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MARCH, 1929 VOL. XIII—No. 7 


Democracy in Education Education for Democracy 


The e 
American Teacher 


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Organization of Teachers in Mexico 


Morris Savage 


A Community Where Teachers Rule 
William Cunningham 


William Green 


Editorials 


John H. Walker 


Books 





W. F. E. A. Conference Program__- 


i a a eae 


CONTENTS 


Resolutions, A. F. of L. Convention ...-------~~~- 


The Farmer and Wage Worker ~----------------- 





Lincoln’s Analysis of the Relative Importance of the 
Producing Factors in Industry__._.__.___---- 














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Volume XIII., No. 7 


MARCH,’ 1929 


Two Dollars a Year 





Organization of Teachers in Mexico 


Do the teachers in Mexico have a class room 
teachers’ organization? An answer in the affirma- 
tive was given to me by Signor Vicente’ Lombardo 
Toledano, the Secretary General of the Mexican 
Teachers’ Union. I had the honor to spend a few 
pleasant hours with Signor Lombardo, also known 


Trouble was then encountered in the Federal Dis- 
trict. The final outcome of the several local strifes 
was the organization of one big national progressive 
union, called Federacion Nacional de Maestros, di- 
rectly affiliated with the C. R. O. M. The con- 
servative teachers’ organizations which existed be- 


as the “Young Intel- 
lectual,” who gave me 
some information about 
this organization, 

Prior to the existence 
of the Union, conditions 
in the educational sys- 
tems of the Republic of 
Mexico were far from 
adequate for 
In some places, they were 
quite miserable. The 
first conflict took place 
in the State of Vera 
Cruz, where the teachers 
struggled for better con- 
ditions. The strife was 
of considerable hardship, 
as the teachers were Con- 
fronted with a law pro- 
hibiting a union of 
public employees, Under 
the leadership of the C 
R. O. M. (Confedera- 
cion Regional Obrera 
Mexicana), the Mexican 
Federation of Labor, the 


teachers were finally successful in repealing that law 





teachers. 





Samuel Gompers Memorial 


In accord with the action of the New Or- 
leans convention of the American Federation of 
Labor in November which authorized the for- 
mal appeal of furids for this purpose in January, 
1929, the month of our distinguished and rev- 
eréd leader’s birth, the Congress of the United 
States has passed appropriate legislation grant- 
ing permission to place this monument on gov- 
ernment property near the American Federation 
of Labor Building in the City of Washington. 

It is planned to begin the erection of the 
monument at the earliest possible date and to 
carry it forward to completion as quickly as 
possible. It is hoped that the response to the 
appeal will be liberal and a true expression of 
the appreciation of the invaluable service to the 


cause of labor and all humanity rendered by © 


this great man. 

Send all money contributed to Frank Morri- 
son, Secretary, American Federation of Labor 
Building, Washington, D. C. 








as an increase in the latter. 


fore the Revolutionary 
period do not exist any 
longer. 

In only about one year 
(1927), the Union suc- 
ceeded in acquiring - a 
membership of about 
15,000 comprising about 
sixty organizations. This 
number represents a very 
high ratio, as the total 
number of teachers in 
Mexico is estimated to be 
only about 50,000. The 
dues amount to 1-2 per 
cent of the wages. 

Procuring of numbers, 
however, is not the only 
achievement the Union 
is boasting of. The large 
membership brought 
with it also gains in the 
economic field. The 
Union won in many 
states a salary schedule 
equal to that paid in the 
Federal. District, as well 

And it was no easy 


not only in Vera Cruz, but throughout the Republic. 
That was the foundation of the movement. 
TEACHERS AFFILIATE WitH C. R. O. M. 

The next conflict took place in the State of 
Oaxaca, where teachers were not paid promptly, and 
also not paid during the vacation months. This 
second victory led to organization. 


task, as the Mexican Federal and State govern- 
ments are confronted with the problem of increas- 
ing the number of schools with only limited 
funds. 

At the beginning, the Union also found difficulty 
in obtaining the consent of the Department of Edu- 
cation. At present, it is fully recognized, and in 








2 THE AMERICAN TEACHER 


some cases participates in the administration of edu- 
cational matters. 


Many CULTURAL ACHIEVEMENTS 


In the cultural field, the Union also claims many 
achievements, the most important one of which is 
the publication of a dictionary for native Mexicans 
in the Nahuatl language of the Aztec Indians. This 
dictionary has given new impetus to the diffusion of 
education among the Indians. 

I asked Signor Lombardo how it was possible for 
an organization to spring from practically nothing 
to a membership of 15,000 in about one year. “In- 
dividually,” he replied, “‘we should never have ac- 
complished that, but the C. R. O. M., which has 
a membership of 2,500,000 stood by us, and teach- 
ers and workers worked in co-operation. We helped 
each other. It is pathetic to think of a teacher who 
considers it beyond his dignity to belong to the same 
organization with those men who feed and build the 
world.” 

The truth of the above explanation may be cor- 
roborated by the following Associated Press despatch 
from Vera Cruz, dated October Sth: 


“Schoolmasters have gone on strike and a general 
walkout of port workers has been called for Mon- 
day as a demonstration of sympathy for their cause. 
.. .. Announcement of the intention of the dock 
workers to strike was viewed as an attempt on the 


part of C. R. O. M. (The Mexican Federation of 
Labor) to use the occasion for a display of strength.” 
C. R. O. M. WEAKENED 

One may recall at this point the display of 
strength shown by the C. R. O. M., in making a 
success the famous labor parade staged by the gov- 
ernment in its fight for the separation of Church 
from State, when 50,000 members marched in the 
streets of Mexico City during the turbulent summer 
days of 1926. 

Recent events, however, have weakened the power 
of the C. R. O. M. The present government, which 
is the tool of powerful interests, is doing everything 
in its power to gain the confidence of the indepen- 
dent unions. Some of these, like the Photo Engrav- 
ers’ and Linotypers’ Union, have already seceded 
from the C. R. O. M. The purpose of the govern- 
ment is to disintegrate the C. R. O. M., and finally 
destroy it, as without a national union, labor will be 
helpless to maintain its present prestige. 

Mr. Lombardo sent his greetings and goodwill to 
the American Federation of Teachers. He enthusi- 
astically accepted my suggestion of establishing an 
intimate contact and co-operation between the two 
organizations, as well as the sending of a Fraternal 
Delegate to conventions. No doubt, the progressive 
teachers of Mexico and. those of the United States 
can learn a great deal from each other. 

Morris SAVAGE. 





A Community Where Teachers Rule 


By Wiu1aM CUNNINGHAM, Secretary Commonwealth Local 194 


Perhaps teachers should be, after all, not intellectual 
lackeys for a community but leaders of the commu- 
nity. If our so-called “education” is worth anything 
at all it should equip men and women for leadership 
rather than condemn them to spend their lives main- 
taining “discipline” in a prison house for boys and 
girls. 

The average community supports its school be- 
cause it believes the school capable of instilling in the 
young a love of country (the army and navy), a 
moral sense, and a shrewdness in money matters. 
Teachers thus are hired propagandists and their jobs 
depend upon the whims of the grocer and parson. 

Obviously the hope of the teaching profession lies 
in education, in the proper meaning of the term— 
education in the behalf of education. The commu- 


nity attitude toward teachers must be changed, for - 


communities cannot be abolished. Perhaps some day, 
when the true value of education is popularly real- 
ized, teachers will be hiring and firing grocers. 


— 








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Established 1899 


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THE AMERICAN TEACHER 


You smile—but do you know that in one commu- 
nity in America the teacher actually does appoint the 
grocer, bosses the carpenters, directs the plumbers and 
the cooks? True, it is an odd place, one of the oddest 
in the world. 

Ten miles west of Mena, Arkansas, among the pine- 
covered hills, is a little village of some twenty houses, 
new and freshly painted. During the forenoons a 
bell clangs at intervals and groups of villagers stroll 
from one building to another. During the afternoons 
there is a sound of hammering and sawing and chop- 
ping. The villagers are at work under the direction 
of an official whose title is Educational Director. 

Commonwealth College is an experiment in self- 
maintaining education for workers. Its chief service 
is in pointing the way for the establishment of simi- 
lar projects. Its interest to the teaching profession 
lies in its insistence on academic freedom. Common- 
wealth instructors are free to teach what they hon- 
estly believe, without fear of losing their jobs be- 
cause of such teaching. Although Commonwealth 
credits have been accepted by prominent universities, 
no effort is made to fit the college into the American 
degree-granting machine. There are no so-called 
“extra-academic” activities on the part of the stu- 
dents—no societies, fraternities, athletic teams. Edu- 
cation is made an end in itself, and its visible sign is 
a broadened outlook on life, not a roll of sheepskin. 


ALMOST SELF-SUPPORTING 

One indication that the average 
whether geographical or creedal, wants propaganda 
rather than education served to its young, may be 
seen in Commonwealth’s struggles to raise the small 
amount of money needed to meet its yearly deficit 
and increase the capital equipment to the point where 
the school can be completely self-supporting. Both 
teachers and students work four hours a day on the 
college farm, or in kitchen, office or laundry, to main- 
tain themselves while they teach and study, and thus 
the college is at the present time almost entirely self- 
supporting. When it has added a few thousand dol- 
lars worth of equipment it will be entirely so. 

In December, 1927, the situation seemed hopeless. 
Promised funds were not forthcoming. There 
seemed no way to keep the school going until funds 
could be raised to complete the equipment. Expenses 
amounted to some $2,500 annually more than income. 

Commonwealth is organized to serve the labor 
movement, but that movement is divided into fac- 
tionsso bitter toward each other that none will give 
its support to an impartial project. Of the thirty 


community, 


thousand dollars that the school has, during its five 
years of existence, raised and expended on necessary 
equipment, only thirty-five dollars have come from 
organized labor. Twenty-five dollars of this amount 
came from an Arkansas local, and two members of 
that local were opposed to making the gift because 
they had heard that evolution was taught at the 
school. 
. PREFERS TO REMAIN FREE 

Several organizations have, during the history of — 
the school, offered money on this or that condition— 
if only the faculty would teach certain doctrines and 
refrain from teaching some others. ‘But the manage- 
ment prefers to remain free from outside domina- 
tion even though the school be forced to close down. 

In January, 1928, the trustees launched a campaign 
to raise the yearly deficit. They hoped to find one 
hundred people sufficiently interested in workers’ 
education and financially able each to pledge twenty- 
five dollars annually for three years. Twenty-five 
hundred dollars seems a small amount beside the 
million-dollar endowment drives of other schools, but 
that amount is hard to raise without strings attached. 
During the first ten weeks of the campaign about 
half that amount had been pledged. It yet remains 
to be seen whether the college will open its doors next 
fall. 

Life is strenuous at Commonwealth. Cows must 
be milked, chickens fed, meals cooked, trees felled 
and chopped into fuel, houses built, a small store 
tended, crops planted and harvested, overalls washed 
and mended, stones carried from the farm land—all of 
these activities take a great deal of physical energy. 
Teachers receive no salary and earn their way as do 
the students. It is significant that despite the hard- 
ships and the lack of temuneration more teachers 
apply than can be admitted. 

A HEALTHFUL LIFE 

Students who are to make good at the school must 
possess both physical and temperamental hardihood. 
Boys and girls from the farms and the labor unions 
are usually the best equipped to withstand the strain 
of arising at six, attending classes until noon, and 
working from one until five in the afternoon. For 
hardy individuals this is a healthful life. Students 
almost invariably gain weight during the school year. 

The Commonwealth experiment has already shown 
that a real school may be run on a tenth of the 
amount ordinarily expended on a propaganda institu- 
tion, that teachers are capable of managing their. own 

(Continued on Page 32) 








THE AMERICAN TEACHER 


Lincoln’s Analysis of the Relative Importance of the 
Producing Factors in Industry 


Address Delivered by William Green, President of the American Federation of Labor, Before the Traffic 
Club of the Cincinnati Club, Cincinnati, Ohio, Tuesday, February 12, 6 p. m. 


Not long ago a young American mother, anxious 
to instill in the hearts of her son and daughter: the 
essence of patriotism and reverence for our Country, 
took her children to see the Lincoln Memorial which 
‘is enshrined on the shores of the Potomac River near 
the City of Washington. This beautiful symbol of 
the devotion of the people of a Nation is an heroic 
statue of Abraham Lincoln, his kindly face and his 
long, lank form blending into the marble until it 
seems a holy place. Awed by the sight which met 
her eyes the little girl crept closer to her mother and 
whispered, “I would like to climb up on his lap and 
talk to him a little while.” 

Lincoln was a man who inspired confidence in all 
who knew or saw him. History tells many, many 
incidents and events of his life, but it does not record 
one instance wherein he abused or ignored the trust 
and confidence of the people who trusted and be- 
lieved in him. From his great utterances we have 
drawn our proverbs. His noble sayings, whether in 
times of peace or in times of discord and distress, 
have been accepted by all men and have become a 
part of our national litany. The Nation marks the 
anniversary of his birth today and our unparalleled 
mediums of communication, the press, the radio and 
the living voice, give expression today to the love 
and respect with which we honor him. 

LINCOLN TYPIFIED AMERICAN SpIRiT 


In relative terms our Nation is one of the young 
nations of the world. Its development and growth 
has been astounding and the years of its existence are 
crowded with occasions of great historical import- 
ance. Yet, somehow, we have given great prefer- 
ence to certain incidents of the life of Abraham 
Lincoln for they typify the spirit and idealism of the 
American people. 

His unassuming natural manner of expression, the 
simple elegance of his words, the spiritual glow of 
his thoughts make his meaning clear and intelligible 
to humble and proud alike. He had the innate abil- 
ity to vest the greatest truths in the simplest lan- 
guage. With a few words he could bring into play 
all the human emotions of pity, understanding, love 


and sympathy. It could truly be said of him that he 
had a great heart and that great heart beat in sym- 
pathy for the oppressed, the down-trodden and the 
poor. It is easy to believe that his sympathetic un- 
derstanding of the common people was nurtured and 
increased by his rememberance of personal exper- 
iences. Many times during his public career he re- 
ferred to his early experiences and his difficulties in 
procuring a living and an education. To be able to 
appreciate suffering and distress one must have en- 
dured both. Then can be poured forth all the divine 
pity and love of a noble soul. 

Many great men and women have lived co died 


unknown to the world. Fortunate, indeed, is that } 


country which is given the opportunity to follow 
the leadership of such a noble character. His pro- 
fession as a lawyer early brought him to the attention 
of those who surrounded him and his worth and abil- 
ity were given recognition. His rise was rapid and 
spectacular. He engaged in affairs of state and took 
a most active part in the political and legislative ac- 
tivities of the day. On March 4, 1861, he was in- 
augurated President of the United States for his first 
term and on March 4, 1865, he began his second 
term. On the 14th of April, in the same year, he 
was assassinated. 
AN IDEAL TO MILLIONS 


This generation sees Lincoln as the central figure in 
a passing picture, a great human drama filled with 
the horrors and tragedies of warfare. To millions 
he is an ideal. To mankind he represents all that is 
democracy to a freedom-loving people. 

As an exponent of democracy he charted the 
course of our Government through its most disas- 
trous period. As a great humanitarian he championed 
the cause of human liberty and personal freedom. 
He had sublime faith in the people and in their ca- 
pacity for self-government. He regarded it as 4 
solemn duty and a sacred obligation to protect and 
preserve our representative form of government. His 
nobility of purpose, his undying devotion to out 
form of government and his irrevocable determina 


tion to prevent human exploitation within the 





— * - sf we OU elle 


— 


oOo. 


THE AMERICAN TEACHER 


boundaries of the Nation have made his fame ever- 
lasting. His life was a true expression of the divine 


philosophy that “He who is great is the servant of ° 


all.” 

Abraham Lincoln’s keen concept of the just, equi- 
table and fair relationship which should exist between 
the essential producing factors in industry is reflected 
in his public addresses, published articles and state 
papers. Because of his nature and his environment he 
was sympathetic toward labor and partial in his atti- 
tude toward the masses of the people. This, however, 
did not serve to dull his sense of justice or destroy 
his respect for the rights of others. He believed firm- 
ly in a full recognition and an impartial protection 
of the rights of Capital and Labor. 

Workers Prove THEIR CAPACITY 

Lincoln’s firm belief in the capacity of the masses 
for self-government was expressed in an address 
which he delivered in this city, Cincinnati, on Febru- 
ary 21, 1861. In the course of his remarks he said: 

“I agree with you, Mr. Chairman, that the working men 
are the basis of all government, for the plain reason that 
they are the more numerous, and as you added, that those 
were the sentiments of the gentlemen present, representing 
not only the working class, but citizens of other callings 
than those of the mechanic, I am happy to concur with 
you in these sentiments.” 

At the time when this important statement was 
made our Union was facing serious social and political 
problems which threatened the existence of our rep- 
resentative form of government. The peoples of the 
Old World were watching the experiment in popular 
government which was being made in the New 
World. Outside of the Republic it was generally as- 
sumed that only those: who enjoyed wealth, favors 
and privilege were equipped to rule, to direct and to 
govern. Lincoln challenged that assumption by de- 
claring that the “working men are the basis of all 
government.” 

The history of the United States shows that Lin- 
coln was right. Working men and worhen have 
shown their capacity for self-government and have 
proved to be a loyal and protecting force in every 
crisis through which the Nation has passed. 

In 1863 the Republican Workingmen’s Associa- 
tion of New York made President Lincoln an honor- 
ary member. A committee was sent to Washington 
to inform him of this fact. In his address to the 
Committee President Lincoln included the following 
excerpt from his message to Congress in December, 
1861: 


“Capital has its rights, which are as worthy of protection 


as any other rights. Nor is it denied that there is, and 

probably always will be, a relation between capital and la- 

bor, producing mutual benefits.” 

It is reasonable to conclude that there were those 
in Lincoln’s day who strongly disagreed with him 
when this statement was made and yet it is clearly 
evident that he gave utterance to an accepted eco- 
nomic truth. Lincoln recognized, perhaps far in ad- 
vance of other public men, that labor was essential 
to national greatness and national prosperity. Capital 
was an inanimate thing and represented surplus la- 
bor. Labor was the creative force and capital rep- 
resented only that which Labor had created. Capital, 
of itself, cannot create a commodity nor can it con- 
vert raw material into finished product. It is only 
through the service, genius and training of labor, 
that these things can be accomplished. 

It is clearly evident that Lincoln had in mind the 
fact that employers were morally. obligated to recog- 
nize that Labor possessed certain rights which it 
should be permitted to exercise without interference 
and without oppression. This thought was expressed 
when he said: 

“Labor is the superior of capital, and deserves much the 
higher consideration.” 

The conclusion must be reached that according to 
Lincoln’s philosophy working people should be per- 
mitted to exercise the right to organize for mutual 
protection, co-operation and collective bargaining. I 
here make reference to a strike of shoemakers in 
Massachusetts, in 1860. In a speech delivered at 
Hartford, Conn., March 5, 1860, Lincoln said he 
“thanked God that we have a system of labor where 
there can be a strike. Whatever the pressure there 
is a point where the working man may stop.” 

In this speech Lincoln also said: 

“If you give up your convictions and call slavery right, 
as they do, you let slavery in upon you—instead of white 
laborers who can strike you'll soon have black laborers 
who can’t strike.” 

In a speech at New Haven, Conn., on March 6, 
1860, Lincoln returned to the subject discussed in his 
speech of the previous day. Among other things he 
said: 

“I am glad to see that a system of labor prevails in 
New England under.which laborers can strike when they 
want to, where they are not obliged to work under all cir- 
cumstances, and are not tied down and obliged to labor 
whether you pay them or not, I like the system which lets 
a man quit when he wants to, and wish it might prevail 
everywhere. One of the reasons why I am opposed to slav- 
ery is just here. What is the true condition of the laborer? 

(Continued on Page 21) 













6 





The American Teacher 


Democracy in Education Education for Democracy 
Published Monthly, except July and August 
Official Organ 
THE AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS 
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EXECUTIVE COUNCIL 
President 
Mary C. Barxer, Atlanta No. 89, 685 Myrtle Street, N. E., 
Atlanta, Georgia. 


Legislative Representative and Vice-President 
Sexma M. Borcuarnt, Washington No. 8; 1741 Park Road, 
N. W., Washington, D. C. 
Vice-Presidents 
Lucrse W. ALLEN, Chicago Women No. 3; 1803 Livingston 
Avenue, Evanston, Illinois. 
R. W. Everett, Sacramento No. 31; 2740 Portola Way, 
Sacramento, California 
Amy A. Fox, Minneapolis No. 59; 2809 Park Avenue, Minne- 
apolis, Minnesota. 
ABRAHAM LeFrxowirz, New York No. 5; Grand Avenue, East 
Elmhurst, New York, N. Y. 

A. J. Muste, Brookwood No. 189; Brookwood, Katonah, N. Y. 
Fiorence Roop, St. Paul No. 28; 328 Cedar Street, St. Paul, 
Minnesota. 

W. B. Satrertuwarre, Local No. 200; 1837 12th Ave West 
Seattle, Washington 
W. J. Scott, Atlanta No. 89; 212 Kings Highway, Decatur, 
Georgia. 

F. G. Srecxer, Chicago No. 2; 1618 Lake Avenue, 
Wilmette, Illinois. 

CHaates B, Stmiman, Chicago No. 2; 827 Ridge Avenue, 
Evanston, Illinois. 

Western Organizer 
E. E. ScHwartzTrauser, Portland No. 111; R. F. D. 5, 
Box 68, Portland, Oregon 
Secretary-Treasurer 
FiroreNnce Curtis Hanson, Chicago Women No. 3; 506 South 
Wabash Ave., Chicago, Illinois—Telephone Harrison 2950. 
AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS 
Orcanizep Aprit 15, 1916 
Affiliated With the American Federation of Labor 





If we are to save ourselves and those that come 
after us from a renewal in an even more frightful 
form of all that we suffered in the Great War, we 
must, by our every action, in our every-day conver- 
sation and even in our very thoughts, seek peace.— 
Prince of Wales. 





THE AMERICAN TEACHER 





I belong to the Teachers Union because I believe 
in being an up-to-date democrat. An up-to-date 
democrat cannot operate as an isolated individual, 
however virtuous and well-intentioned he may be. He 
must operate through at least one effective group. 
The Teachers Union is such an effective group. It 
is formed for the purpose of achieving democracy in 
the schools. It is a foe of privilege, a foe of autoc- 
racy, a foe of inefficiency. It fights for high ideals 
in education and citizenship. I belong to the Teachers 
Union because outside of it I am pretty nearly power- 
less to accomplish the things in which I fervently 
believe —Harry A. OVERSTREET, Professor of Phil- 
osophy, College of the City of New York. 





OUR JOB 

The schools are the teachers’ business and what- 
ever is wrong with the schools today the responsi- 
bility is theirs. For too long they have allowed 
some one else to attend to their business, and ‘as is 
usual it has not been well done. The teachers must 
realize their problem and responsibility and set about 
their business. No longer must they let George do 
it. No longer must they be frightened by the cry, 
“The teachers want to run the schools.” 

First, the teachers must through strong, effective 
organization put themselves in a position where they 
can fix the standards of their calling instead of leav- 
ing that work to every one else except the teacher— 
to those who in many cases know nothing at all of 
what should control the standards of teaching. If 
there are Blue Laws for teachers and special class 
regulations for them, there is no one to blame but 
themselves. Let them organize fearlessly in a way 
to make their voice heard and this restrictive situation 
will change. 

Second, the teachers must through strong, effective 
organization secure sound state-wide tenure laws 
which will give them not merely security of live- 
lihood but a spiritual assurance that will make the 
schools a dependable factor in the social welfare of 
the nation. There is nothing more vital to educa- 
tional progress than sound tenure laws. What must 
be the mental attitude of the teacher who may be 
dropped at a minute’s notice for no matter what 


trivial reason. Eleven states have recognized the 


importance to educational advancement of sound ten- 
ure laws and thirty-seven more must,—and they will 
when the teachers organize effectively. 

Third, the teachers must through strong, effective 
organization secure increased revenues to maintain 





asl 


Der 
the: 





THE AMERICAN TEACHER __ 7 


and develop the public schools. The cost of elemen- 
tary education per pupil is actually less than in 1890. 
The question may well be asked, “Must we not only 
earn our salaries in the classroom, but also find the 
money to pay them?” To be sure. The teacher to- 
day has much more than a classroom responsibility 
to earn his salary. He has a social responsibility and 
that includes the responsibility of seeing that the 
schools of America are the best possible “to produce 
free, unafraid men and women, American citizens 
of the highest type.” Increased revenues are a fun- 
damental need. 

The teachers must find the remedy, if it is to be 
found. 





Robert Morss Lovett, University of Chicago .and 
editor The New Republic, says: 

“The only way, it seems to me, to remedy this 
situation is to put the schools gradually but largely 
in the control of the teachers themselves. I know 
that there are many dangers connected with this 
proceeding; I have heard all sorts of objections; but 
it seems to me that all the objections together do 
not weigh heavily in the scale which is balanced on 
the other side by a situation revealed by the exam- 
ples which I have given. 

“The teachers in control of the schools will give 
to the schools an efficiency and a dignity which they 
now lack. After all, every workman, every trade, is 
asking for industrial democracy, is asking for a 
greater share in the control of the work. In every 
trade where it has been tried, it has shown that 
workers under these conditions think in terms of the 
enterprise as a whole instead of the job. Profits to 
private individuals may be diminished by industrial 
democracy, but after all in the case of public schools 
the question of profits to private individuals is merely 
a question of crime. You are depriving certain 
criminals of their opportunities to plunder the schools 
by giving the teachers control. You do not interfere 
with any legitimate vested interest. 

“The control of the schools, the control of any 
piece of engineering by the men who are on the job, 
is one of the conditions to which we look for the 
healthy operation of democracy. Why shouldn’t we 
look for it first of all in the schools? The teach- 
ers are already advanced in their thought in regard 
to these matters. They understand the importance 
of the schools in the functioning of democracy. 
Democracy at the present time is a ship.in which 
there is an enormous number of passengers, each with 


his own private interest and private set of desires, 
but it lacks a crew; there are comparatively few peo- 
ple who are working for democracy as a whole. In 
that respect the United States is at a disadvantage 
with Soviet Russia. I believe there are more people 
today working together for the welfare of the state 
as they conceive it in Russia than there are in the 
United States of America. 

“Where are we to find a crew? Why, we shall 
find it among the teachers. After all, the teachers 
are educated to appreciate democracy, their interest 
is in democracy, they become dignified and impor- 
tant elements in the community in so far as democ- 
racy is the aim of that community; you might al-- 
most say that the invitation to teachers to become 
the special and sworn servants of democracy, as the 
Communist Party are servants of Communism, is 
irresistible. The teachers have nothing to lose but 
their chains. 

“The only way in which the teaching force of this 
country can be made effective for the uses of democ- 
racy, the high and important service which they may 
render to the body politic, is through their organiza- 
tion. Obviously you can’t have a great body of 
teachers working for democracy, educating the next 
generation into democracy, unless those teachers have 
the power, the support, the mutual education which 
comes through their organization. The union is the 
nursery of democracy.” 





Mr. James Mullenbach, member Chicago Board 
of Education, says: 

“Regarding the teachers as a special force in the 
labor movement, it seems to me that the labor move- 
ment is to be congratulated upon the fact that the 
teachers themselves are beginning to organize and 
to become an integral part of the movement. I be- 
lieve it will lend strength to the general social move- 
ment. 

“We speak of it as a labor movement, but as a 
matter of fact, if you look at it in the right way it 
is a broad, large social movement for the retrieval of 
certain sections of our social life that, as I say, I 
think have been retarded and have not come up to 
the measure of our general social organization. 

“From that point of view, just as a citizen I re- 
joice that there is an organization such as the Ameri- 
can Federation of Teachers through which you might 
be able to bring your wisdom and your energy and 
your ability into the service of the vast social move- 








































8 THE AMERICAN TEACHER 


ment we know as the labor movement and, as for 
its central organization here in our country, the 
American Federation of Labor. 

“I am sure that any citizen who has his heart in 
the right place and has a reasonable ‘reflection upon 
the conditions of our time will feel that that is a 
fine thing to do and that it will add in time to the 
wealth—I don’t mean the money wealth—of our 
country, the wealth of the expansion of personality, 
the deliverance of personality from so much of the 
bondage and the fear that applies today in our in- 
dustrial order and in which the teachers, as you know, 
to a certain extent participate. 

“Wherever you have the autocratic principle in 
operation, whether it is in a public affair like a 
school board or a city hall or a county building, or 
whether in a clothing factory, a machine shop, an 
automobile factory, it automatically works oppres- 
sively. 

“The real guarantee that the workers have that 
they are going to break loose from it is the fact that 
autocracy has certain weaknesses. The autocrat can- 
not know the truth, and nobody is going to tell him; 
those associated with him in the work are not going 
to tell him because they are interested in telling him 
how peacefully and happily things are going; the 
workers are not going to tell him because they won’t 
dare put any criticism on the management. 

“Then because of the ensuing oppressiveness you 
have the reaction that comes from any set of men 
and women who are trained up in conditions of free- 
dom in their other relations of life, I mean those 
societary relations I have been describing, and then 
to expect them to accept conditions of bondage un- 
der the principles of autocracy in industry is too 
much to expect of human nature. It won’t work 
that way. No matter how wise or how wealthy or 
how much brains the employing group may have, 
ultimately they are due to lose their power; it may 
not be today, it may not be tomorrow, but they are 
ultimately due to lose it because of the’fact that the 
autocrat cannot know the truth, there are certain in- 
herent weaknesses; no matter how stupid in a sense 
or how corrupt in a sense a labor organization here 
or there may become, the great onward movement 
toward freedom, toward liberty of action in the in- 
dustrial relationship is bound to come. And you 
teachers ought to get busy and let all the teachers 
in the country in on it, and get them to realize that 
it is not a matter of protecting their wages and im- 
mediate interests only, but they are really bound up 


4 


in a great big broad magnificent social movement 
for the retrieval of human life. 





BEWARE OF PESSIMISTS 


When we meet the chap who insists that every- 
thing is all wrong and there is no possible way of 


making anything right, we want to be very sure _ 


not to let him influence us. 

Sometimes that sort of chap is gifted with elo- 
quence, very persuasive, and full up with figures that 
seem to bear evidence in favor of his contention. 

He almost makes us believe that everything worth 
while is impossible and wrong. 

The out-and-out pessimist, however, lacks three 
qualities that you and we have and should use. 

He lacks knowledge. And no man who lacks 
knowledge of what the race of man has done is able 
to give any kind of worth while opinion as to what 
men can or will do. 

He lacks imagination. And imagination is needed 
to lay out the plan in advance of the work that has 
produced everything man has accomplished for his 
own benefit. 

He lacks courage. And Nature hates a coward, 
because it is not in the nature of things for any man 
to be afraid. The man who has knowledge and im- 
agination, and still does not possess confidence to go 
forward and help his fellow-men go forward, is a 
poorer specimen than he who is merely ignorant or 
dull. 

The pessimist never gets anywhere himself. And if 
we heed his foolish and cowardly nonsense, we very 
likely will not get anywhere ourselves. 

We who are on our way to success need inspiration, 
and not discouragement.—Exchange. 





ON MEANING WELL 


Henry Ford has said that if a2 man means well he 
can nearly always find a way to do well. If this 
were true, we might as well close our schools. They 
are founded upon the assumption that it is mighty 
hard to find out how to live the best and most effec- 
tive life; how to be as skilful and efficient as pos- 
sible. They undertake by the slow process of edu- 
cation to give one information and methods of work- 
ing so that he can find out how to do things. If 
just anyone who happened to have good intentions 
could carry these intentions into profitable execu- 
tion, nearly all the work of education might be 
omitted. 

We would not for 2 moment belittle the impor 












he 


tance of meaning well, Good intentions are neces- 
sary first steps toward achievement. They supply 
direction to our action. They do not carry us over 
the road. We must intend well, and then we must 
find out how to do well. One does not become a 
great lawyer by meaning to do well at law, but by 
having that intention, then following it up with 
years of hard labor intelligently directed. One does 
not acquire sane religious views merely because he 
feels righteous, but by study and candid reflection. 
One becomes a successful farmer by learning a great 
deal about farming. 

Many of the colossal failures and tragedies of 
history have been the work of well meaning people. 
A prominent historian has said that the pious fool 
has done more harm in the world than the knave. 
George III meant well. So did the men who 
burned witches at Salem. So did most of the slave 
So did the leaders on both sides of every 
war and of every struggle. One’s conscience is just 
as valuable as his judgment is strong, and the 
strength of his judgment depends upon its training 
and upon the extent and quality of the information 
which forms its base.—Weekly News Review. 


owners. 





MAN’S GREATEST FOES 

Indolence and Deference are man’s greatest foes. 

By Indolence is meant man’s disposition to let 
someone else do for him what he should do for him- 
self, 

This inaction is more pronounced when men are 
called upon to think. 

Nothing is more troublesome to the average man. 
He is pleased to be saved this effort. He accepts 
second-hand opinions because this is easier than to 
form independent judgments. 

The Indolent man is mentally lazy. He yields 
to a strong-willed man. 


By Deference is meant man’s willingness to accept 
the views of those whom he secretly considers- his 
“superiors.” 

Men may be educated, but if they lack will power 
they are found in the ranks of Indolence and Defer- 
ence. As a social force they are nil. They are only 
noticed by vote hunters and the census taker.—Santa 
Barbara Union Labor News. 





True knowledge is mankind’s greatest benefactor; 
false teaching is civilization’s greatest handicap.— 
Samuel Gompers. 


THE AMERICAN TEACHER 





MILITARISM IN COLLEGES AND SCHOOLS 


_ Now that the United States has ratified the Kel- 
logg Pact for the renunciation of war, the people 
should guarantee the significance of this action by 
renouncing new additions to our instruments of war 
and by removing the germs of militarism from our 
public educational institutions. 

Secretary Kellogg has said: “We are all determined 
that the curse of war shall not again devastate na- 
tions. The most certain insurance against this is the 
training of the thoughts of men in the way of 
peace.” 

But in contrast to this, President Morgan of An- 
tioch College states: “The battle for war or peace 
is being fought today in our schools and colleges, 
The war department, through government appropria- 
tion, has millions of dollars at its disposal to build 
the war spirit in the minds of our you 

The Committee on Militarism in Education, which 
is a member-organization of the National Council 
for the Prevention of War, is (1) opposing com- 
pulsory military training in civil educational institu- 
tions, and (2) urging the abolition from all public 
high schools of military drill. The position of the 
Committee is that the War Department does not be- 
long in American colleges and schools in time of 
peace, and that its presence there will tend to nullify 
what the State Department hopes to accomplish by 
the multilateral treaties and peaceful negotiation, 

The Committee on Militarism in Education is act- 
ing as a research and resource bureau in its special 
field for the peace organizations and others who are 
opposed to putting educational armor plate on im- 
mature minds. As it tries to avoid financial compe- 
tition with the organizations which co-operate, it has 
restricted its budget for 1929 to the minimum of 
$16,000. It asks for co-operation now in one or more 
of the following ways: 

(1) That organizations pass silialaons con- 
demning compulsory military training and military 
training in high schools. 

(2) That press clippings and other information 
pertaining to militarism in education in any local- 
ity be sent promptly to the Committee. 

(3) That individuals or organizations who can 
afford it, make a financial contribution. 

Dr. George A. Coe is chairman of the Committee. 
The address is:—CoMMITTEE ON MILITARISM IN 
EpucaTion, 383 Bible House, Astor Place, New 
York. 




















































- 10 : THE AMERICAN TEACHER 


School Head Affirms Belief in Married ‘Teacher 


Urges Women to Use Their New Political Influence and Power to Do Away With Discrimination 
In This Regard 


Writing on the profession of education in An Out- 
line of Careers for Women, edited by Doris E. 
Fleischman, and just published by Doubleday, Doran 
and Company, Mrs. Jessica G. Cosgrave, principal 
of The Finch School, The Lennox School and The 
Finch European School, affirms her belief, as a school 
executive, in the married teacher, and urges women 
to use their new political influence and power to do 
away with discrimination in this regard. Miss Fleisch- 
man, who compiled the book, is a public relations 
council, associated in this work with her husband, 
Edward L. Bernays, and writes on public relations 
as a career for women. Mr. Bernays is the editor of 
An Outline of Careers for men. 


“Obviously,” says Mrs. Cosgrave, “if there is one 
profession where mother-understanding and mother- 
love and mother-experience may be profitably used 
it is in teaching . . . By depriving téachers, when 
they marry, of their positions, we deliberately en- 
courage the short-time dilettantes who leave the 
service of the school which has trained them, just 
when they might be of some real value. . . .” 


Laws SHOULD BE CHANGED 


_ “The ideal solution, which of course is not always 
economically possible, is for the young or not-so- 
young teacher who has made herself a thorough mis- 
tress of her profession to resign while her children 
are young, and resume her work when the last child 
is of school age. Surely such a one would bring a 
store of knowledge and experience, to add to her 
technical training, which she can bring up-to-date, 
and it should make her of far more value than in her 
earlier years. 


“Private schools can, of course, use their own 
judgment in engaging such instructors. Public 
schools are still bound, in many instances, not to 
employ married women, and even to dismiss those 
who do marry. There.can be little doubt that the 
arguments in favor of the married women are the 
stronger, and that they will become increasingly 
compelling to all thinking people. Here is a splen- 
did opportunity for women to use their political 
influence and power to bring about the change in 
law, or school ordinance, or custom, which may be 
necessary.” 

OTHER DISTINGUISHED CONTRIBUTORS 

The chapter on education is one of forty-three con- 
tributed by distinguished women, leaders in their pro- 
fessions or business. The volume was gotten together 
to supply the demand for information on the part of 
young women who aspire to leadership and who want 
to know the qualifications and opportunities for suc- 
cess, the advantages, the disadvantages, the honorary 
and the monetary rewards, the intrinsic difficulties 
as well as the special difficulties that must be en- 
countered by women in the various fields of occu- 
pation in American life today. 

Other contributors to the book are Gertrude Ath- 
erton, Mary Vail Andress of the Chase National 
Bank, Princess Julia Cantacuzene Speransky, Frances 
Perkins, Chairman of the Industrial Board of the 
New York State Department of Labor, Judge Jean 
Norris, Mrs. Charles B. Knox, Mrs. Franklin D. 
Roosevelt, Norma Talmadge, and other notable wo- 
men on such fields as agriculture, literature, bank- 
ing, architecture, radio, music, retail merchandising, 
engineering, etc. 





Ohio Plans “School of the Air’ 


State Educational Department to Sponsor Experiment Early In January Over WLW at Cincinnati—Sub- 
jects to be Taught 


The “Ohio School of the Air,” sponsored by the 
Department of Education of the State of Ohio, will 
begin on January 2 over WLW, Cincinnati, accord- 
ing to a representative of the station. The programs 
may also be broadcast simultaneously by Station 
WEAO, at the Ohio State University at Columbus. 


The tentative plan is to broadcast the educational 
programs between 1:30 and 2:30 p. m., Eastern 
Standard time, each week from Monday to Thurs- 
day, inclusive. 

Lesson leaflets containing suggestions to teachers, 
bibliographies, illustrations, etc., to supplement the 





THE AMERICAN TEACHER 


course will be distributed in advance of the broad- 
cast to which they pertain. According to the an- 
nouncement, J. L. Clifton, State Director of Edu- 
cation, has sent a questionnaire to all educational 
supervisors of the State to help decide the course of 
study. : 
“The Ohio School of the Air will be an experi- 
ment,” said Mr. Clifton, “but we want it to be a 
successful one. That the radio of the present day 
may be utilized as an avenue of education has been 
definitely and thoroughly demonstrated in the na- 
tional political campaign through which we have 
just passed,” he continued in an article in the Better 
Schools bulletin of the State Deepartment. “Enough 
has been determined through careful and systematic 
investigation during the past few years to justify the 
definite trial of adapting radio to the educational 
processes of the school room.” 

The tentative WLW broadcast schedule for each 
week follows: 

Monday—Current events talk by a leading news- 
paper man or student of world affairs. (Fifteen 


minutes. For upper grades and high school.) 

History Dramalogs—Great moments in history 
presented by a selected group of players. (Twenty 
minutes. For upper grades.) 

Talks on “Achievement” by great men and 
women, not only worthy residents of Ohio but all 
others that can be secured. (Twenty-five minutes. 
For high school.) 

Tuesday—Stories and playlets by selected story 
tellers and casts of players. (Fifteen minutes. For 
lower grades. ) 

Literary masterpieces by selected readers. (Twenty 
minutes. For upper grades.) 

Literary masterpieces by selected readers. 
(Twenty-five minutes. For high school.) 

Wednesday—Health talks by physicians and ath- 
letes. (Fifteen minutes, For upper grades.) 

Travelogs—Geography with emphasis on music 
and sound. (Twenty minutes. For upper grades.) 

Civil Government by State and National Govern- 
ment Officials. _ (Twenty-five minutes.) — New 
York Times. 





Nationwide Campaign for Prevention of Blindness 


To be Launched 


A nationwide educational campaign for the pre- 
vention of blindness and the conservation of vision 
among the industrial workers of America and among 
their families will be launched immediately as a joint 
effort of the American Federation of Labor and the 
National Society for the Prevention of Blindness, it 
was announced by the latter following its annual 
meeting. 

The Society for the Prevention of Blindness has 
for some 20 years led the fight for conservation of 
vision; the Federation of Labor is now joining hands 
with this Society for an intensive campaign within 
the membership of the Federation because of re- 
quests for assistance in health’ education which have 
come to the Washington headquarters of the 
A. F. of L. from various state and local labor bodies 
and because of the growing seriousness of the eye 
hazards of industrial occupations. 

Co-oPpERATING WiTH LaBor 

In announcing the campaign, Lewis H. Carris, 
Managing Director of the National Society for the 
Prevention of Blindness, declared: ‘The campaign 
is being undertaken because of our conviction that 


the eye hazards of industrial occupations—that is, 
accidents, diseases affecting the eye, and eyestrain— 
now constitute probably the most serious cause of 
blindness and impairment of vision among workmen 
in America. It is the belief of the officers of both 
organizations that a very large percentage of indus- 
trial blindness is preventable and that many of the 
eye hazards in the home, on the street and in other 
places outside of industry, which at present threaten 
the sight of the wives and children of our workmen, 
also are avoidable.” 

If this educational activity of the A. F. of L. is 
found to be effective, it is probable that the Federa- 
tion will in future years make similar efforts to serve 
its membership in other major health fields. 

INDUSTRIAL TOLLS STAGGERING 

The campaign for the prevention of blindness will 
be carried on through the various publications of 
the American Federation of Labor and of focal labor 
bodies, through radio broadcasting, exhibits in the 
meeting places of labor organizations and other ave- 
nues of health education. The announcement of the 
campaign by the A. F. of L. and the Society for 











12 


the Prevention of Blindness says: ‘The seriousness 
of the situation which this campaign seeks to cor- 
rect may be appreciated when one thinks of the fol- 
lowing few facts: 

“The industries of this country are at pres- 
ent paying approximately $10,000,000 a year 
compensation to workmen who have been totally 
or permanently blinded while at work; this ex- 
pense is inevitably reflected in the cost of com- 
modities and thereby in the cost of living. 

“The direct loss to the working men and 
women of America through lowered efficiency 
or earning capacity following blindness or seri- 
ous impairment of vision is probably much more 
than $10,000,000 a year. ; 


THE AMERICAN TEACHER 


“There is a further loss, intangible, but prob- 
ably even more serious than the foregoing, in 
the tragedy which enters every home in which 
a person has been blinded or has lost part of his 
sight permanently—a tragedy which often spells 
disaster.” 

' Close students of industrial conditions are now 
convinced that 98 per cent of all industrial accidents 
are preventable; if this applies also to the eye haz- 
ards of industry, this joint effort of the A. F. of L. 
and the Society for the Prevention of Blindness and 
the Society’s program within the industries them- 
selves and among employer groups should result in 


the saving of many. men’s and women’s eyes. 





Resolutions 
Introduced by A. F. of T, Delegate to A. F. of L. Convention, New Orleans, La., November 19-28 


To support Protest of Teachers of Seattle, 
Washington, Against Imposition of Yellow Dog 
Contract. 

Resolution No. 43.—By Delegate Florence Curtis 
Hanson of the American Federation of Teachers: 

Whereas, The Board of Education of Seattle, 
Washington, has demanded that as a condition of 
employment or re-employment of teachers in that 
city, they shall sign individual or “‘yellow dog con- 
tracts” declaring that they are not members of the 
American Federation of Teachers or of any local 
thereof, and that they will not become members 
during the term of the proposed contract; and 

Whereas, President William Green of the Ameri- 
can Federation of Labor has correctly stigmatized 
the action of the Seattle Board of Education as un- 
American and as an insult to the teachers, because 
it deprives them of their constitutional right to join 
an organization that is animated by the highest 
American idealism; therefore, be it 

Resolved, That the American Federation of Labor 
in convention assembled endorses the admirable 
statements on the Seattle situation which President 
Green has made public; and, be it further 

Resolved, That we urge all affiliated unions to 
insist that the teachers of America be guaranteed 
the protection of their rights as citizens, and par- 
ticularly that the teachers of Seattle be freed, 
through sound tenure-of-position legislation and 
through an appeal of their case to the Supreme Court 





of the United States, from the involuntary intellec- 
tual servitude now being forced upon them by the 
action of the Board of Education of Seattle; and, 
be it further 

Resolved, That the Executive Council of the 
American Federation of Labor take suitable meas- 
ures to place this resolution in the hands of all affil- 
iated National and International Unions, Central 
Labor Unions and State Fedérations of Labor to the 
end that a favorable public opinion may be created, 
and the restrictions implied by the Yellow Dog con- 
tract may be removed. : 

Your committee recommends concurrence in Res- 
olution No. 43. 

The recommendation of the committee was unan- 
imously adopted. 

Proposing Endorsement of Newton Bill for 

Child Health Extension Service. 

Resolution No. 44.—By Delegate Florence Cur- 
tis Hanson of the American Federation of Teachers: 

Whereas, We have been happy to note that during 
the administration of the Sheppard-Towner Baby 
Act, infant mortality has been greatly reduced; and 

Whereas, There has been introduced into Congress 
a measure, the Newton Bill, which seeks to estab- 
lish a child health extension service; therefore, be it 

Resolved, That the American Federation of Labor 
in convention assembled does endorse, in principle, 
the Newton Bill and will seek to secure its passage. 

The committee recommends that Resolution No. 





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effor 
the ( 


atio 
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mig] 
mea: 


in c 


THE AMERICAN TEACHER | 13 


44 be referrred to the Executive Council for inves- 
tigation and such action as the Council may deem 


wise in accord with the established policy of the . 


American Federation of Labor. 

The recommendation of the committee was unan- 
imously adopted. 

The committee amended Resolution No. 45 in the 
following manner: By striking out the word “treaty” 
in the first line of the second whereas and inserting 
in lieu thereof the words, “multilateral treaty for 
the renunciation of war,” and by amending the 
resolve to read: “Resolved, that the American Fed- 
eration of Labor, in convention assembled, favors 
the ratification by the United States Senate of the 
multilateral treaty for the renunciation of war.” 


The resolution, as amended, reads: 


Requesting American Federation of Labor to 
Assist in Securing the Ratification of the Kel- 
logg Peace Treaty. 


Resolution No. 45.—By Delegate Florence Curtis 
Hanson of the American Federation of Teachers: 


Whereas, The trade union movement of America 
supports whole-heartedly every movement, and every 
effort which seeks honestly and uprightly to promote 
the cause of international good will; and 

Whereas, The multilateral treaty for the renunci- 
ation of war known as the Kellogg Treaty proposed 
by our government to the nations of the world is a 
mighty step forward in the recognition of peaceful 
means for settling disputes among nations; and 

Whereas, The United States Senate will be asked 
to ratify this treaty during the coming session of 
Congress; therefore, be it 

Resolved, That the American Federation of Labor 
in convention assembled favors the ratification by 
the United States Senate of the multilateral treaty 
for the renunciation of war. 

The committee recommends that the resolution, 
thus amended be concurred in. 

The report of the committee was adopted. 

The committee amended Resolution No. 46 in the 
second whereas, in the following language: “Whereas, 
in some localities Boards of Education appoint or 
discharge teachers because of their purely personal 
views or affiliations without regard to the profes- 
sional fitness or conduct of such teachers in the class 
toom, therefore, be it.” 

The amended resolution reads: 

Calling Upon State Federations of Labor to 


Urge Enactment of State Tenure Laws for 

Teachers. 

Resolution No. 46.—By Delegate Florence Curtis 
Hanson of the American Federation of Teachers: 

Whereas, We recognize that the teachers in our 
public schools should be appointed and retained in 
office because of their professional fitness; and 

Whereas, In some localities Boards of Education 
appoint or discharge teachers because of their purely 
personal views or affiliations without regard to the 
professional fitness or conduct of such teachers in 
the class room; therefore, be it 

Resolved,» That the American Federation of Labor 
in convention assembled does condemn all such prac- 
tices; ‘and, be it further 

Resolved, That, to fight such unsound practices, 
it calls upon every state body to make every effort 
to have enacted a sound state tenure law as soon as 
possible. 

The committee recommends that the resolution 
as thus amended be adopted. 
Opposing Use of Public Schools to Spread Propa- 

ganda of Special Interests 

Resolution No. 82.—By Delegate Florence Curtis 

Hanson of the American Federation of Teachers: 


WHEREAS, Exposures of the Federal Trade Com- 
mission have shown that special interests are seek- 
ing every opportunity to use the public schools to 
spreag their propaganda; and 

WHEREAS, It has also been shown that there is 
gross misuse of the conception of research, institutes 
posing as research institutes being in reality propa- 
ganda institutes subsidized by special interests, and 

WHEREAS, The American Federation of Labor 
believes that the public schools of this country which 
belong to the people, with their varying political 
and economic convictions, should provide for the 
presentation and the discussion of both sides of con- 
troversial questions, but should not be exploited for 
the purpose of advocating the particular conviction 
or beliefs of any groups, and 

WHEREAS, The American Federation of Labor 
has always actively opposed the use of the schools 
and universities of the country for propaganda of 
any nature; therefore, be it 

RESOLVED, That the American Federation of 
Labor goes on record as unalterably opposed to all 
efforts of private or public service corporations 
and of real estate boards and other private corpora- 





THE AMERICAN TEACHER 


tions to inject covert propaganda into the public 
schools and universities; and, be it further 

RESOLVED, That the American Federation of 
Labor condemn as unworthy the confidence and 
trust of the American people those institutions which 
have been proven to be subsidized by special interests 
and which are carrying on, under the guise of dis- 
interested research, propaganda in favor of the inter- 
ests which are subsidizing them, and, be it further 

RESOLVED, That the American Federation of 
Labor oppose all efforts to have text books specially 
prepared by and for these interests introduced into 
our tax-supported schools, colleges and+ universities, 
and use its influence to have such specially prepared 
text books removed where now in use; and, be it fur- 
ther 

RESOLVED, That the American Federation of 
Labor standing Committee on Education be in- 
structed to continue its studies of text books used 
in tax-supported schools with these considerations 
especially in mind and to forward information con- 
cerning these matters at the earliest possible date to 
state federations, central labor bodies, local unions 
and affiliated national and international unions. 

Adopted as amended. 

And this resolution was presented by Delegate 
John Sullivan, representing the New York State Fed- 
eration of Labor and adopted by the Convention. 

Whereas, The following resolution was adopted 
by the 65th Annual Convention of the New’ York 
State Federation of Labor assembled in the city of 
Rochester, New York, on August 30, 1928: 

“Whereas, The Board of Education of Seattle, 
Washington, has demanded that as a condition of 
employment or re-employment teachers of that city 
must sign individual contracts declaring that they 
are not members of the American Federation of 
Teachers or any local thereot, and that they will 
not become members during the term of the pro- 
posed contract, and 

Whereas, President William Green of the Ameri- 
can Federation of Labor, has correctly stigmatized 
the action of the Seattle Board of Education as un- 
American, and an insult to the teachers because it 
deprives them of their constitutional right to join 
an organization animated by the highest American 
idealism, and 

Whereas, The act depriving our loyal and patri- 
otic teachers of their privileges as citizens may be 
the entering wedge of a movement to deprive all 


public service employees of their fundamental ciyic 
rights, therefore, be it 

Resolved, That this convention of the New York 
State Federation of Labor endorse the position taken 
by the American Federation of Teachers and the 
American Federation of Labor in opposition to the 
Yellow Dog contract and urge upon the American 
Federation of Labor to call upon all labor organiza 
tions to come to the aid of the teachers of Seattle 
with all the resources at their command to the end 
that not only may the teachers of America be guar- 
anteed the protection of their rights as citizens but 
that other employes of municipal, state and federal 
government may likewise be protected; and to the 
further end that the teachers of Seattle may be freed 
through the enactment of sound tenure legislation 
and through an appeal to the Supreme Court of the 
United States, from the involuntary intellectual ser- 
vitude now being forced upon them by the arbitrary 
action of the Board of Education of Seattle.” 

Resolved, That the 48th Annual Converition of 
the American Federation of Labor, assembled at New 
Orleans, La., herewith refers the foregoing quoted 
resolution to the incoming Executive Council of the 
American Federation of Labor for consideration and 
for such action as the Executive Council may desire 
to take in furthering the purposes of the resolution. 





RESOLUTIONS. 
Education Committee. Report of A. F. of L. 
Convention. 
Proposing a National Labor College for Workers’ 
Education 

Resolution No. 14—By Delegate Harry W. Fox 
of the Wyoming State Federation of Labor: 

WHEREAS, There is a need for the operation and 
maintenance of a National Labor College, or col- 
leges, wherein men and women of the labor move- 
ment may be educated and afforded a training that 
will enable them to carry on Workers’ Education in 
their own or other communities; and 

WHEREAS, It is essential that such college or 
colleges shall conform in their teachings, concerning 
the labor movement, with the recognized code and 
practices as accepted and endorsed by the American 
Federation of Labor and its affiliated organizations, 
in order that uniformity may prevail; and 

WHEREAS, Such college or colleges will only be 
possible when they are inspired, established, financed 
and conducted through the regular channels of the 





2? 6B Baw & 


2 af 


THE AMERICAN TEACHER 15 


labor movement and under the direct supervision of 
the President of the American Federation of Labor; 


and 
WHEREAS, With the ever changing aspects of 


our economic life, with their problems of mass pro- 
duction, substitution of the machine for man power, 
with increased unemployment; the development of 
giant power, all bringing with them new problems, 
necessitating an intimate study of these as well as 
of more effective means for combating company 
unionism; and of better equipping our members for 
the active organizing work that is being demanded 
from us if we are to maintain even our compara- 
tive position and influence; therefore, be it 

RESOLVED, By the delegates to the 48th An- 
nual Convention of the American Federation of La- 
bor, that we authorize our incoming Executive 
Council to give such consideration as is necessary to 
the above proposal, to devise ways and means for the 
establishment of such institution or institutions and, 
if necessary for the success of the movement that 
they be empowered to levy an additional one cent 
per member per month on the affiliated member- 
ship for such period as may be necessary to 
carry out the objects of this resolution, such levy not 
to be for a longer period than one year. 

Referred to Execvtive Council. 

Urging Trade Union Editors to Allot Space in Their 
Publications to Assist Educational Campaign 
of the Union Label Trades Department 

Resolution No. 21—By Delegates F. P. Barry and 
M. J. Burns of the International Brotherhood of 
Paper Makers: 

WHEREAS, The Union Label Trades Department 
of the A. F. of L. is using all the power and influence 
within its Department to extend and promote the 
use of Union Label goods amongst Union men and 
women, their friends and sympathizers; and 

WHEREAS, Every available medium must be used 
to convey the value of this work to all trade unions 
and their friends; and 

WHEREAS, A number of International Unions 
are not affiliated with the Trade Union Label De- 
partment of the A. F. of L.; therefore, be it 

RESOLVED, That the forty-eighth annual con- 
vention of the A. F. of L. convening in New Or- 
leans, La., November 19th, 1928, urge all Editors 
of Trade Union publications to assist in this work 
by alloting a page or more of each issue of said pub- 
lications for Trade Union Label Education. 

Adopted. 


Urging Promotion of Educational Program Among 
Organized Workers 

Resolution No. 37—By Delegate E. V. Aten of 
the Texas State Federation of Labor: 

WHEREAS, It is apparent to every student fa- 
miliar with the general industrial situation in Amer- 
ica that the organized labor movement is becoming 
more and more in need of a general educational pro- 
gram along the lines reflected in what might prop- 
erly be denominated a spirit of co-operation; and, 

WHEREAS, Nearly every international union has 
many general representatives traveling in America 
dealing with the general craft movement, this work 
offering great opportunities for general educational 
work among the organized workers; therefore, be it 

RESOLVED, That the delegate representing the 
Texas State Federation of Labor in the next annual 
convention of the American Federation of Labor 
be instructed to present a resolution in said conven- 
tion urging the respective International Unions to 
call to the attention of their general representatives 
the apparent necessity of taking advantage of every 
opportunity presented to teach the doctrine of peace, 
friendship and co-operation among the various craft 
organizations making up the American labor move- 
ment within the American Federation of Labor. 


Your Committee agrees with the spirit of Resolu- 
tion No. 37 and states, in view of the actual accom- 
plishments of the American Federation of Labor and 
international officers for peace, friendship and co- 
Operation, action on resolution seems unnecessary. 


Opposing use of public schools to spread propaganda of 
special interests, resolution No. 82. See page 13. 





THE EDUCATION BILL AGAIN 
The New Education Bill 
1. Creates a Department of Education with a 
Secretary in the President’s Cabinet. 
. Co-ordinates existing educational activities in 
the federal government. | 
. Provides for needed educational research. 
4. Creates an advisory council of State Superin- 
tendents of Education. 
§. Authorizes an appropriation for department. 
The New Educational Bill Does NOT 
1. Provide federal aid to the states for education. 
2. Give to the Department the control of educa- 
tion within the states. 
. Interfere with the conduct of private and 
parochial schools. 
. Standardize education within the states. 









































































Statement in part delivered by J. H. Walker, 
President Illinois State Federation of Labor, at the 
fourteenth annual convention of the Illinois Agricul- 
tural Association in the Armory, Danville, Illinois, 
January 31st, 1929. 





Mr. President, distinguished guests, ladies and gen- 
tlemen, members of the Illinois Agricultural Asso- 
ciation: 

I bring to you the greetings and good wishes of 
the Illinois State Federation of Labor, which has a 
membership of between two and three hundred thou- 
sand, and indirectly represents almost a million or- 
ganized trade unionists in Illinois. They together 
with their families, make up about one-half of the 
population of our great commonwealth. They speak 
for the unorganized workers as well. 

We have watched your growth with a keen and 
friendly interest and want to congratulate you on 
the great organization that you have built up of al- 
most 70,000 men who, by their services, produce the 
food for all our people. Yours is the most impor- 
tant single industry there is in Illinois, and your 
organization has been said (by those competent to 
judge) to be the most representative of the men, 
women and children who depend for their livelihood, 
on tilling the soil, that there is in our country. ~ 

Poor MarkeTts—Low Prices 

We have watched with grave concern, the serious 
difficulties under which you have labored, and in 
our humble way, have assisted you as best we could, 
to carry into effect the solutions for your problems. 
We have done this as citizens because we believed 
that you were working under disadvantages that you 
should not be required to labor under; because we 
believed that you were entitled as Americans, to bet- 
ter returns for the valuable services which you are 
rendering. We would have done that if there had 
been nothing else at issue but to see that you got 
simple justice, that you and your families were given 
the sort of consideration that you were entitled to. 

Our INTEREsSTs ARE MuTUAL 

However, in our judgment our own interests are 
involved in your welfare. When the farmers of 
our state and nation do not receive the returns for 
their labor that they should, they are then unable 
to buy the products of the industries in which our 
membership work. That means unemployment and 


THE AMERICAN TEACHER 


The Farmer sad the Wage Worker 


hardship for our members and their families, and 
when the wage earners in the modern industries, be 
cause of unemployment and low wages, are unable 
to purchase the farmers’ products and other things 
that are necessary to enable them and their families 
to live up to the American standards of living, the 
business and professional men of our country are un- 
able to find a market for their services at the prices 
which they should obtain for them. This means 
hardship and suffering for practically all of our 
people. 
PROSPERITY 

When the farmers are getting good prices for their 
products, they can then buy the products of the 
modern industries which means reasonably steady 
employment for us, fair wages, and a reasonably 
good market for the services of the professional men 
and merchants of our state and nation—prosperity 
for all. We are convinced that if we are to have 
prosperity in our country continuously, the farmers 
must be able to find a market for their products at 
good prices. 

Our interests are mutual. Neither of these great 
sections of our citizenship can be made to suffer 
without endangering and injuring the prosperity of 
all. When these two great sections of our citizen- 
ship are prosperous, all of the people will be pros- 
perous; so we not only sympathize with you as citi- 
zens because of the unfair disadvantages from which 
you are suffering, and want to render any assistance 
we can to help to solve these problems in the right 
way, but as a matter of intelligent self-interest, we 
want to do so in order to be prosperous ourselves. 

OVER-PRODUCTION AND UNDER-CONSUMPTION 

Must Be REMEDIED 

‘One of the most important problems in this mat- 
ter is that of our producing more than is necessary 
to supply normal market needs, or that can be bought 
by those who could and would consume them if they 
had the finances with which to buy them. Where 
this is done by the farmers, particularly where they 
are compelled to throw their products on the market 
all at one time, it results in lowering the prices be- 


low what they should receive for them. This puts 


them in a position where they are unable to buy 
their share of the products of the other industries. 
This condition disarranges the whole commercial and 


industrial situation to the injury of everyone. That 






~ 
















we 


Sa32F2 


S 


< 





REPS 2? 


more than is necessary to supply the normal mar- 
ket needs and to provide the necessary reserves. This 
condition can be remedied by raising the standards 
of living and the income of the people; so that they 
will be able to consume these products and have suf- 
ficient finances with which to purchase them, or 
the price of the commodities themselves must be re- 
duced so that they can purchase them with their 
present incomes. 

If the markets are overstocked beyond the point 
of consumption or beyond the point which the people 
can purchase, out of the incomes they now receive, 
prices fall, industrial stagnation takes place, idleness, 
unemployment and suffering obtain. 

Goop Prices AND WAGES—REMEDY 

Overproduction however, would be no burden if 
the farmers and workers in the modern industries 
recewed enough income in the way of prices for 
their crops and wages for the services they perform 
to enable them to lay by a reserve, so that while the 
industries were in idleness, they could continue to 
purchase whatever was necessary to supply their 
needs—until the markets were depleted and the in- 
dustrial institutions resumed operation again. 
SHoRTER Work-Day AND Work-WEEK NECESSARY 

Either that must be done or production must be 
reduced by the shortening of the work-day and work- 
week, perhaps both of these things and others must 
be done to make the best solution of this problem. 

I bring these matters to your attention because I 
think they are vitally important and must be dealt 
with in an intelligent, practical manner before our 
= can be solved on a just and satisfactory 


































CAMPAIGN FUNDS AND CANDIDATES 

I was very much interested in the statement made 
this morning by Professor Black, the economist from 
Harvard University, in which he explained in detail 
how the tariff was made and the relationship be- 
tween it and campaign contributions to the different 
political organizations and candidates. 

There is little doubt about this statement being true. 
I was glad to hear that statement being made from 
that source. It ought to carry great weight. One 
of the things that we have not been quite so actively 
terested in as we should in the past, is the deter- 
mination of who would make up the personnel of 
our law-making bodies, our judiciary and the execu- 
We officers in our government. 


The thought occurred to me that in addition to 


THE AMERICAN TEACHER 17 


is also true where the modern industries produce our being compelled indirectly to pay for these cam- 


paign contributions, which were being spent in the 
interest of candidates of those who met in the secret 
conferences and who were interested in the big cor- 
porations and financial institutions of our nation, 
that perhaps we would get better results if we made 
our own contributions directly, and spent them our- 
selves in the interest of candidates selected by the 
men and women whose only interest in our nation is 
to see that it is made the best place possible in which 
a man may work and rear a family. 
THe VALUE oF CHARACTER, KNOWLEDGE, 
INTELLIGENCE 

I was very much interested also in the statement 
of your Secretary-to-be for the coming year, when 
he analyzed the values which make for power and 
influence in organization, and I agree with him that 
the greatest asset that an organization can have is 
for the membership and officers to be intelligent, 
truthful, well-informed, capable, tactful and coura- 
geous—the highest type of Christian character. And 
I want to take advantage of this opportunity to say 
that during all the years of my association with your 
officers, those whom you have now ind those who 
have preceded them, they have typified those things 
in as high a degree as have any men with whom I 
have come in contact. 

Orricers Finest Type or CItrzens 

Sam Thompson, your former president, now the 
president of the American Farm Bureau Federation, 
has given his life honestly, sincerely, and unselfishly 
in an effort to better the condition of the men, 
women and children who depend on agriculture for 
a livelihood. He has always had a sympathetic in- 
terest in the welfare of the average man in our coun- 
try in all walks of life., There és no finer type of 
American citizen. 

Your present staff of officers have the same quali- 
ties. They are real statesmen of the higest order. 
President Smith, Treasurer Cowles, Watson, Evering- 
ham, Kirkpatrick, Barton, your executive committee. 
I am proud to have been associated with them. 

SHOULD Co-OPERATE More CLOSELY 

I hope the day is not far away when your organi- 
zation and ours may sit in the same meeting and 
exchange programs with each other and explain what 
they mean, so that we may have the most complete 
understanding with each other and be able to be 
most helpful to one another. And then I wish it 
were possible that the employing, business and finan- 
cial interests might sit in with us and exchange pro- 








oe setae ss 


ERO Ane + om cope preva 


DCR ET ED PRD 





18 THE AMERICAN TEACHER 





grams also. I know that you would want to give 
them every consideration they were entitled to, as 
would we. That is all that we would ask of them 
—and, were we all acting in the open, discussing our 
issues fully and frankly with each other, I am sure 
it would make for better things for all. 

CHILDREN Must BE GIVEN A Goop EDUCATION. 

Perhaps the most important one thing that must 
be provided for in order to enable the average citi- 
zen of our state and nation to solve the many com- 
plex problems with which he now has to deal in 
everyday life, and to discharge his duties as a citi- 
zen on the high plane that modern developments 
have made necessary, is the raising of the level of 
education, real knowledge, which carries with it a 
higher standard of intelligence. If this is be done on 
the widespread basis necessary to be effective it must 
be done through our public school system, and the 
most important single item in that respect is the 
common or grade school. 

I would like very much if I had the time to go 
into the situation from the point of view as it ob- 
tains at the present time in our state, but I cannot 
help before leaving the floor, to point out to you the 
fact that it is the single room schools in our state 
that are most deficient in this respect. These are in 
the rural school districts. It is to your children that 
we are failing to give the basic education that our 
state constitution requires they should be given, and 
that the modern problems of life make it almost im- 
perative that they should be given if they are to 
protect and promote their interests properly or dis- 
charge their duties as citizens creditably. 

The next in the degree of deficiency are the 
schools in the districts where the children of the 


workers in the modern industries are. This must be 


remedied either through an increase in the amount 


of the state distributive school fund, or by some 





























other method. I think you will agree with me that by 
there is no economy that we could practice that wes 
will be so expensive to us or so disastrous to the den 
future of our nation, as the denying of these chil- hr 
dren the minimum basic essentials of a common X 
school education. There is hardly any price that we a let 
should not be willing to pay that these children— presi 
our children, shall receive that education. uary 
Co-OPERATIVE ACTIVITIES 

The steady growth of your organization, the suc- ee 
cess of your many co-operative activities, livestock ingh 
marketing, dairy marketing, fruit and vegetable, as 7 
well as grain marketing, and provision to your wher 
members of crop insurance, life insurance, gas and the 1 
oil, limestone, phosphate, serum, etc., furnish an in- publi 
spiration and encouragement not alone to your own the , 
members but to the workers’ organization and the = 
migh’ 


friends of humanity everywhere. I sincerely hope 
that you may continue along those lines until every 
farmer who is eligible to join your organization in 
Illinois, will be a member, until you will not only 
be able to buy all of the things that you use, which 
you do not raise on the farms yourselves, through 
your own consumers’ co-operative institutions, but 
until you will be marketing substantially all of your 
products through co-operative organizations devel- 
oped by you for that purpose, by which organiza- 
tions you will be able reasonably to control their 
prices. When you even approximate this latter stage 











Ger 







2:00 







Evenit 





















Leon C. Bradley, former publicity agent for the 
Alabama coal operators in their fight to smash the 
United Mine Workers in the strike of 1921, was a 
sorry spectacle when he testified, January 10, be- 
fore the Federal Trade Commission. He was grilled 
by Chief Counsel Healy for the Commission, as to 
his service as director of the Alabama Public Utili- 
ties Information Bureau, from October, 1922, to 


Power Trust Writer Confesses Sly Work 


By LauRENCE Topp. 








of your development, your major problems will have si 
been solved. 

TraDE UNIONIsts WANT TO HELP THE FARMERS @ 9:00-1 

In closing, I just want to add that I believe I can a 

speak for our whole movement in saying that if we S 

can be of any service to you in building up your A 

organization, or in helping to adjust your problems S 

on a fairer and more satisfactory basis, that we shall uc 

gladly and whole-heartedly do so. I thank you. T 

ha 

ra 

5:00-6: 

ca 

Evenin, 

January, 1926. He spent $46,000 for the power tic 
companies in that period, in a campaign to make 

the public afraid of government ownership of A.M 

utilities. Ser 
Bradley wrote and circulated a “news bulletia” 

of 5,000 copies each week which emphasized the 9:00.12 

argument that widely distributed stock ownership a 





in private corporations was the genuine ‘ 
























ownership.” It was sent free to hundreds of state, 


a county and city officials, to bankers, doctors, 
iat . > . . . 

i dentists, manufacturers’ associations, service clubs, 
‘ libraries and newspapers. 


When he felt insecure in his job, Bradley wrote 
a letter, marked “Personal,” to Thomas W. Martin, 


president of the Alabama Power Company, Jan- 
wary 4, 1926, boasting that he was responsible for 
two editorials that had just appeared in the Birm- 
ingham News. He said: 


“I have always suggested to newspaper men 
wherever possible to avoid mentioning my name or 





THE AMERICAN TEACHER 19 


more than 75 separate articles on the editorial page 
of the Montgomery Advertiser during the past 12 
months regarding public utilities which were taken 
verbatim from our news Bulletin. The number in 
the weekly papers runs into the hundreds.” 

One of his jobs, Bradley testified, was to read all 
textbooks submitted by the approved schoolbook 
publishers to the Alabama school authorities—‘‘to 
see that they took a reasonable attitude toward the 
utilities.” 

One of the exhibits secured from Bradley’s files 
was a report by the Rocky Mountain Committee 
on Public Utility Information on its success in get- 
ting propaganda lectures delivered by utility spokes- 
men at the University of Colorado, Colorado Agri- 
cultural College, Colorado School of Mines, Denver 
University, Colorado College and Colorado Teach- 
ers’ College.—Machinists’ Monthly Journal. 





Re the name of the Bureau, as anyone who understands 
re publicity or politics knows it is more effective if 
ce the article appears to emanate from the newspaper 
Pe itself rather than from some utility source. It 
ope might interest you to know that there have been 
ery 
| in 
nly 
rich 


TENTATIVE PROGRAM 


Geneva, July 25—August 3, 1929 
Thursday, July 25 
2:00 P. M.—Meeting of Board of Directors. 
Friday, July 26 
Evening—Registration and Billeting; Opening Ses- 
sion, Welcome Meeting. 
Saturday, July 27 
9:00-12:00 A. M.—Meeting of Departments, Groups 
and Committees (a) Parent-Teacher, Home and 
School, (b) Health Education, (c) Teachers’ 
Associations and the International Aspect of 
School Administration, (d) Illiteracy, (e) Ed- 
ucational Handicrafts, (f) Preparation of 
Teachers for International Goodwill, (g) Be- 
havior-Problem Child, (h) Rural Life and Ru- 
tal Education. 
5:00-6:00 P. M.—General Session; “Labor and Edu- 


Cation.” 

was Evening —General Session devoted to Visual Educa- 
tion. 

make 

val Sunday, July 28 


A.M—(a) Services at St. Peter’s Cathedral; (b) 
Services at Cathedral of Notre Dame. 
Monday, July 29 
9:00-12:00 A. M.—Meeting of Departments, Groups 
and Committees: (a) Pre-School and Kinder- 





Third Biennial Conference of the World Federation Of 


Education Associations 
























garten, (b) Elementary Schools, (c) Secon- 
dary Schools, (d) Colleges and Universities, (e) 
Adult Education. 

5:00-6:00 P. M.—General Session: “The Interna- 
tional Aspect of Education.” 

Evening—Open for social events. 


Tuesday, July 30 
9:00-12:00 A. M.—Meeting of Departments and 
Discussion Groups: (a) Teachers’ Association 
and the International Aspect of School Admin- 
istration, (b) International Co-operation and 
Goodwill, (c) Geography, (d) Rural Life and 
Rural Education, (e) Social Adjustment, (f) 
Handicapped Children, (g) Educational Handi- 
crafts, (h) Health Education. 
5:00-6:00 P. M.—General Session: ‘The Needs of 
the Rural Districts.” 
Evening—Open for social events. 


Wednesday, July 31 

9:00-12:00 A. M.—Meeting of Departments and 
Discussion Groups: (a) Illiteracy, (b) Beha- 
vior-Problem Child, (c) Secondary Schools, (d) 
Pre-School and Kindergarten, (e) Elementary 
Schools, (f) Colleges and Universities, (g) 
Preparation of Teachers for International Good- 
will, (h) Parent-Teacher, Home and School. 





20 





“Some Behavior 





5:00-6:00 P. M.—General Session: 
Problems.” 

Evening—General Session devoted to messages from 

various countries. 
Thursday, August 1 
No meetings of the Federation to be held on this 
day on account of the National Feast, the occasion 
of high festival. 
Friday, August 2 

9:00-12:00 A. M.—Meeting of Departments and 
Discussion Groups: (a) Health Education, (b) 
Teachers’ Associations and the International As- 
pect of School Administration, (c) Adult Ed- 
ucation, (d) Geography, (¢) Home and School 
in joint session with Pre-school and Kindergar- 
ten, (f) Social Adjustment, (g) Handicapped 
Children, (h) International Co-operation and 
Goodwill. 

2:00-5:00 P. M.—Delegate Assembly. 

5:00-6:00 P. M.—General Session: 
School.” 

Evening—Farewell Meeting. 

Saturday, August 3 
9:00-12:00 A. M.—Delegate Assembly. 
P. M.—Devoted to meetings of Beets of Direc- 


tors and Trustees. 


“Home and 





W. T. U. L. CONVENTION CALL 


The National Women’s Trade Union League of 
America calls its Members, Affiliated Leagues and 
National Committees, all Affiliated Trade Unions 
and State Federations, and all Affiliated Women’s 
Auxiliaries to Trade Unions to send delegates to its 
Eleventh Convention (First Triennial) to be held 
in Washington, D. C., May’6 to 11, 1929. 

“A Girl—her job—the relationship between them: 
this is the first concern of the National Women’s 
Trade Union League of America.” 

The program of the Convention includes consid- 
eration of the League’s major piece of work: Its edu- 
cational campaign in the industrial South. 

One day of the Convention will be given over 
to an organized discussion of the wage relationship 
between the girl and her job. Convention delibera- 
tions will cover other phases of the woman worker’s 
“organizability”—her chances for education and the 
direction of public opinion toward an understand- 
ing of her workaday life; and industrial legislation 
which follows the dictate of that public opinion and 
brings up the laggards in industry. 


THE AMERICAN TEACHER ~ 











W. E. B. CONVENTION CALL 

The Executive Committee of the Workers Edy. 
cation Bureau has sent out the call for the sixth 
National convention of the Workers Education By. 
reau of America. The-place selected is Washington, 


D. C., and the time April 5, 6, and 7, 1929. T- 


All national and international unions, state fed. 
erations of labor, city central bodies, local unions, 
departments of workers’ education, trade union col- 
leges, study classes and other workers’ educational 
enterprises are invited to participate. 

The, announcement states: 


““We ask your active interest and participation in 
this Convention. The success of any democratic 
educational movement depends upon the enthusi- 
asm, the vitality, and the active support of those 
to whom workers’ education is a great adventure, 
It is well to remember that it is not the facilities 
that have made the workers’ education movement, 
but the movement which = fashioned the facilities 
and must continue to do so.’ 





CHICAGO STUDENTS CELEBRATE 

CHICAGO, Ill. (W. E. B.).—At the conclusion 
of a ten weeks” course in public speaking nad parlia- 
mentary law, the students of the Chicago Trade Un- 
ion College held a celebration in the new home of the 
Chicago Trade Union League and presented their in- 
structor, Mrs. Lieber, with an appropriate gift in 
recognition of her long and faithful service to the 
college and to the successive classes in public 
speaking. 

Courses in industrial psychology, better English, 
parliamentary law and public speaking, industrial 
history and development of the trade union move- 
ment, good books, current events, art crafts, and a 
study of unemployment, will be given at the college 
during this semester, January 5. 

For more than ten years the Chicago Trade Union 
College has been run under the auspices of the 
schools’ committee of the Chicago Federation of La- 
bor and the educational committee of the Women's 
Trade Union League of Chicago. This year, how- 
ever, Superintendent Bogan of the Board of Educa- 
tion has without solicitation offered the cooperation 
of his department in helping to obtain the best possi- 
ble faculty, and to bear part of the expenses of hir- 
ing instructors, such as the Board of Education 
would do in case of other public night schools. 















































Af 
gual 


Educ: 
the at 
of 33 


4,800. 


THE AMERICAN TEACHER 21 


OHIO EDUCATIONAL CONFERENCE 

April 4+, 5, and 6 are the dates of the Ninth An- 
qual Ohio State Educational Conference at Colum- 
bus. “Evaluating education” will be the keynote of 
this three-day meeting conducted by the College of 
Education at the Ohio State University. Each year 
the attendance materially increases. Last year’s gain 
of 335 pushed the number who took part in the 
three general and 38 sectional meetings to more than 
4800. Since 1923 the attendance has doubled. 

To extend the “conference” idea, allowing group 
interests to have even wider consideration, Friday 
and Saturday forenoons and Friday afternoon will 
be given over to sectional group meetings. General 
sssions will be held Thursday and Friday nights 
only. The customary Saturday morning general ses- 
sion will give way to sectional meetings. 

Groups admitted to the Conference for the first 
time will be represented this year by sections con- 
cerned with adult education, higher education, and 
attendance supervisors, school nurses and visiting 
teachers. In addition to the three new groups men- 
tioned, one or more sectional meetings will be given 
to problems of groups interested in biological science, 
city superintendents, clinical psychology, commer- 
cal education, county superintendents, educational 
and intelligence tests, elementary principals, elemen- 
tary teachers, English, geography, high-school prin- 
ipals, history, home economics, industrial and voca- 
tional education, journalism, junior high-school prin- 
cipals, kindergarten and primary teachers, Latin, 
mathematics, modern language, music, non-biologi- 
cat science, parent-teacher association, physical edu- 
cation, religious education, school business officials, 
xhool librarians, special education, teacher training, 
and village and consolidated school superintendents. 





LINCOLN ON CAPITAL, LABOR 


(Continued From Page 5) 

I take it that it is the best for all to leave each man free to 
acquire property as fast as he can. Some will get wealthy. 
I'don’t believe in a law to prevent 2 man from getting 
tich; it would do more harm than good. So while we do 
Rot propose any war upon capital, we do wish to allow the 
humblest man an equal chance to get rich with everybody 
tle. When one starts poor, as most do in the race of life, 
fee society is such that he knows he can better his condi- 
tions;—he knows that there is no fixed condition of labor 
for his whole life. I am not ashamed to confess that 
twenty-five years ago I was a hired laborer, mauling rails, 
* work on a flatboat—just what might happen to any 
Per man’s son.” 


Peace in industrial relations is a most commendable 
and desirable objective. All should strive to reduce 
industrial conflict to a minimum and to promote co- 
operation and understanding between employers and 
employes. We should exert every effort at our com- 
mand to establish means and methods mutually ac- 
ceptable through which employers and employes may 
find means of approach and settle differences which 
may arise, without resort to force and strikes. But 
in all our efforts toward the promotion of peace and 
cooperation we must avoid compulsion and the denial 
of the exercise of all rights guaranteed employer and 
employe. Labor must be free to determine its course 
of action. The right to strike must be preserved but 
the exercise of that right should be resorted to only 
under the most extreme and aggravating circum- 
stances. 

Evidently Lincoln grasped the economic fallacy 
upon which the institution of human slavery was 
based. His attitude toward the inhuman practice of 
slave-ownership was prophetic. While the employ- 
ment of slaves might conform to the old economic 
theory of cheap labor and low production cost, it 
could not conform to the new modern commodity 
consumption theory which is essential to national 
prosperity. Slaves might be commodity producers 
but they were not commodity consumers. They 
lacked purchasing power, consequently there could be 
no balance between their producing and consuming 
power. If slavery were to be extended so that im- 
portance would be attached only to the development 
of productive powers it would not be possible to en- 
large the nation’s home consuming market nor would 
it be possible for free labor, from the competitive 
standpoint, to maintain a standard of living commen- 
surate with the requirements of American citizenship. 

Modern day acceptance of the theory of high wages 
and a high producing power clearly disproves the 
economic fallacy underlying the institution of human 
slavery. Abraham Lincoln was right in his opposition 
to slavery from an economic point of view as well as 
from a humane and moral point of view. ; 

The great memorial statue of Abraham Lincoln 
sits resting in the shrine of white marble. Its gleam- 
ing reflection is mirrored in the quiet pool which lies 
before it. A soft moon sheds its light upon the 
peaceful scene and calmly, majestically the glorious 
likeness of the Great Emancipator looks out into the 
silent night. May his spirit and his wisdom continue 
to be our inspiration and our guide. 








Civil Liberties 


Despite fewer lynchings and less mob violence last 
year than any year since the war, free speech prose- 
cutions and police break-up of meeting were more 
numerous in 1928 than any year since 1922, accord- 
ing to figures given out by the American Civil 
Liberties Union. Free speech prosecutions were over 
ten times as many as the year before, 524 against 46 
in 1927. Police banned or broke up 52 meetings in 
comparison with 14 for the previous year. 


This marked increase in attacks on civil rights by 
the authorities, according to the Union, was aimed 
principally at the Workers Party and its allied ac- 
tivities against imperialism and for left-wing trade 
union organization. Of the 48 instances of banned 
meetings, 23 were campaign meetings of the Work- 
ers Party. 

The 524 prosecutions reported do not include hun- 
dreds of cases in the coal and textile strikes during 
the year. These cases would bring the total well up 
into the thousands, according to the Union. “In the 
New Bedford and Fall River textile strikes alone,” 
the report states, “there were close to 700 arrests 
of pickets and strikers on a variety of charges most 
of which involved their rights to meet and picket. 
At Kenosha, Wisconsin, where the hosiery workers 
have been on strike for months, about 500 union 
members were arrested for violations of a federal 
anti-picketing injunction. The Colorado miners’ 
strike which ended in February and the miners’ strike 
in Western Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia 
were marked by hundreds of civil liberty prosecu- 
tions.” 

“On the whole,” says the Union, “1928 brought 
the heaviest record of arrests on civil liberty issues 
of any year since the big campaigns against radicals 
just after the war. And this despite the fact that 
there were few deportation cases and just a few 
prosecutions under the sedition and criminal syndi- 
calism laws with those only in Pennsylvania and 
Kansas. ‘There were no federal or state drives on 
“reds.” The prosecutions were almost wholly local, 
on such charges as disorderly conduct, disturbing the 
peace or parading without permits. 

“Most of the sentences imposed were short. Only 
a dozen were for a year or more and each such case 
was appealed. At the close of the year, there were 
no political prisoners in state or federal prisons for 
the first time since the war. And yet the police 


THE AMERICAN TEACHER 





persecution of radicals and militant trade unionists 
reached the highest figures in years.” 

The Union characterizes the State of Pennsylvania 
as the worst for wholesale violations of civil rights, 
Boston is cited as unique in its sweeping censorship 
of meetings, books and plays. 

Among the many cases still in the courts inyoly- 
ing significant issues, the Union cites as most impor- 
tant the following: 

(1) The denial of citizenship to Madame Ros- 
ika Schwimmer because of her pacifist views. This 
is at present the only civil liberty case before the 
U. S. Supreme Court. (2) The attempt to revoke 
in the federal courts at Pittsburgh the citizenship 
of John Tapolczyani on the grounds that he is a 
Communist. (3) The fight against a compulsory 
Bible reading law in the South Dakota Supreme 
Court. 

The Union announces that the chief civil liberty 
issues for 1929 are: 

(1) The fight to clean up the regime of' the coal 
and iron police and state troopers in Pennsylvania 
through legislative measures to limit their powers 
and continued court action for damages against in- 
vividual officers. (2) The campaign for restora 
tion of citizenship rights to 1500 victims of the war- 
time Espionage Act. (3) The testing of the con- 
stitutionality of all anti-evolution laws by a test 
case in Arkansas where the most recent anti-evolv- 
tion legislation was enacted last November. (4) The 
campaign through the National Mooney-Billings 
Committee for the release of Tom Mooney and War- 
ren K. Billings from California prisons where they 
are now serving life sentences for alleged participa- 
tion in bombing the San Francisco Preparedness pi- 
rade of July 22, 1916. (5) The campaign for re- 
lease of seven members of the I. W. W., under life 
sentences for deaths resulting when members of the 
American Legion raided their hall in Centralia 
Wash., Nov. 11, 1919. 

The Civil Liberties Union in its review of the 
present situation announces three new issues as “chal- 
lenging the friends of civil liberty.” (1) The 
creasing power of courts to issue injunctions in time 
of industrial conflict. (2) The rigid censorship of 
books and plays and the recent attempt to cens 
talking movies. (3) The issues involved in the te 
dency noticeable throughout the nation to Dre 
down rights guaranteed defendants in crimind 
trials along with growing severity of sentences 4 


the increased brutality of third degree methods. 











EDI 































































The 
the p! 
fore t 
fifty-s 
to Jul 
rector 
preside 

Men 


THE AMERICAN TEACHER 


EDUCATION AND DELINQUENCY TO BE 
DISCUSSED 

The possibility of the school as an instrument for 
the prevention of delinquency will be discussed be- 
fore the National Conference of Social Work at its 
ffty-sixth annual meeting in San Francisco, June 26 
to July 3, under the leadership of Porter R. Lee, di- 
rector of the New York School of Social Work, the 
president. 

Mental hygiene in the schools, adult education, 


parental education, the schools and the juvenile court 


are some of the topics already announced which will 
be of interest to those in the educational field. 

Dr. George Kirchwey, of New York, former war- 
den of Sing Sing, is chairman of the division on de- 
linquency in which studies of the juvenile court, 
the probation system, the relations of schools to the 
delinquent child and education and medical service 
in the prison will be discussed. Material based on 
the Boston survey of criminal justice, in which the 
results of the present criminal system are being 
studied, will be included. 


The program for the Conference and the thirty- 
two kindred groups meeting at the same time will 
be particularly colorful this year since emphasis is te 
be placed on the latest developments in social work 
in the states where the Mexican, Chinese, Japanese 
ind Indian groups form distinctive social. problems. 

Some topics already announced are: the new unem- 
ployment, the social effects of the present naturaliza- 
tion policy, labor unions and social work, race im- 
provement, mental hygiene in the schools, the church 
and family life, social problems of migratory work- 
s,and the fundamental values of. the moving 
picture, 


THE CHILD LABOR SITUATION 
Under this title, the Department of Research and 
Education of the Federal Council of Churches has 
issued a Child Labor Number of I nformation Service, 
thir weekly bulletin. “This monograph discusses the 
‘tent of child labor, child labor and illiteracy, acci- 
to minors, the minimum standards of the Na- 
tonal Child Labor Committee, various aspects of the 
ttild labor program of the National Association of 
Waoufacturers, and the status of federal regulation. 
Copies can be secured from the National Child 
labor Committee. 





A CORRESPONDENT WRITES US: 

“Things continue to pop but a more ancient egg 
than the attached you will hardly find.” The at- 
tached clipping from “School” (N. Y.) “Devoted to 
the Public Schools and Educational interests,” reads: 

“Dr. William McAndrew, former Superintendent 
of Schools in Chicago while in the city recently 
visited Washington Irving High School, where 
from 1903 to 1914 he conducted his successful ex- 
periment in the socialization of education. 

“Mr. and Mrs. McAndrew are on their way to 
Greece where he intends to investigate Socrates’ 
methods of education. 

Here’s another one: A publisher announces a 
new book.—The Art of Thinking, by Nicholas Mur- 
ray Butler. 





ORGANIZED LABOR WAS PIONEER PRO- 
MOTER OF THE FREE PUBLIC SCHOOLS 


“Organized labor can withstand the severest judg- 
ment at the bar of history, at the bar of economics 
and at the bar of ethics,” said former Senator 
Thomas P. Gore of Oklahoma in an address to the 
A. F. of L. convention. “The American free school 
is largely due to the education and agitation carried 
on by organized labor in the early part of our na- 
tional life,” he said. “You deserve more credit for 
this achievement than you have actually claimed or 
enjoyed. That alone justifies your history and your 
existence.” 

“Your efforts are not concluded. Organized la- 
bor will never be obligated to weep, like Alexander of 
old, for other worlds to conquer. Your past efforts 
may possibly loom large upon the background of his- 
tory, but there are always changing forces in our 
social and industrial organization which require in- 
telligent thought and intelligent guidance. And in 
this department of our national life American labor 
will find much if not most of its field of endeavor 
in the years—I will say in the centuries—to come, 
because labor is a century plant. It is not destined 
to die. It is destined to continue its beneficent serv- 
ices as exigencies, as the changing circumstances of 
our national life may require.” 





Among the resolutions adopted by the All-India 
Federation of Teachers’ Associations at its annual 
conference is one that requests free public gym- 
nasiums be started and maintained by Indian mu- 


nicipalities. 





THE AMERICAN TEACHER 





BOOKS 


“There is no frigate like a book 
To bear us lands away.” 
—Ewmily Dickinson. 








- os 
TWO NEW BOOKS ON CIVIL LIBERTIES 
Two books important to friends of civil liberty 

are now on sale through the Civil Liberties Union. 

Don’t Tread on Me! written by Clement Wood and 

McAlister Coleman in collaboration with the Union’s 

general counsel, Arthur Garfield Hays, is a study of 

aggressive legal tactics for labor and _ individuals 
whose civil rights have been violated. It covers the 
methods of fighting injunctions, restrictions on 
strikers, the boycott, illegal arrests and “‘yellow-dog” 

" contracts. In addition to legal tactics it offers ex- 

cellent suggestions for handling publicity. 

Liberty Under the Soviets, by Roger N. Baldwin, 

a director of the Union, covers all aspects of liberty 

and repression in Soviet Russia. His book is a cross 

section of Russian life, fairly though sympathetically 
written. Both books are published by the Vanguard 

Press and each sells for 54 cents a copy postpaid. 

Orders addressed to the American Civil Liberties 

Union, 100 Fifth Avenue, New York City, will be 

filled promptly. 








Dr. Garry Cleveland Myers, Head of the Division 
of Parental Education ,Cleveland College, Western 
Reserve University; formerly Head of the Depart- 
ment of Psychology, Cleveland School of Education, 
has become Editor of Babyhood, a magazine for 
parents of little children. 

Friday morning, February Ist, 10:20 Eastern 
Standard time, Dr. Myers began a series of sixteen 
radio talks over WLW, Cincinnati, on Home Ed- 
ucation of pre-school children. He will talk each 
Friday morning at 10:20 Eastern Standard time. 

“Problem Parents” is the title of a series of thir- 
teen articles Dr. Myers has been writing for The 
Child Welfare Magazine, the official organ of the 
National Congress of Parents and Teachers. At the 


request of the U. S. Commissioner of Education Dr. - 


Myers wrote a series of eleven letters to parents under 
the general title “Helping Our Children Succeed in 
School.” These letters are free to all parents whose 
names and addresses are sent to the U. S. Bureau of 
Education, Washington, D. C. 


The Public School Journal of California of which 
Franklin E. Perham, Menlo Junior College, and E, J. 
Dupuy, Head of French Department, Girls’ High 
School, San Francisco, are the editors, is pub. 
lished weekly by the Pacific Coast Teachers Publish. 
ing Co., 995 Market Street, San Francisco. 

The announced editorial policy reads: 

“Our appeal is to all who believe in a free, progres- 
sive, untrammeled and efficient system of public edu- 
cation. 

“The Public School Journal of California pledges 
its support to the following programme: 

“1. To defend our public schools from encroach- 
ment in the shape of any and all political interference 
or domination, and against exploitation by any finan- 
cial or other group. 

“2. To defend the classroom teachers of Califor- 
nia against any attempts to decrease their salaries or 
to lower their standard of living, and against any at- 
tempts to impose upon them an unreasonable and 
unjustifiable teacher load. 

“3. To defend the rights of all teachers against 
all attempts which may be made to interfere with 
their rights as free American citizens. 

“4. To defend the teachers of California against 
unfair, unwise or unjust legislation, whether muni- 
cipal, State or Federal. 

“5. To throw its columns open to all, teachers and 
laymen, for a full and frank discussion on all the 
matters pertaining to the public schools of California. 

“6. To-.engage actively in supporting any -move- 
ment intended to develop the value and importance 
of the Public School system, and to act as a clear- 
ing house for all expressions of advice, for news re- 
lating to school finances, budgets, equipment, and 
all other matters of interest to school officials. 

“7, To act as a publication of information for 
the laymen, parents, taxpayers and all civic organiza- 
tions.” 

The price is one dollar for forty issues or ten cents 
per copy. 





Geography long ago emerged from the Q. and A. 
era. (Q. What are the rivers of France? A. The 
rivers of France are... ) says J. Russell Smith, 
professor of economic geography at Columbia in 4 
booklet, Geography Our Need Of It, recently 
published by the American Library Association. 

Even so, Dr. Smith declares, educators generally 
haven’t recognized the possibilities of geography. “It 
is the only subject in the elementary school curricu- 
lum that can be used as a core around which to build 








TEA & 


sh- 


unified course of study.” History, economics, busi- 
ness, culture, citizenship, commerce, politics and lit- 
erature all may be taught from the geographical 
viewpoint and dull facts may be turned into glowing 
events. 

Dr. Smith briefly discusses geography from all its 
various aspects. ““The inorganic side—physiography,” 
“organic side—plant and animal geography,” “human 
geography,” “political geography,” “geography in 
American schools,” and “geography in books” a 
some of the paragraph headings. At the pa sa 
of the discussion he recommends six books for 
further reading. 


Geography and our need of it is one of the courses 


in the Reading with a Purpose series, which may be 


obtained at most libraries or by sending 35 cents in 
stamps to the American Library Association, 86 East 
Randolph Street, Chicago. 





STRIKES. 


Where do strikes arise? 
stances do they succeed or fail? How do strikes 
affect union organization and structure? Do they 
change the working relations and public opinion? Is 
the so-called general strike a myth? Is there any 
likelihood that strikes will cease? 

These and many other vital topics are discussed in 
The Strike, by E. T. Hiller. The theory underlying 
the control of strikers and the public, the develop- 
ment of new stratagems and customs of the trade 
are described in an original and scientific way. The 
book is pointed and readable. It is an unbiased at- 
tempt to understand the nature of strikes. “In its 
treatment of the psychological significance of trade 
disputes the study is entirely new. Its: wide scope 
and minute analysis will be valuable to all dealing 
with the practical aspects of the subject. At your 
bookstore $2.50 or $2.60 postpaid from The Uni- 
versity of Chicago Press, 5750 Ellis Ave., Chicago. 


Under what circum- 





The current issue of Child Study, a magazine 
issued by the Child Study Association of America, 
carries the title “The Child in the Modern World,” 
Does Today’s Child Find It a Liability or an Asset? 


According to the editors, his environment is an 
asset if the child finds guidance in establishing a 
sound sense of values—intelligent freedom and 
scurity at home—suitable responsibilities—confi- 
dence in parental integrity in thought and action— 
space and equipment for work-play-rest—creative 


attitude toward leisure—scientific curiosity—pre- 


Yentive supervision: physical and psychological. 









THE AMERICAN TEACHER . 25 


His environment is a liability if- the child finds no 
basis for a sound sense of values—lack of a sense of 
security and guidance in the home—hurried family— 
careless adult standards of behavior—overstimula- 
tion—dependence on artificial amusement—swift- 
changing styles—emotional high speed. 

“The tremendous forces which invention and 
discovery have liberated in this new day are in 
themselves neither asset nor liability. The question 
is simply whether the child shalt master these new 
forces or be mastered by them. Parents can help 
in the child’s adjustment, but not in this new world 
without first finding themselves, without orientat- 
ing their own lives in relation to the forces which 
confront their children.” 


The magazine contains an article on “Childhood 
Prejudices” by Bruno Lasker, in which he speaks of 
children’s likes and dislikes, handed on from genera- 
tion to generation as being stronger than tolerance 
and democracy as conscious ideals, 


Miss Caroline Pratt makes a contribution about 
“Children in Their Neighborhoods.” 


Three child specialists of wide experience con- - 
tribute, in interviews, their points of view regarding 
the care of young babies. They agree that the 
standards of care and accomplishment must be in- 
terpreted for each child as an individual. 


Mrs. Sidonie M. Gruenberg, Director of the 
Child Study Association, has an interesting article on 
“Parents as Interpreters in a Changing World.” 
Mrs. Gruenberg says: “Society as a whole shapes 
the standards by which it lives, but to parents be- 
longs the responsibility of selecting and evaluating 
them. Where does youth find guidance among the 
rapidly shifting standards‘of today? Incredible as 
the cynic may think it, the answer to that question 
is still—from his parents. By what they don’t do 
and say as much as by what they do, parents in- 
fluence the objectives of their children’s lives—and 
so of the changing world.” 

In summing up, Mrs. Gruenberg says, “The home 
must be a place where the child becomes aware of 
striving toward ideal ends, of discriminations in 
regard to values, of efforts to raise standards. At 
the same time, the home must also be the_ place 
where the child never suffers the full weight of his 
mistakes and blunders, as he often does outside, since 
it is here that affection and understanding help him 
to convert his errors into lessons, and that his devia- 


























































26 THE AMERICAN TEACHER 


tions from the standards are accepted as steps in his 
growth. 

“Parents must be increasingly conscious of the 
need for technical help in applying the resources of 
modern science to advance their own personal in- 
tegration. We must realize that personalities are 
not completed on attaining the suffrage, or on be- 
coming married, or on becoming parents. We must 
accept the need of learning and assimilating and 
unifying our experiences as a continuous and as a 
permanent part of life.- Too many seemingly adult 
individuals have literally and fatally completed their 
education early in life. More even than others, 
parents must affirm beyond the possibility of argu- 
ment their conscious acceptance of the need - for 
continued growth.” 





IRISH NATIONAL TEACHERS’ ORGANIZA- 
TION 
Head Office 
9 Gardiner’s Place 
Dublin, C.14 
December 5, 1928. 

Mrs. Florence Curtis Hanson, 
Secretary-Treasurer, 
American Federation of Teachers, 
327 South La Salle Street, 
Chicago, Ill. 
My Dear Colleague: 

In my letter to you last June I indicated that our 
Organization would be glad that American Teach- 
ers.who may be going to the World Conference at 
Geneva in 1929 should make arrangements to visit 
Ireland on their outward or homeward journey. 

I am now directed by my Executive to issue a 
cordial invitation to any American teachers, who 
may be going to Europe next year to visit Ireland 
on their homeward journey from the Geneva Con- 
ference. We in the “Green Isle” have many attrac- 
tions to offer which we believe will well repay any 
extra trouble which such a visit might involve. 

I have no doubt that those who wish to come to 
Ireland could arrange through any of the tourist 
agencies to embark at Queenstown or Belfast for 
New York, Boston, Quebec, or any of the Transat- 
lantic ports. 

I would be glad if any of your members who may 
propose to come to Ireland would notify me of their 
intention, either through you or direct to above ad- 
dress, so that we may have an opportunity of know- 
ing how many are likely to come, as we propose to 


* 


offer them an organized welcome, and to do what 
we can to make them feel at home during the period 
of their visit. ' 

Perhaps you would be so kind as to bring this mat- 
ter to the notice of your members, as we should like 
to know if possible by the time our Annual Con- 
vention is being held at Easter, how many American 
Teachers we may expect to come to Ireland next 
summer. 

On behalf of my Organization I send you most 
cordial greetings for Christmas and the New Year. 

Fraternally yours, 
THomas J. CoNNELL, 





Yes, There’s a Difference. 
QUESTION: Why Does Membership in the 


Teachers Union cost more than one dollar a year? 

THE ANSWER: 

First of all, it is necessary to realize that the 
usual local organization of teachers does not under- 
take to do more for its members than a dollar’s 
worth of work a year. 

Few dollar organizations have a definite place of 
abode; few, if any, pay salaries to persons who give 
whole time, continuous service; and few undertake 
a comprehensive program of work designed to cover 
a period of years, with the attainment of important 
educational objectives in view. 


The Union is a professional organization con- 
ducted according to sound business principles and 
procedure. From the first year of its existence, 
1916, the Union has had official headquarters. At 
the present time, 1929, four persons give their en- 
tire time to Union and Auxiliary work, and others 
a part of their time regularly. 

Being conducted as a business and _ professional 
enterprise, the Union strives to secure results bene- 
ficial to teachers and to education. The Union 
regularly and habitually undertakes more things and 
carries them further than is customary with the 
dollar organizations. This is possible because the 
Union acts on the principle that the conditions su*- 
rounding the work of teaching develop serious 
problems which can be solved only by the collective 
effort of those who strive to set up craft and social 
standards in behalf of their profession. 

Obviously, it would be quite impossible for the 
dollar organizations to undertake the solution of such 
problems, or to do much to ameliorate the conditions 
under which teachers work. 


(Prepared and circulated by New York Local 5.) 





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THE AMERICAN TEACHER 27 





Local News 


CHIcaGo PuBLic SCHOOLS AND THE VOICE 
OF LABOR 





A recent development in labor activities in Chi- 
cago is the Junior Federation of Labor of Station 
WCFL, the “Voice of Labor and the Farmer.” This 
club was organized rather informally and certainly 
quite spontaneously at the suggestion of Mr. Frank- 
lin C. E. Lundquist, business manager of Station 
WCFL. It was started on Monday, November 12, 
with a brief program which had no previous an- 
nouncement. “Now, we are going to have some- 
thing special for the children,” said the announcer, 
“and we are going to start a new club. All children 
ate invited to join. Just telephone your name and 
address or write a letter to Station WCFL and tell 
us what kind of program you like best and you will 
be enrolled as a member.” 


So immediate and enthusiastic was the response by 
telephone and by letter that it was apparent that 
the idea was a popular one. At first the programs 
were informal and suggestions were sought from the 
club members and their parents. Later, the idea 
was presented to Superintendent William J. Bogan 
who was impressed with its possibilities and who 
gave it his indorsement. To further the movement, 
acommittee was named, consisting of Mr. James A. 
Meade, president of the Federation of Men Teachers, 
Mrs. Lucie H. Schackt, president of the Federation 
of Women High School Teachers and Miss Agnes 
B, Clohesy, president of the Elementary Teachers 
Union, who is chairman of the committee and pro- 
gram adviser. ‘The programs are in active charge 
of Mr. Harold O’Halloran, announcer, and Mr. Burt 
Squire, musical director of Station WCFL. 


The Junior Federation of Labor is on the air every 
day, except Sunday, from four-fifteen to five o’clock 
in the afternoon. Through the co-operation of 
Superintendent Bogan and principals and teachers, 
children from many Chicago schools have visited the 
studios and have put on programs. Vocal music by 
classrooms, glee clubs, choral clubs, and soloists, 
dramatic programs, debates, civic and patriotic num- 
bers, talks by educators, civic leaders, social service 
experts, students, children’s stories by students of 
the Kindergarten department of the Chicago Normal 
College provide variety for the Junior Club Hour. 
One high school gave a delightful performance of 

ian Girl. A fifth and sixth grade group pro- 
duced an entire operetta, Under the Sea. The Junior 
League of Chicago put on Robert Louis Stevenson’s 
Treasure Island. A program entitled A Day in the 
Junior High School, will show the activities of the 
junior high school in Chicago. 

Since the joint radio committee of the three Chi- 
“go teachers’ unions has been formed, more than 


six hundred children have visited the studios and 
have broadcast programs. This does not take into 
account children who come to the station informally 
on Saturday afternoon which has been reserved for 
that purpose, or on other occasions, and it does not 
take account of the four hundred children who at- 
tended the Christmas party at the studios, which was 
also attended by Superintendent Bogan and his 
daughter, Catherine. 

The Junior Federation Hour is accomplishing 
three things. It is furnishing suitable entertainment 
for children in their homes. It is acquainting par- 
ents and public with the. varied activities of Chi- 
cago public schools. It is establishing friendly con- 
tact between. children, their parents and labor and 
is promoting present and future goodwill between la- 
bor and the public. 

Tune in on Station WCFL, the Voice of Labor 
and the Farmer, operating on a wave length of 309.1 
meters (970 kilocycles) by authority of the Fed- 
eral Radio Commission. 

AcngEs B. CLonesy, President. 
Elementary Teachers Union of Chicago. 





Cuicaco, Locats 2, 3, AND 199 


The “catechism,” a four-page leaflet, entitled 
Twenty Questions Answered, the joint production 
of Locals 2, 3, and 199, has been printed and sent 
out during the past month to the building repre- 
sentatives in the elementary, junior and senior high 
schools, and continuation schools. In the Twenty 
Questions Answered are to be found replies to the 
following queries: 

What obligations do I assume by joining one 
of these unions? 

Can members of these organizations be called 
out on strike? 

What are the present objectives of these three 
organizations? ‘ 

What are the accomplishments of the Chi- 
cago Teachers’ Unions for the public schools of 
our city? ‘ 

What is the American Federation of Teach- 
ers? 

What benefits accrue to teachers from affili- 
ating with Labor? 

What part have these three groups of union 
teachers taken in the community life of Chicago 
and the nation? 

Are teachers the only professional group 
which has found labor affiliation valuable? 

The letter accompanying the leaflets to the build- 
ing representatives stated that the leaflets are “‘to 
be used to help meet the problems of the member- 
ship campaign in your school,” 

Mr. James Meade, President of Local No. 2, has 
been busy at Springfield where he went at the re- 
quest of the Board of Education to assist in the in- 
troduction and passage of an amendment to the 
present Compulsory Education Law. The amend- 





28 THE AMERICAN TEACHER 


ment does not attempt to raise standards but will 


make it possible to enforce the present law more 
effectively. 

At the regular meeting for February the Executive 
Board of Local No. 3 voted to buy sixty copies of 
the Report of the Proceedings of the Twelfth An- 
nual Convention of the American Federation of 
Teachers. It further authorized that one copy be 
sent to each of the junior and senior high schools 
in the city, to be placed in the school library with 
the compliments ‘of the Local. 

Dr. John Dewey was the guest of the Chicago 
Unions on Sunday, February 24. 

FLORENCE E, CLARK. 





LETTER FROM THE TEACHERS UNION Locat 5 
New York Ciry 
Mr. George J. Ryan, President, 
Board of Education, 
Dear Sir: 

The Teachers Union desires to present its objec- 
tions to the establishment of a Junior Reserve Offi- 
cers’ Training Corps Unit at the Jamaica High 
School. 

The Union believes that your decision in this case 
should be made on the basis of educational principles 
and of sound public policy. If it is wise for the 
Jamaica High School to have a Reserve Officers’ 
Training Corps unit, then every New York City 
high school where boys are students should likewise 
have a unit. And if a unit is good for boys, an ef- 
fort should be made to provide some activity for 
girls that would be equally suitable for them. 

We have been given to understand that the view 
is entertained that the Reserve Officers’ Training 
Corps is educational because it aids materially in 
physical training. The Teachers Union has already 
called to the attention of the Board of Superintend- 
ents the point that this claim should be examined 
very carefully. First, is the purpose of the War De- 
partment in promoting the Reserve Officers’ Train- 
ing Corps to help the work of the schools in improv- 
ing the teaching of physical training? What is the 
standing of the War Department as an educational 
agency? Do authorities in physical education recog- 
nize the War Department as having an educational 
function? And especially, do these authorities agree 
to. the claim that the activities of the Reserve Offi- 
cers’ Training Corps constitute physical training? 
We believe that the Board of Superintendents should 
take the time to make these inquiries. Until an at- 
tempt has been made to answer these questions we 
think your board should postpone action in this 
matter. 

It appears to us that the purposes of the Reserve 
Officers’ Training Corps are exactly what would be 
expected of a program emanating from the War De- 
partment; that is, they have to do with a military 
situation, with preparedness or with meeting a serious 
national emergency in which there is a menace from 


" 


some other world power. There is no claim, we be. 
lieve, that a national emergency really exists. We 
take it for granted, therefore, that the purpose is to 
promote a campaign of preparedness. In order to 
make preparedness effective, there must be military 
instruction and drill. But we find in the New York 
State Education Law, section No. 713, the follow. 
ing: 

No. 713. Milifary drill excluded. Nothing 
herein contained shall be construed to authorize 
military instruction or drill in the public schools 
during school hours. 


We understand, however, that it is proposed to 
conduct the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps unit 
after school hours. But why should this be done if 
physical training is the object of the Reserve Offi- 
cers’ Training Corps? Physical training is authorized 
under the law, and no one desires to eliminate it, If 
there are strong grounds for believing that the pur- 
pose of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps is to 
carry on military training, why should our Depart- 
ment of Education oppose the spirit of the State law 
by contracting with the War Department to conduct 
military training at any time? We believe that no 
Reserve Officers’ Training Corps unit can exist in 
the State of New York except in defiance of the 
spirit of the law as expressed in Section 713. Fur- 
thermore, in spite of the fact that the military drill 
comes after school hours, credits are given to the 
members of a unit and the numerous details of busi- 
ness connected with the conduct of the unit will in- 
evitably crowd over into school time. The claim 
that the work of the unit will be carried on after 
school hours will thus become a pretense to which 
the Department of Education of the City of New 
York should not be a party. 

The Teachers Union is surprised to discover that 
our Board of £--perintendents in recommending the 
establishment of this Reserve Officers’ Training 
Corps unit does not appear to have given serious 
consideration to the belief held by many well- 
informed educators that the teaching of military in- 
struction works in direct opposition to the state of 
mind favorable to the teaching of the schools. We 
suggest that your Board ascertain whether the Board 
of Superintendents has examined the Junior Reserve 
Officers’ Training Corps Manual used as a text for 
military instruction in the Reserve Officers’ Train 
ing Corps units. This manual holds that the main 
object of military drill is obedience; obedience # 
orders, whether the orders are right or wrong. We 
submit that such an objective brought into the trait 
ing of young boys, especially when backed by the 
authority of a department of the national govert- 
ment, will confuse, if not defeat, the normal 
tolerant procedure of enlightened education. We 
were amazed that our educational system should com 
sider a proposition that is fraught with so great # 
menace to the constructive work in which the 32,000 
teachers of the City of New York are engaged. 


In the interest of the further improvement of &: 





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“—seteanTae ti aS BTR SE Aaa BF? FER ES 


work of our fellow teachers, and in behalf of en- 
lightened and free education in this city, we of the 
Teachers Union urge that the application of the Prin- 
cipal of the Jamaica High School for the establish- 


ment of a Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps - 


unit be denied. 
Very truly yours, 
Henry R. LINVILLE, 
President. 


Approved by the Executive Board of The Teachers 
Union January 19, 1929. 





WasHINcToNn, D. C., Loca 8 

Here is, in part, what the Washington Teachers 
Union has been doing this year: 

1. It has published a bulletin containing definite 
information about the United States Employees’ 
Compensation Act and the benefits procurable to 
teachers under this act. 

2. It is publishing a bulletin containing definite 
information about Pension Options. 

3. It is publishing a bulletin about the use of 
the Probability Curve in the rating of teachers. 

4. It is making a thorough study of the mainte- 
nance of efficiency in Group B. As a part of this 
study a series of questions relative to these problems 
was submitted to the Superintendent of Schools. 

§. It consults a competent attorney when prob- 
lems of a legal nature affecting teachers arise. Al- 
ready this year seventy-five dollars from our dues 
have been paid on our account with this attorney. 

6. It recently sent a special committee to talk 
over school and teacher problems with a member of 
the Board of Education. 

7. It is co-operating with the Board of Educa- 
tion in efforts to secure the defeat of the amendment 
to limit the number of Washington Normal School 
gtaduates to be appointed to places in the Washing- 
ton Public Schools. 

8. Its Executive Board entertained at an inform- 
al dinner the’ members of the Executive Council of 
the American Federation of Teachers, our national 
organization, when it met here in January. 

9. It has an active membership Committee which 
sends out frequent bulletins on the Union’s activities. 
: 10. It has secured 36 new members since October 
irst, ; 
11. It maintains an office’ at the International 
Building, 1319 F Street, N. W. 

ELIZABETH DRAPER. 





SACRAMENTO, Local 31 

Postponing the birthday banquet of the Sacra- 
mento Federation may have lessened somewhat the 
number, but it im no wise affected the interest and 
e of those who attended. About ninety peo- 

ple, including teachers from the junior college, 
main high school, and elementary schools, with their 
Bests, gathered at the Elks’ Hall Friday evening, 






THE AMERICAN TEACHER 29 


February first, at half past six to celebrate the tenth 
anniversary of the founding of the organization. 

Naturally the occasion gave the keynote to the 
program, which began with a roll call of the charter 
members present. J. N. Gardner, president, intro- 
duced S. G. McLean, first president of the federa- 
tion and guest of honor at the banquet, who told of 
the stormy scenes amid which the federation had its 
beginning; Miss Mary Cravens traced the accomp- 
lishment of the federation in its tem years of activity; 
and Dr. Stanley Rypins gave the main address of 
the evening. J. Dupuy, representing the San Fran- 
cisco chapter, brought greetings and congratulations 
from that body. Mrs. Madge Roach and E. L. 
Plaskett, both of the high school faculty, furnished 
the musical entertainment of the evening, with vocal 
and cornet solos respectively. 

Out of town guests were Dr. Stanley Rypins of 
San Francisco, §. G. McLean of Oakland, and E. J. 
Deputy of San Francisco. Other invited guests in- 
cluded President R. L. Ennis and Secretary L. R. 
Marsh of Sacramento Federated Trades Council. 

Altogether the evening was one of delight and 
profit. The full program appears below: 

PROGRAM 

1. The Who of the Federation______ 

SS Seated senna Biegtin coals Charter Members 
anit Diciapnie Shin oad S. G. McLean 

3. Group of Songs________ Mrs. Madge Roach 

(a) Song at Sunset—Spross 
(b) Coming Home—Willoughby 


S$. Clarinet Soles. —_..___.._.- E. L.'Plaskett 
(a) Shadow Song and Dance from 
““Dinorah”—Meyerbeer 
(b) Norwegian Dance—Grieg 
Cu: Re elcid Dr. Stanley Rypins 


Can Ethics Be Professional? 
MARGARET Moore, 


Chairman Press Comnzittee. 





Mempnis, Loca 52 

The Memphis Teachers Association is still on the 
upgrade, increasing its membership right along. It 
now -has over eight fold the number of two years 
ago and is rapidly approaching the 100 per cent 
limit. The president, officers and committees are 
fully justified in “pointing with pride” to the rec- 
ord both in growth and program. 

Health and accident group insurance has been 
successfully established. Not satisfied to rest on the 
laurels of the appreciable salary increase secured 
through its efforts, the Association is devoting its 
attention this legislative year to state tenure and a 
sound pension law. If all the teachers of Tennessee 
would show the same intelligent understanding of 
and interest in effective organization, a favorable 
result would be assured. ; 








—— 


ee 
- = - — “ r : >. t . aS 
it Dai as a an i PF ai tr ett lt ate etd inn et ee ct ch ll, nities tiles pe 








ee 



























ee - 

































THE AMERICAN TEACHER 


MINNEAPOLIS, Local 59 

The Minneapolis Federation of Teachers has writ- 
ten a letter to President Green of the American 
Federation of Labor, protesting against the “dis- 
courteous treatment by the New Orleans convention 
of the name of Professor John Dewey—a discourtesy 
unrebuked by the chairman.” 

“To the teachers of this nation,” the letter de- 
clares, “John Dewey stands as our premier educator 
and scholar. He has done more for academic free- 
dom than any man living.” 


3 





PORTLAND, ORE., LocaL 111 

The newly elected officers of the Portland Teach- 
ers Union are president, May Darling, head of the 
history department of Washington High and vice 
president, Mr. Howard. Mrs. Newlin continues as 
secretary, Miss Laura Northup as treasurer and Mr. 
E. E. Schwarztrauber as organizer. A good year 
for the Union is anticipated under the leadership of 
Miss Darling who combines enthusiasm, fearlessness, 
diplomacy and progressive views in proper propor- 
tion to bring success to her undertakings. 

The retiring president, Miss Reid, continues on 
the executive council, and Miss McCormack and 
Mr. Howard are the delegates to the Central Labor 
Council. Miss McCormack is reading clerk of that 
body. 

Work in organization continues and support of 
the National’s organization program may be counted 
on. 

The Union is much interested in the success of 
the Portland Labor College and several members are 
teachers again this year. 

HiLMA ANDERSON. 


Manum ir, Loca. 191 


Manumit Local is happy in the return of a former 
valued member, Sarah N. Cleghorn. 

Nellie M. Seeds, Director of Manumit Schools, 
will be in St. Louis at the Progressive Education 
meetings. Georce H. HAMILTON, 





PROVIDENCE, R. I. Locat 197 

The officers of the Providence Teachers Council 
for this year are: President, Richard E. Bailey; vice. 
president, Harlan B. Peabody; secretary, Walter H, 
Hibbard; and treasurer, Ethel C. Jameson. 

Its Objectives are: 

1. To secure adequate support for the pub- 
lic schools. 

To establish a more intimate contact and 
effective co-operation between the schools 
and the community. 

To promote policies of professional progress 
and pupil welfare. 

A new school board, or school committee as 
termed in Providence, with progressive members has 
been elected and the superintendent, Isaac O. Wins- 
low, who has held this office for fifteen years, will 
be retired as superintendent emeritus as soon as his 
successor is chosen. 


2. 


3. 


Water H. Hrssarp. 





GranpD Forks, N. D. LocaL 205 

The Grand Forks Teachers Federation entertained 
Miss Florence Rood, vice president, A. F. of T., at 
the February meeting. 

The organization is making good progress in mem- 
bership and with its program. 

Mr. G. D. Hargrave has returned to his work 
and Federation activities, restored to health, a mat- 
ter of great rejoicing to his friends and fellow 
members. 

FLORENCE FJEDSTAD. 





Mr. James A. Jacobs, president of the New South 
Wales Federation, died November 26. 





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THE AMERICAN TEACHER 31 


Brookwood Graduates, Members of A. F. of L., Reply 
To President Green 


An open letter to President Green sent by 35 
trade union graduates, holding membership in fifteen 
trade unions in sixteen cities, and including vice 
presidents of international unions, heads of labor cel- 
leges, editorial workers on labor journals, and offi- 
cers of state federations of labor, has been made 
public. The letter reads as follows: 

“Mr. William Green, President, 
American Federation of Labor, 
Washington, D. C. 
Dear Sir and Brother: 
The undersigned, all members of organized labor 


and functioning in various capacities within the trade- 


union movement under the jurisdiction of the Ameri- 
can Federation of Labor or unions recognized by it, 
and at the same time loyal graduates of Brookwood 
Labor College, protest most vigorously against the at- 


titude expressed towards us in your pamphlet en- 


titled “More About Brookwood College” when you 
say that we “ . . . are loyal Trade Unionists not be- 
cause of Brookwood but in spite of Brookwood.” 

We have watched with great concern the develop- 
ment of the tragedy which began with the meeting 
of the Executive Council in August, 1928, when first 
Brookwood’s integrity was questioned and moves to 
condemn it were instituted. Most of us individually 
pleaded against such untoward and what we consid- 
ered and still consider unjustifiable procedures which 
were bound to be of harm to the movement. Since 
then we have watched the unfolding of this drama 
more or less in silence, for having once expressed 
our views, we felt that it was up to the Executive 
Council to exercise its wisdom in accepting or reject- 
ing our plea. We feel deeply that the final disposi- 
tion of the case was based on sad mistakes, both as 
to fact and policy. But even so, we might not have 
expressed ourselves publicly if you had not made this 
attempt to express our minds for us in your latest bul- 
letins. Under the circumstances, there is nothing left 
for us to do but repeat publicly what you have known 
Privately all along. You must certainly admit that our 
Private letters to you do not-justify the supposition 
expressed in the bulletin quoted above. 

Without going into details about what Brook- 
Wood training means to us, for we have 
done that in our personal letters t6 you, we 
hereby absolutely reject the statement that we are 


loyal to the movement in spite of Brookwood. Brook- 
wood Labor College has given us such an understand- 
ing of organized labor as to make it utterly impossi- 
ble for us to be otherwise than loyal to it. 

Many Unions INcLuDED 


The signers include: Israel Mufson, member of the 
Brotherhood of Railway Clerks, head of the Philadel- 
phia Labor College; Leonard Craig, member of the 
Molders’ International Union, educational director 
Pennsylvania State Federation of Labor; Charles L. 
Reed, member of the International Association of 
Machinists, Vice President of the Massachusetts State 
Federation of Labor, and member of the Executive 
Committee Workers Education Bureau of America; 
Alfred Hoffman, member of the American Federa- 
tion of Full Fashioned Hosiery Workers, Executive 
Secretary of the Piedmont Organizing Council of 
North Carolina; Julius Hochman, Vice President In- 
ternational Ladies Garment Workers’ Union; William 
Ross, member of the Boiler Makers Union, head of 
the Baltimore Labor College; Mary Goff, member 
International Ladies Garment Workers Union, Or- 
ganizer White Goods Workers local; E. J. Lever, 
member International Association of Machinists, for- 
merly business agent District 1, International Asso- 
ciation of Machinists, and head Philadelphia Labor 
College; Glen Atkinson, Research Department 
Brotherhood of Railway Clerks; Anton Garden, De- 
sidero Bellaver, Cal Bellaver and Harry Bellaver, 
members*of the United Mine Workers of America; 
William Blook, International Ladies Garment Work- 
ers’ Union; Axel Bjorg, member Typographical 
Union; George Creech, United Textile Workers of 
America; Thomas Dabney and Stanley Dowley, mem- 
bers of the American Federation of Teachers; Lon De 
Caux, editorial department Brotherhood of Locomo- 
tive Engineers Journal; J. B. English, Brotherhood 
of Railway Carmen; Sarah Fredgant, member Inter- 
national Ladies Garment Workers Union, Secretary 
Dress and Waist Makers Local, Philadelphia; John 
Gancz, International Association of Machinists; 
Adolph Gersh, Vice President District Council 22, 
Philadelphia, Brotherhood of , Painters and Decora- 
tors; Blanche Goldfield, member Journeymen Tailors 
Union, delegate Denver Central Labor Union; Bessie 
Goren, Rebecca Holland, Ada Rosenfelt, Anna Ses- 


novsky, members International Ladies Garment 








32 THE AMERICAN TEACHER 


Workers’ Union, Los Angeles, California; Josephine 
Kaczor, United Textile Workers of America, one of 
the leaders of the New Bedford textile strike; Charles 
V. Maute, President Local 189 Brotherhood of Rail- 
way Clerks; Philomene Reinsch, International 
Brotherhood Electrical Workers; Minnie Rubenstein, 
International Ladies’ Garment Workers Union; An- 
drew Schmolder, International Association of Ma- 
chinists; Jesse Slaughter, United Textile Workers of 
America; Joseph Sevanski, International Brotherhood 
of Electrical Workers; Margaret Wall, member Uni- 
ted Garment Workers of America, Treasurer South- 
ern Summer School for Women Workers in Industry, 
Secretary Organizing Council for Southern Virginia. 





UNION MADE HOSIERY 


The American Federation of Full Fashioned Hos- 
iery Workers has issued the following statement 
which is of particular interest to women and girls: 


Is the American woman of today, who is so 
frankly devoted to lovely garments and delicate 
hosiery, to be regarded necessarily as a person in- 
sensible to an appeal for social justice? We think 
not—we believe in the modern woman. 


On behalf of thousands of young workers in our 
industry—most of the people working in full fash- 
ioned hosiery mills are quite young—we seek to en- 
list your support for a movement which will insure 
the ordinary rights of democratic citizenship to the 
persons engaged in American industry. 

We don’t ask you to spend a cent extra on your 
hosiery or to walk a foot out of your way to get 
the best stockings there are to be had. 

We simply ask you to buy those brands of hosiery 
listed herein which are made under the best condi- 
tions, both 2s to the treatment of labor and the 
process of manufacture. 

These brands are almost all nationally known and 
represent merchandise of the most dependable and 
stylish quality now on the market. 

Your co-operation in this matter will mean that 
thousands of young workers will be able to enjoy 
tolerable hours of work, sanitary shop conditions 
and a chance to call their souls their own and a 
chance to live as American citizens should live. 

It might be better to go bare legged than to wear 
full fashioned hosiery made by firms who force their 
workers to sign “Yellow Dog Contracts,” work 
seventy hours and over per week, pay half their 





wages in fines and ruin their health by the multiple 
machine system. 

Full fashioned hosiery made under union condi- 
tions can practically always be relied upon to be the 
most dependable and stylish garments on the market. 

Quality in full fashioned hosiery is something 
that the average woman cannot always detect with- 
out expert advice. Quality workmanship is sub- 
stantially assured in hosiery made under union con- 
ditions because quality production in most well- 
managed mills also means quantity production and 
more remuneration for the workers. 

The Unity Company of Milwaukee, Wis., sells a 
first class full fashioned silk stocking bearing the 
label of the United Textile Workers of America. 
This is the only brand of women’s full fashioned 
hosiery which bears the Union Label. 

Below will be found a list of brand names of 
hosiery; most of which can be easily obtained, and 
all made by Union Labor under excellent conditions. 


Berkeley. Holeproof. 
Best Maid. Hollywood. 
Blue Heron. Holyoke. 
Cadet. Lady Haven. 
Co-ed (Berger). Larkwood Vamp Toe. 
Conrad 51. Laurel. 

Doris. Lehigh, 
Everwear. Merit. 

Finery Coral Brand. | Modern Maid. 
Gold Seal. Nomend 
Gordon V Line. Oliver 
Gotham Gold Stripe. Onyx Pointex. 
Granite. Propper 
Harris. Titania 
Logan. Trio 
McCallum. Van Raalte. 


For further information address the American 
Federation Full Fashioned Hosiery Workers, 2530 
North Fourth street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 





A COMMUNITY WHERE TEACHERS RULE. 
(Continued From Page 3) 
affairs without the assistance of a school board and 
the town gossips, that education need not be sup- 
ported by football. Whether its main purpose, that 
of demonstrating that workers’ education can be 
made self-supporting, shall be carried out depends 
upon whether or not the trustees are able to discovef, 
within the next few months, a few unselfish liberals 
willing to sacrifice for an educational experiment. 





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