2.00. 

“The Growth of the Mind,” by Kurt Koffka. Har- 
court, Brace and Co. Pp. 356. $4.50. 





CHILD LABOR AMENDMENT 





One of the best outlines for group discussions on 
the Child Labor Amendment has been prepared by 
the Y. W. C. A. Inasmuch.as the ratification of the 
Child Labor Amendment is the most important legis- 
lative question confronting us, such material as the 
Y. W. C. A.’s Child Labor Discussion Plans are of 
particular interest and value to us. 


ian. Lal 
© b 


“Washington, D. C.—In a letter to city central 
bodies, President Green suggests the formation of 
speakers’ classes to train workers to explain the need 
for federal regulation of child labor. 

“He says there has been a general relaxation in 
the control of child labor since the child labor amend- 
ment was temporarily blocked. President Green will 
furnish literature and detailed information to meet the 
problems of each locality. 

“*The need of educating public opinion on the 
subject of child labor is made increasingly evident by 
recent investigation, he said. ‘The 1920 census 
showed that over 1,000,000 children between 10 and 
15 years of age were employed in industry and agri- 
culture, and studies since then have shown that in 
Jersey City, last year, 1,000 children were doing 
sweatshop labor in their homes. Most of these chil- 
dren were under 14 years old, and many of them 6 
and 7, and even 5 years. 

“‘The oyster and shrimp canneries of the south 
depend on young children. They are more active 
than their elders and can be hired for a very small 
wage. In every one of the 37 canneries visited viola- 
tions of the law were found, even in states which had 
relatively high child labor standards. Scores of cases 
like these could be cited.’ 





(Continued from page. 13) 

2. Social and equitable apportionment of public 
money; adequate school appropriations. 

3. Justice for the alien; justice for all races, po- 
litical, economic, social. 

4. Tendencies making for improved industrial re- 
lations; collective bargaining, shop committees, union- 
management co-operation, viz., railroads; mediation 
and arbitration. 

5. Public regulation of railways and other utilities. 

6.- Mothers’ pension and workmen’s conipensation 
legislation. 

7. Conservation of forest, mineral and power re- 
sources of the nation. 

Slogan: There shall be no Exploitation in America, 
—neither of Men, Women nor Children. 

PUBLIC HEALTH DAY 

Saturday, November 13th—Public Health—The 
Guarantee of the Strength of the Nation. 

1. Physical education. 

2. The triumphs of sanitation and preventive 
medicine. Heroes of peace: Koch» Bister, Pasteur, 
Metchnikoff, Gorgas, , Lazear, Curie, Noguchi. 

3. Play and leisure in relation to public health. 

4. The socialization of health protection; value of 
medical research institutions. 

5.. Disease no respecter of national boundaries; the 
necessity for international relations. 

6. The study of race improvement. 

7. National, state and municipal park systems and 
regional planning. wut, 

Slogan: Sound Bodies for the Service of Mankind. 


\ eS 








THE AMERICAN TEACHER 


RETRENCHMENT 

At the time we went to press, the Chicago Federa- 
tion of Men Teachers, Local No. 2, was about to hold 
a conference with Assistant Superintendent Bogan 
on the School Board’s policy of retrenchment in the 
public high schools by eliminating techriical courses. 
For days the papers had been announcing “protests 
of teachers and principals” and mass meetings of 
pupils, 

James Mullenbach, a board member, suggested to 
a conference of superintendents and board members 
that it would be wiser to leave the school system 
intact without disturbing all that had been built up 
through the years and close the schools for a month 
to permit the board to recoup. He said the parents 
would realize just as well by that means that the 
schools were hard pressed and would vote for a tax 
increase. 


AT THE CHICAGO FEDERATION OF LABOR 
Miss Lillian Hirstein, delegate of the Chicago Fed- 
eration of Women High School Teachers at the Chi- 
cago Federation of Labor, was elected to the Legis- 
lative Committee by that body on Sept. 19. 
Chairman Fitzpatrick introduced Mrs. Florence 
Curtis Hanson with the remark that he felt it was a 
signal honor that a former delegate to the Chicago 
Federation of Labor should have been elected as 
General Secretary of her national organization, name- 
ly, the American Federation of High School Teachers. 
Mrs. Hanson is the third woman in the American 
trade union movement, to be elected to an office of 
this kind. Mrs. Hansén made the statement that the 
High School Teachers Federation is an organization 
of class-room teachers, affiliated with the American 
Federation of Labor, and that this organization is 


therefore a national educational and a national labor . 


movement, their purpose being two-fold, that is, to 
work for educational improvement and to work in 
the labor movement. 
ST. PAUL 

The Federation of Women Teachers, St. Paul, 
Minn., has issued a very attractive booklet inviting 
the St. Paul teachers to take advantage of their op- 
portunity and join the Federation. All colors and 
déesigns of paper were used so that a package made a 
rainbow. Thé booklet has the advantage of being 
brief but it tells a great deal in three small pages, 
what the organization is, the dues, the club room, 
Sunday evening teas, sick benefits, Health and Acci- 
dent Insurance, Credit Union, Fellowship. It is a 
marvel that so much could be condensed into so small 
a space. It is hard to offer something new in the 
line of publicity, but the St. Paul Women have ac- 
complished it 


PORTLAND LOCAL 
The Teachers to Elect a New Head 

The Portland Teachers Union last Saturday accept- 
ed the resignation of E. E. Schwarztrauber, as presi- 
dent and will elect his successor at the October 
meeting. Hilma Anderson of Lincoln High School, 
and William Kletzer of Benson Polytechnic, have 
been nominated for the position. 


Mr. Schwarztrauber desired to be relieved from the 
duties incident to the presidency to give more time to 
organization. The local union has created the office 
of organizer to which it is expected Schwarztrauber 
will be elected. He is a vice-president of the Amer- 


ican Federation of Teachers. 
\ 


\ MANUMIT LOCAL No. 191 


The annua! meeting and conference of the Manumit 
Associates was held on Saturday and Sunday, Sep- 
tember 18th and.19th, at Manumit School, Pawling, 
N. Y. 

Friends of Manumit School, those vitally interested 
in the new educational procedure, and its place in the 
Labor Movement and its ultimate effect on future 
groups, besides the members of the Manumit Asso- 
ciates, took part in the discusison. The Manumit 
Associates is a group of labor men and women edu- 
cators and others participating in movements for 
social reconstruction, organized to maintain and di- 
rect the work of Manumit. There were four sessions; 
the first one beginning at four-thirty on Saturday 
afternoon. The discussions were devoted chiefly to 
the Past, Present and Future of Manumit. 

The program consisted of the following: Manumit 
Ideals and the Measure of their Attainment, by Sarah 
N. Cleghorn, Margery N. Wilson, and Sidney Hen- 
derson, Faculty Members. ~An Outlook Upon the 
Possible Future of Manumit, by William W. Biddle 
of the Faculty. The Procedures of the New Educa- 
tion and their Possible Influence on the- Public 
Schools, Henry R. Linville, Co- Director, Plans for 
the Development and Maintenance of the school. 





THE SANCTITY OF WORK 


All true work is sacred; in all true werk were it 
but true hand labor, there is something of divineness. 
Labor, wide as the earth, has its summit in heaven. 
Sweat of the brow, and up from that to sweat of 
the brain, sweat of the heart; which includes all 


- Kepler calculations, Newton meditations, all sciences, 
-all spoken epics, all acted heroisms, martyrdoms— 


up to that “agony of bloody sweat,” which all men 
have called divine. . . . Look up my wearied brother; 
surviving there, they alone surviving; sacred band of 
the immortals, celestial bodyguard of mankind. Labor, 
fact indubitable. No man can roof his house with 
clouds and moonshine, so as to turn the rain from 
him.—Thontas Carlyle. : 





particular interest and value to us. Slogan: Sound Bodies tor the service Of Manned. 


THE AMERICAN TEACHER 








American Federatio 
of 3 


Teachers 
327 S. La Salle Street 
CHICAGO, ILL. 


Affiliated with the American Federation of Labor 
Organized April 15, 1916 
BP 406 


The American Federation of Teachers desires to establish an 
intimate contact and an effective cooperation between the teachers 
and the other workers of the community. 


- The American Federation of Teachers desires to cooperate with 
all civic organizations for improved civic life. 


Groups of seven or more public school teachers are invited to 
affiliate with this National Organization of Classroom Teachers, - 
for mutual assistance, improved professional standards and the 


democratization of the schools. 


Our Slogan Is: 


Democracy in Education: Education for Democracy. 


“The American Teacher” is published monthly ‘by the Ameri- . - 
can Federation of Teachers. Membership dues carry subscription — 
to the magazine. To all others the subscription price is $1.00 per 


year, 15 cénts per copy. 
4