MAR 18 1935 j American | Ceacher IN THIS ISSUE WwW John Dewey Mordecai Ezekiel Abraham Lefkowitz Henry R. Linville Raymond F, Lowry ©. Myking Mehus Clyde R. Miller Aileen W. Robinson MARCH-APRIL, 1935 aj G Ba s This In NEW YORK ITI | , MUN ONS | | ... It’s Preferred ul ul | B U S I N E S S | Teachers visiting New York have shown a | ——— | preference for Beekman Tower . . . the Continue the Senate Exposures | modest rates give them more to spend on e | other things . . . the location is both smart and convenient . . . the rooms are all outside, | HOLD IN YOUR CITY | comfortably and cheerfully furnished. ™ A ‘ | Beekman Tower, 26 stories high in the fash- Repeat Hearing” | ionable Beekman Hill section, commands a e panorama of the city and the East River. A drama, with full directions for staRing. based on Single Rooms from $2.00 a day THE OFFICIAL TESTIMONY Attractive weekly and monthly rates Arranged by ‘ Paul Harris, Jr. and Research Staff Roof Solarium Game Rooms , of the Cocktail Lounge Restaurant NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR PREVENTION OF WAR e WRITE FOR BOOKLET “B” “Let’s Advertise THIS Hell!’’ | BEEK MAN TO WE R National Council for Prevention of War | (PANHELLENIC) 532 Seventeenth St., N. W., Washington, D. C. 3 Mitchell Place San Reel er INS oes Se 49th St., just one block from East River -— . i ‘ EE Ee Dr. John Dewey 3 ES EE re Dr. Mordecai Ezekiel 4 Critical Evaluation of the American Federation i ear ena. wenhaceedectdecesesececd Aileen W. Robinson 6 Academic Freedom and Progress..................00+04 Abraham Lefkowitz 9 ice ci Ls acieieeehbsedeecoccccces Henry R. Linville 11 BE ED IE COIR ccs cccicscceccecccccccccecs O. Myking Mehus 14 Participation vs. Complaisance................-seeeeeee: Raymond F. Lowry 17 Ne ee ec das badecencesiactetescesacesssesge 18 ici ditibidantachensheesnaveccesssessses0e00d00 0s 20 ae The Teacher in Politics Many Teachers Receive Less Than Dole CREATION What Fell O’er Alabama Equal Educational Opportunity I. Q. of the U. S. C. of C. What Price Speaking Out Loud! The latest and greatest of thefamousM Who Are Enemies of Teachers? Unions the Need of the Hour Be An Organizer sc wen dneedcaccetcscciooseveces R. J. Ahlstrom 24 SS SS ee Clyde R. Miller 25 EEN ES Se ee Ross Stagner 25 a aS cna le ccedecscesotevesseeccconee 26 Webster’s New International Reviewed by Michael B. Scheler. The Story of the Paris Pact. The New Democracy—Harold L. Ickes Reviewed by F. Melvyn Lawson Redirecting Education—Tugwell and Keyserling Reviewed by H. L. Latham Social Basis of Education—Harold S. Tuttle Reviewed by Mark Starr NE a 28 DESL 6 5 a sence ebaccedudcusevecsvccecsecsosecsece 31 EL a ee se bnebbeae Cos ccbeeeee 31 EE ee 2, 13, 19, 30, 31, 3 PuBLIsHEO bi-monthly, except August, by the American Federation of Teachers, 506 South Wabash Ave., Chicago, Ill. Entered as second class matter October 18, 1933, at the post office at Chicago, IIL, under the Act of March 3, 1879. Acceptance for mailing at special rate of postage provided for in Sec. 1108, Act of Feb. 28, 1925, au- thorized Nov. 3, 1926. UBSCRIPTION $1.00 for the year—For- eign $1.10—Single copies, 25c. At the time of expiration, a bill will be found in the copy. Subscribers are requested to give prompt notice of changes of address. Remittances should be made in postal money-order, ex- press order, draft, stamps or check. aE Pe 20 Websters, backed by a century of lead and representing the highest modern sc arship. Just completed at a cost of $1,300, WEBSTER’S NEW INTERNATIONAL DICTIONARY, Second Edition William Allan Neilson, President of Smith College, Editor in Chief, heads the most author- itative staff of editors ever organized. Contains 600,008 Entries , The greatest amount of information ever into one volume. 122,000 Entries not found ia any other dictionary. 12,000 Terms Illustrated. Magnificent Plates in Color and Half Tone. Thousands of encyclopedic articles wonder- fully rich in information. 35,000 Geographical Entries. 13,000 Biographical Entries. Exhaustive treatment of synonyms and anto- nyms. Definitions absolutely accurate yet easy to understand. Thousands of Ety gies never before published. Pronunciation ully and exactly recorded. 3350 Pages. New from Cover to Cover. Write for free illustrated pam- phlet containing specimen pages, color plates, and full information. G. & C. MERRIAM CO. Springfield, Mass. _- author- ver put und in THE AMERICAN TEACHER Vor. XIX MARCH-APRIL, 1935 No. 4 ’ The Teacher and the Public Professor John Dewey production of intellectual and moral goods. I do not HO is a worker? Are teachers workers? Do Wives have common ties to unite them? Should these ties be expressed in action? These are some of the questions I want to discuss with you for a few moments this evening. Who is a worker? I answer this question by say- ing that all who engage in productive activity are workers. It is customary to speak of a certain class of criminals as “second-story workers.” The appella- tion is obviously humorous, and so it is when we speak of one person “working” another to get some- thing out of him. Not every form of activity, even if it brings in some return to the person engaged in it, is work. It is work only when it is productive of things that are of value to others, and of value not simply in a particular case but when that kind of activity is generally of service. Those who live upon the work of others without rendering a return are parasites of one kind or another. The man who lives upon interest, dividends, or rent is, so far as that includes what he does, a parasite. There is something intellectually and morally, as well as economically, topsy-turvy when honor, esteem, and admiration go to a section of society because its members are re- lieved from the necessity of work. To believe other- wise is to believe that those who subtract from the real wealth of society instead of adding to it are the highest type. Everybody assents to this statement in theory, but in fact the attention given in this country to the rich just because they are rich, proves that we do not live up to our theoretical belief. Are teachers workers? The basis for answering this question has been given. Are they engaged in productive activity? Are only those persons who turn out material products producers? Physicians who maintain the health of the com- munity are certainly producers of a fundamental so- cial good. The business of the teacher is to produce a higher standard of intelligence in the community, and the object of the public school system is to make as large as possible the number of those who possess this intelligence. Skill, ability to act wisely and ef- fectively in a great variety of occupations and situa- tions, is a sign and a criterion of the degree of civil- ization that a society has reached. It is the business of teachers to help in producing the many kinds of skill needed in contemporary life. If teachers are up to their work, they also aid in production of character, and I hope I do not need to say anything about the social value of character. Are teachers producers, workers? If intelligence, skill, and character are social goods, the question answers itself. What is really important is to see how the production of material things depends finally upon An address in the WEVD University of the Air, Wednesday, January 16th, 10:15 P. M. mean that material production depends upon these things in quantity alone, though that is true. The quality of material production depends also upon moral and intellectual production. What is equally true and finally even more important is that the dis- tribution and consumption of material goods depends also upon the intellectual and moral level that prevails. I do not need to remind you that we have in this country all the means necessary for production of material goods in sufficient quantity, and also, in spite of the low grade often produced because of desire for profit, that we have all the resources, natural and technical, for production of sufficient quantities of good quality. Nevertheless, we all know without my telling you that millions have no work, no security, and no opportunity either to produce or to enjoy what is produced. Ultimately, the state of affairs goes back to lack of sufficient production of intelligence, skill, and character. Why do I say these things which are, or should be, commonplace? I say them because of their bearing on the third question I raised. Do teachers as work- ers, as producers of one special kind of goods, have close and necessary ties with other workers, and if they do, how shall these ties be made effective in action ? Some of the facts that indicate the answer to these questions are found in the fact that schools and teach- ers, education generally, have been one of the chief sufferers from that vast industrial and economic dis- location we call the depression. Salary or wage cuts are almost universal. Multitudes of schools have been closed. Classes have been enlarged, reducing the ca- pacity of teachers to do their work. Kindergartens and classes for the handicapped have been lopped off. Studies that are indispensable for the production of the skill and intelligence that society needs have been eliminated. The number of the employed has been increased in consequence, and the mass consuming power necessary for recovery has been contracted. But along with these consequences, there has been a greater injury. The productive work that is the special business of teachers has been greatly impaired, and impaired at just the time when its products of intelligence, skill, and character are most needed. The cause is well known. It is in part the inability of large numbers to pay taxes, combined, however, with the desire of those able to pay taxes to escape what they regard as a burden. In other words, it is due to the depression on one side and on the other side to the control exercised by the small class that represents the more parasitical section of the com- munity and nation, those who live upon rent, interest, and dividends. If something striking, striking home, was necessary to demonstrate to teachers that they are workers in the same sense in which farmers, factory employees, clerks, engineers, etc., are workers, that demonstration has been provided. The same causes that have created the troubles of one group have created those of the other group. Teachers are in the same boat with manual, white collar workers, and farmers. Whatever affects the power of the latter to produce, affects the power of teachers to do their work. By the same token what- ever measures will improve the security and oppor- tunity of one, will do the same thing for the other. In both the causes that produce the trouble and the remedies that will better and prevent the recur- rence, teachers are bound by necessity to workers in all fields. Teachers have been slow to recognize this fact. They have felt that the character of their work gave them a special position, marked off from that of the persons who work with their hands. In spite of the fact that the great mass of their pupils come from those who work with their hands on farms, in shops and factories, they have maintained an aloof attitude toward the primary economic and political interests of the latter. I do not need to go into the causes of this attitude that has been so general. One phase of it, however, is definitely related to my main topic. I have said that the business of the teachers is to pro- duce the goods of character, intelligence, and skill. I have also said that our present situation shows and is proof of lack of these goods in our present society. Is not this fact a proof, it may be asked, of a wide- spread failure of teachers to accomplish their task? The frank answer to this question is, Yes. But neither the question nor the answer gives the cause of the failure. The cause goes back to the excessive control of legislation and administration exercised by TEACHER THE AMERICAN the small and powerful class that is economically privileged. Position, promotion, security of the ten- ure of teachers has depended largely upon conformity with the desires and plans of this class. Even now teachers who show independence of thought and will- ingness to have fair discussion of social and eco- nomic questions in school are being dismissed, and there is movement, sponsored by men of wealth, to label (bolsheviks, red, and subversives) all those who wish to develop a higher standard of economic in- telligence in the community. This fact brings me to the answer of the last ques- tion asked. If teachers are workers who are bound in common ties with all other workers, what action do they need to take? The answer is short and inclusive. Ally themselves with their friends against their common foe, the privileged class, and in the alliance develop the character, skill, and in- telligence that are necessary to make a democratic social order a fact. I might have taken for my text the preamble of the constitution of the national American Federation of Teachers. A part of it reads as follows: We believe that the teacher is one of the most highly productive of workers,, and that the best interests of the schools and of the people demand an intimate contact and an effective cooperation be- tween the teachers and the other workers of the com- munity—upon whom the future of democracy must depend. In union is strength, and without the strength of union and united effort, the state of servility, of undemocratic administration, adherence to tradition, and unresponsiveness to the needs of the commu- nity that are also pointed out in the same document, will persist. And in the degree in which they con- tinue, teachers will of necessity fail in the special kind of productive work that is entrusted to them. More Abundant Living Dr. Mordecai Ezekiel ANY current discussions are concerned with M the means to be used in bringing about a restoration of economic activity. It may help clear our minds if for once we ignore mechan- isms and devote ourselves to the ends which reor- ganization of the economic machine should serve. Instead of talking about prices, wages, and markets, P. W. A., N. R. A., A. A. A., or the like, let us look at production, consumption, and the opportunities for individuals to work and to share in the products of work. Abundant Living involves not only an adequate supply of the physical necessities of life and sufficient leisure in which to enjoy them, but also a share in, and appreciation for, the finer things of life which we call “culture.” Culture, however, cannot flourish amid privation and want. Adequate and secure com- fort for the individual is generally a prerequisite for the development of culture. In past civilizations cu'ture appeared only among the small class at the top of society, supported by the Abstract of an address at the opening session of the 25th annual meeting of the National Council of Teachers of English, Washington, D. C., November 29, 1934. hard labor of a large group of slaves or serfs. The culture of today is shared by a larger group in the population than was that of the Greeks, the Italian Renaissance, the Elizabethan, or even the English Victorian period; but even so it is shared by all too small a proportion of our total population. 3eneath the favored middle and upper classes, is a very large portion of the population which exists in virtual slav- ery. It js not the slavery of the past, however, but the slavery of ignorance and lack of training, the slavery to machines which have not been properly in- corporated in human activity, and the slavery to out- moded institutions which have not yet been supplanted by those better adjusted to a modern type of living. Before attempting to discuss what a broader share in abundant living would involve, we must agree as to what abundant living is. Merely as a rule of thumb, we may assume that on the average, an in- come of $2500 per year would be needed to enable a family to live a moderately full life under American conditions. It is quite apparent that according to this standard the majority of the people in this country do not live abundantly. If we go back to the standards of living ne oe ee —— —_—_——— 7 ee ee a yy = — he ie n h re y- ut 1e n- it- od as of an rd Marcu-Aprit, 1935. of the years of prosperity, we find that less than half of our families were in possession of such an income. According to the findings of the Brookings Institu- tion, 71% of our families received less than $2500 in 1929. Many persons feel that the problem of more abundant living would be solved if we had more uni- form distribution of income. Certain facts appear to support this view. For example, the lower 60% of the families in 1929 received only 4% of the total in- come, while the upper 1.2% received another 4%. If it were possible to average these two groups directly, the income of millions of families would be greatly increased. The problem cannot be solved as simply as that, however. It takes machinery and equipment to produce goods for consumption. A large part of the income of the higher income groups is invested, and so used for the creation of such capital. The Brookings figures indicate, for example, that 4% of the income of the families above $2500 goes for sav- ings—that is to say, capital formation; while % is spent for consumption. In the very wealthy families, as much as half or 24 of the income is saved. Even if some system were worked out for more equal in- comes, it would still be necessary to continue to divert a considerable part of our annual production to the creation of capital. The extent to which a diversion of income from those now enjoying large incomes to those of smaller incomes would improve the whole economic picture, is therefore much more limited than is generally recognized. The more important problem is to increase our productive efficiency. This involves not only effective use of our material resources of land, water, and minerals, but even more important, effective use of our human population and labor power. The more we can substitute machines for men, and the more we can increase technological efficiency, the higher the standard of living can be for everyone— if only the economic system is sufficiently flexible to provide effective employment in new industries for the workers thus set free from old industries. The position of agriculture is of particular interest. In this country, increasing productive efficiency per man has always gone hand in hand with a smaller proportion of our population in farming, the decrease being from 3% of the gainfully employed in agri- culture a century ago, to less than % of the gainfully employed in agriculture now. As fewer and fewer people were needed to produce the essentials of food and clothing, more and more were set free to go into other occupations. - There they produced the elements of an adequate life. If all our underprivileged families were provided an adequate standard of living, they would increase their consumption of other products far more than they would increase their consumption of food. The Brookings study shows that the families below $2500 spend 36% of their income on food alone, while the remaining families spent but 17% of their income on food. Increasing incomes mean much greater ex- pansion in the production of other products than they mean in the expansion of food. To shift our produc- tion so as to balance the demands which would appear with increased incomes for the lower groups, we would need to expand very greatly the number of 5 people employed in the urban industries producing housing, recreation, professional services, and cloth- ing; while we would need to increase the number of people working on farms little, if at all. To produce for the more abundant life, however, we would not only need to absorb in industrial em- ployments the great bulk of those now unemployed, but we would also need to increase very greatly the productive efficiency of workers in both agriculture and industry. The methods by which this could be done are quite well known in many cases; all that is needed is to find effective means of putting them into practice. For example, in agriculture, the farmer who uses improved seeds, proper liming of land, and proper use of leguminous crops, frequently produces double the products per hour of labor of those who farm less efficiently. In cotton production, there are hundreds of thousands of families producing only 3 to 6 bales of cotton per family. Even at a very high price for cotton, such families could not have an ade- quate standard of living. Means need to be found, mechanical or otherwise, for greatly increasing the output of those who grow cotton, and for shifting into other occupations the farmers whom this would release. We have too many mine workers, probably too many people employed in marketing. In these cases rationalization of the industries would free many men for more effective types of work. On the other hand, in the field of public health, education, recreation, and the professional services, we need far more workers than we now have. Even in the industrial occupations themselves, there are great opportunities for increasing the productive efficiency. The building industry, for example, still uses in many operations hand methods in almost the same way as those of 2000 years ago, and has made almost no application as yet of mass production, co- ordinated assembly, or efficiency planning. Besides changes in methods of production so that each worker could produce more, such energy is now spent on producing products which are useless or in some cases even harmful, when there is so much want for other products. While there is no account- ing for tastes, there is a question whether consum- ers’ tastes are now shaped with a real regard for “abundant living.” It is possible that there are other values which would be far less costly to produce, which yet would yield much greater satisfaction in the end. We take much of our recreation through mechanical devices, watching or hearing others live for us. Perhaps the more abundant life should in- volve doing and experiencing more ourselves and de- pending less on vicarious enjoyment of experience of others. Even with moderate success in the proper coordina- tion of what we produce, of the occupations which our people follow, and of making effective use of our labor power and our inventive and organizing skill and genius, we could increase our production to give all our underprivileged families a reasonable stand- ard of living. Perhaps the time will come when eco- nomic organization will work as smoothly and as effectively to produce what we need as our railroads and airplanes now operate to take us rapidly and smoothly where we desire to go. Perhaps each youth (Turn to page 13) 6 THE AMERICAN TEACHER A Critical Evaluation of the American Federation of Teachers A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in the Department of Education at Smith College, May, 1934 Aileen W. Robinson CHAPTER V. THe AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS AND THE Crisis In EDUCATION FTER Studying the history, aims, and activities of the American Federation of Teachers, it seems reasonable to conclude that the organ- ization is endeavoring to raise the standard of the teaching profession by a direct attack on the social and economic status of the profession. For both its aims and methods it has been severely criticized by the majority of educators. In order, however, to evaluate this organization, it must be examined in the light of the present crisis in education. What is the nature of the crisis, and what is the Federation doing to meet the situation? These are two of the questions which must be in- vestigated. The Office of Education of the United States De- partment of the Interior in Washington issued a bul- letin, on November 10, 1933, entitled the “Deepening Crisis in Education.” (70.) The title leads to the assumption that the crisis, which the bulletin desig- nates as economic, is of an increasingly grave char- acter. The following distressing facts, relative to the crisis, are all taken from the official bulletin. In the sections of the country fortunate enough to have escaped the worst effects of the depression, they are not sufficiently appreciated. First, the bulletin presents the following facts per- tinent to the so-called equality of opportunities of our schools. Over two million American children of school age, who, according to compulsory education laws, should be in school, are not. Two thousand rural schools in twenty-four states failed to open this fall. Private schools, parochial schools, commercial schools, and institutions of higher education have been closing in considerable number. In some com- munities, free public schools have become tuition schools. (70, 1.) Still another phase of the lack of equality of op- portunity offered to our children is the shortened school term in many sections. More than seven hun- dred rural schools are expected to run less than three months—only one-third of the usual school time. School terms in practically every great American city are today one or two months shorter than they were seventy or one hundred years ago. This situation is rapidly growing more serious, because the figures given do not include the schools known to be con- templating cuts in time, but only schools where the shortened school year is an accomplished fact. At present the United States offers substantially less time in school to its children than do France, Sweden, Germany, England, and Denmark, yet all of these countries have been affected by the economic crisis, and some of them much more seriously than have we. (70, 2.) Children are not the only ones who have suffered. Few people realize what has happened to the teachers of the country. Under the existing “codes” an un- skilled factory worker laboring for a year at the minimum blanket code rate would receive $728, which is little enough as a living wage for a year. But while unskilled labor is protected by wage codes, the teacher has no such protection, and one out of every four teachers is now teaching at the rate of less than $750 per year. More than 40,000 rural teachers will receive less than $450 for the year, and one of every thirteen Negro teachers receives $25 a month, or less. Add to this the figures of communities where teachers have not been paid for years, or where they have been paid in warrants or scrip, which are cash- able at a discount, and the plight of teachers is ap- palling. (70, 2.) Another factor, which has reacted to the disad- vantage of both children and teachers, has been the curtailment of school services. Due to a lack of funds, schools have been economizing frantically, if not wisely. Art, music, physical education, home eco- nomics, kindergartens, and manual training have been dropped at an alarming rate. (70, 3.) One of every two cities has had to reduce or eliminate one or more of these services. This involves dropping the teach- ers who offered the course, so that today, due to closed schools and curtailed services, 200,000 teach- ers are unemployed, and 18,600 fewer teachers are employed in city schools than in 1931. On the other hand, if city schools were operated today with the same number of pupils to a teachers as in 1930, it would be necessary to hire more than 26,000 addi- tional teachers. Also, if the country were to provide education for the 2,280,000 children from six to fif- teen years of age not now in school, it would be neces- sary to hire 76,000 teachers. (70, 4.) School enrollment has increased more than 1,000; 000 since 1930, but the number of teachers has de- creased more than 30,000. Hence, we find not an actual oversupply of trained teachers, but children needing to be educated, and teachers equipped to do the job, but kept from filling the need by the eco- nomic situation. The abolition of child labor in industry by the National Recovery Administration will put more chil- dren on the school doorstep. Whether they can crowd inside seems problematic, even if they are lucky enough to find a door unlocked. ~~ “sr =o wm = *. ee eee ill ry re — << —_— _— TTT Marcu-Aprit, 1935. Obviously, this crisis is of a grave character. How has education come to such a pass? The first answer is to be found in the depression, but the fact has been pointed out that in other nations which have experienced the depression, the educational situation is less critical. There are two other points to be con- sidered in addition to the depression. First, the local control of American education is another reason for the particularly bad effect of the depression, from which our schools are suffering more severely than most European schools. In the ma- jority of European countries, the control of educa- tion is more highly centralized and a function of the national government. National funds are available for at least the partial support of education. On the contrary, in this country, where education is a local service, the support of education is also local, and the most local sources of income have been taxed for its support. (70, 5.) A real estate tax on farms, homes, stores, and factories is the chief source of revenue. The depression sent real estate values down, and property was reassessed at a lower figure, with the result that the income for educa- tional purposes was lowered in all communities. In sections where the taxpayers defaulted on their pay- ments, the schools were faced with the problem of operating with practically no cash available. In the second place, educators have been woefully slow to examine and try to remedy the situation. Professor Kandel, in his recent book, Comparative Education, writes: The larger associations have limited themselves too nar- rowly to education and instruction, and as contrasted with the activities of similar associations in England, France, and Ger- many, their work has been mainly that of assembling, dis- seminating, and interpreting information on current tendencies rather than of leadership. (7, 623.) Certainly the National Education Association, our largest teachers’ organization, has consistently re- fused to be interested in the economic situation. The American Federation of Teachers, on the contrary, has a history of interest in the social and economic situation in which the school is forced to function. One writer said recently (32, 121): Chicago has been going broke for twenty years. been hiding behind Depression’s skirts these last three. It was pointed out, however, on page two of this thesis, that as early as 1902 the teachers were at- tempting to remedy the evils of the tax situation in Chicago. That was over thirty years ago, and the teachers who unionized have been voices crying quite constantly in the wilderness ever since. They pointed out that in 1925 the assessed valuation of Chicago property should have been four billion dollars, while the actual assessment was one and a third billion. In addition, they called attention to the situation in regard to capital stock. The teachers filed a com- plaint listing among other items fifty-one corpora- tions, the net assessed valuation of whose capital stock should have totaled $96,000,000, and which had not been assessed one cent on capital stock. (55, 18.) Thus, it appears that the American Federation of Teachers has adopted the philosophy that education is inextricably interwoven with the social and eco- nomic structure—a philosophy which prepared it to face the present economic crisis in education immedi- ately and realistically. It has 7 A startling phenomenon of the present depression has been the attacks on the school by organized pres- sure groups. Extra legal committees have sprung up all over the country, composed mainly of large prop- erty holders, who, according to Dean Haggerty of the College of Education of the University of Minnesota, by their refusal to pay taxes, and by their dictation to banks, determine the level of school support, and even the question of whether teachers’ salaries shall be paid at all. (21, 36.) In Chicago a “Citizens’ Committee” took charge of civic policies, including matters that directly af- fected the public schools. Of the twenty-nine mem- bers of the executive committee there was not a single small home owner or citizen-in-ordinary among them. (54, 10.) The committee was composed of bankers, industrialists, and real estate dealers, the groups which John Dewey, America’s eminent educator, says more than any other special groups in this country have helped bring on the present economic and finan- cial crisis. (17, 5.) These various groups state that they have inter- vened in the interest of economy. Have they attacked the problem in any fundamental way, attempting to eliminate waste, graft, unnecessary duplication of units, official favortism, the sacrifice of public to private interests? No, for by economy they have meant the reduction of wages and salaries of all per- sons on the municipal pay roll. (17, 5.) Conse- quently, the schools and the teachers have come in for a ruthless attack, and it is a pertinent fact, that on these committees there has been scarcely a single public-school patron. (54, 10.) While in New York and Chicago are the outstand- ing examples of this dictatorship of organized pres- sure groups, other cities have had similar experience. There is also evidences that the battle going on around the school may be more than one of financial support. Mr. Morgan, the editor of the Journal of the National Education Association, says, It concerns the ability of the people to maintain their schools at all in the presence of an economic structure dom- inated by super-corporations which are more interested in maintaining control than they are in the preservation of democratic institutions. (35, 34.) In support of his statement it should be remembered that the American Federation of Teachers has been calling attention to the activities of the super-corpora- tions for years, and that now the National Education Association, too, has realized the significance of the activities. In a recent issue of the Journal of the National Education Association (36, 35), Dr. J. K. Norton, Chairman of the Joint Committee on the Emergency in Education, wrote, The educational emergency has its roots deep in certain un- sound conditions which existed long before 1929. The de- pression has aggravated the conditions. The keen interest which the American Federation of Teachers has in social-economic conditions has caused it to call constantly for attention to these unsound conditions, but until very recently the great majority of educators had only condemnation for such a point of view. When the United States Chamber of Commerce sent out to local Chambers of Commerce a program for school retrenchment, the American Federation of 8 Teachers exposed the propaganda and its implica- tions. There were twenty recommendations on the program which, briefly summarized, were as follows: curtail the purchase of school supplies and the opera- tion of the school plant; postpone all building and replacements; simplify the curricula; discontinue evening classes and kindergartens; shorten the school day; increase the size of classes, and the teaching hours; suspend automatic increases of salary; reduce teachers’ salaries; shorten the school year; reduce the elementary school from eight to seven years, and the high school from four to three years; impose a fee on high school students. (63, 16.) The American Federation of Teachers, as counter- propaganda, gave publicity to the educational pro- ram of the American Federation of Labor, which, el of the contrast it offers to the suggestion of the business interests of the country, warrants being given in full. 1. Waste and extravagance must be determined by care- ful study, the responsibility placed where it belongs and ne economies which harm the children permitted. 2. No curtailment or elimination of any school activity necessary to maintain and improve educational standards. 3. Raising the top-age of compulsory school attendance. 4. No reduction in teachers’ salaries. 5. No increase in the size of classes. 6. No shortening of the school year. 7. No lengthening of the school day. 8 No elimination of valuable subject matter. 9. Free text books for all. 10. Widest extension of the program of adult education. 11. Tenure law for teachers. 12. Maintenance and improvement of teaching standards. 13. Adequate school buildings adapted to the needs of modern education. 14. Increased revenues to maintain and develop public education. More money for public education, not less. Our complex social order, the complications of our economic system, call for widening the scope and in- fluence of our public schools and require larger instead of restricted appropriations. 15. Equal educational opportunities for all (63, 16.) Why did organized business take such an uncom- promising attitude toward the schools? Royce Pit- kin, Headmaster of the New London School, writing for the Journal of the National Education Associa- tion, suggests the following reason: If the schools are likely to be moderately successful in bringing about an informed and alert populace, one can easily understand the readiness of the barons of business to seize the opportunity afforded by the present depression to cripple them under the guise of economy. . . . A satisfactory pro- gram of education for the masses and the continued domina- tion of industrial, political, and social life by a favored few are decidedly inconsistent. This would seem to suggest the real motive that lies behind the strenuous efforts of organ- ized groups of selfish interests to disable the schools. (37. 43.) In addition to exposing the propaganda of the busi- ness groups in the country and issuing counter-propa- ganda to arouse public opinion, the American Federa- tion of Teachers has been engaged in attempts to aid teachers. The plight of the teachers of Chicago has for years been the outstanding example in this country of piti- able conditions. It has been impossible for teachers to collect their salaries. It is known that at least seven Chicago teachers have lost their minds; one has killed himself; upward of a hundred have suffered one form or another of nervous collapse. No one children. TEACHER THE AMERICAN knows how many homes and life insurance policies have been lost. (32, 121.) The city, in 1933, attempted to raise money to pay its debts and, unable to float loans because of its bad financial condition, offered tax anticipation warrants which went begging for a market. Finally, it paid the teachers four months back wages in warrants, which were not negotiable at a bank, hence the teach- ers were unable to redeem them. (32, 121.) The teachers appealed to the Reconstruction Finance Corporation, which, to bolster the tottering structure, had loaned $90,000,000 to the Chicago City National Bank of which former United States vice- president Charles Dawes was head, but the Recon- struction Finance Corporation refused to buy the warrants. It offered, however, to accept them as collateral for a loan, from any Chicago bank. The teachers appealed to the banks to take advantage of this offer, but the banks refused to buy the warrants. (32, 121.) This was the last straw for the desperate teachers. During the month of April they staged demonstra- tions, marching to the banks with placards reading, “Pay the Teachers,” “Pay Your Taxes,” “Buy Our Tax Warrants,” and other such statements. A com- mittee of the marchers called upon Mr. Charles Dawes, president of the City National Bank, seeking his assistance. He replied, “To hell with trouble makers.” (60, 18.) Fifteen thousand children, in sympathy with their teachers, joined in a one-day strike, as a protest against conditions, and this was the background for the opening of the Century of Progress Exposition, in the summer of 1933. In spite of these facts, the National Education As- sociation decided to hold its annual convention in Chicago, so that the country’s educators could visit the fair. A group in New York, including John Dewey, George Strayer, Jesse Newlon, and George Counts, protested to the secretary of the National Educational Association, Mr. Crabtree, saying, “A decision not to go to Chicago would electrify the profession.” (34, 782.) Mr. Dawes was informed of the protest of the New York group by Mr. Crabtree. Incidentally, Mr. Rufus Dawes, brother of the prominent banker, was in charge of the fair, and concerned to have it finan- cially successful. Eventually, the banks bought the tax warrants, and the teachers were paid three months salary for October, November, and December of the preceding year. This step on the part of the banks was undoubtedly brought about by the demonstra- tions of the teachers and children in Chicago as well as by protests from outsiders. Mr, Crabtree appar- ently was satisfied with the results, and the National Education Association met in Chicago. Dr. Clyde R. Miller of Teachers College, Columbia, commented on the incident as follows: Some of us think the N. E. A. made a mistake. The situa- tion reveals the need for an N. E. A. more vigorous virile and socially intelligent than we have known in the past. Making speeches and adopting resolutions will not get very far. To be timid is to go down to sure defeat... . is is a time when the N. E. A. ought to be fighting. . . . If this fight is undertaken it will mean forth-right attack on great financial and industrial interests of which most teachers and teachers’ associations and officials have stood in awe. (Turn to page 13) a +4 > a! lh ae.lUmelUUelUlLeelU lUcelC LUC one -mn oO wer sr wh es ay ad ts id ts, h- on e- n- ne as of S. le ir a- ll r- Fa2samee ra? eee Le Marcu-Aprit, 1935. Academic Freedom and Progress Abraham Lefkowitz brute state because of his own power to think and to profit by the experience of others as well as his own. Despite the importance of ideas, every new idea had to fight with the upholders of the status quo for the right to survive. Every time new or ad- vanced forms of government or of society were es- tablished, its beneficiaries sought to prevent basic changes. Where possible, existing beliefs and institu- tions were hallowed by clothing them with divine sanction. The heralds of progress who conceived new ideas and dared preach them paid dearly for the privilege. Thus Socrates was forced to drink the hemlock; the Gracchi were murdered; Giordario Bruno was burned at the stake: while Galileo had to recant. Yet persecution could not halt progress nor the onward march of new ideas. On the contrary, the blood of the martyrs fertilized the soil from which sprang a new crop of martyrs. History has taught us that progress is the result of new ideas or change; that it cannot be prevented— though it may be retarded or accelerated. New ideas are the result of critical thinking upon the part of teachers, pupils, and citizens. Anything which tends to undermine, delimit, or throttle critical thinking and teaching, is not only historically unwise, but sub- versive of progress to which all intelligent citizens should be dedicated. Hence censorship should be re- sisted because it interferes with academic freedom which plays so basic a part in change. Every precious right humanity now enjoys—freedom of speech, press, religious toleration, political equality, etc.—all are the result of progress or change due to new ideas. It was the clash of ideas—the old with the new, and the triumph of the latter—which explains the vast differ- ence between the standards of civilization found in the heart of Africa, the bushmen of Australia, and the civilized countries of today. Opponents of academic freedom are generally per- sons who are consciously or subconsciously devoted to the past and hence seek to maintain the status quo of which they are usually the beneficiaries. As ardent upholders of things as they are, they oppose the spread of new ideas. This they can achieve best by attacking the intellectual integrity of the teaching pro- fession through fear of losing their jobs. Hence the attacks upon their tenure through Lusk Laws, loyalty oaths, and certification proposals. We teachers are not, as teachers, upholders of the Status quo or its opponents, except in so far as these are inevitable by-products of our teaching. Propaganda has no place in the school room dedi- cated to the development of critical thought for so- cial service. Fear and education are antipodal to each other because fear paralyzes thinking while crit- ical thought is indispensable to the educational proc- ess. Fear not only paralyzes thinking and teaching, but also places a premium upon intellectual dishon- esty, makes for submissiveness, and substitutes for the courageous independent thinker, a supine servile Fe: the dawn of history man emerged from the obeyor. Since critical thinking and new ideas en- gendered by thought are basic in the solution of our problems, all socially-minded citizens should oppose any attempt to limit academic freedom by under- mining tenure, or by endangering the intellectual in- tegrity of the teaching profession. The outstanding assaults upon academic freedom in New York state were: 1. The Lusk Laws engendered by the hysteria which followed the period of the World War. Under these laws the Commissioner of Education, without trial or hearing, could revoke the license of any teacher if it appeared that such teacher advocated a form of government other than the government of the United States or of the State, or advocated changes by unlawful or violent means. 2. The Ives Loyalty Oath which requires a teacher, every time he is moved to a new school, to take an oath to support the Constitution of the State and the United States. 3. The certification proposals of the State De- partment of Education which substitute periodic ten- ure in place of indefinite or life tenure, thus making teachers probationers for life. The pretext for this attack upon our tenure is the desire to secure im- proved service and professioral aliveness. We con- cede the need for both but deny the need for under- mining the tenure law or the possibility of securing these desirable ends by “imposing culture from above.” These certification proposals will not make teachers professionally alive, but professionally sub- servient to a cultural weapon that can and will be used to crush the initiative, the creativeness, the courage, and the independence of teachers. Under these proposals, our school doors again will be opened wide to political and extramural influence. This proposal not only will undermine education, but it will also close the door of every school house to critical, self-respecting, socially-minded teachers who seek but to serve their community. Under this pro- posal, that which is politically expedient will be taught, rather than that which is socially and educa- tionally desirable. All these laws and proposals undermine tenure and are intended to intimidate teachers by. inspiring fear. Hence they tend to destroy or undermine aca- demic freedom, without which real or creative teach- ing is impossible. All of these measures tend to fetter discussion, to paralyze teaching, and to inhibit fear- less thinking. The result of such legislation is gradu- ally to leave the teaching profession open largely to those who are unfitted for so basic a calling. Those courageous and independent thinkers who are needed by our schools, are either driven out or are prevented from entering it by such legislation. Children trained by uncritical and spineless teachers, are hardly likely to become worthy citizens in a republic seeking to give the greatest happiness to all. True democracy is possible only where teachers are free fearlessly to expound the truth as they see it. 10 The unionized teachers of this country, and all thinking citizens, are, or ought to be, opposed to legis- lation which undermines academic freedom not only because it is a negation of real creative teaching but also because it constitutes a gratuitous insult to the teaching profession. Why assume that men and women who have dedicated their lives to the service of their fellowmen should be singled out, by implica- tion, as disloyal or should have their rights as*citizens and as thinkers curtailed by legislative fiat? Equally bad is the silly notion that patriotism or love of coun- try can be inspired by loyalty oaths when, in reality, love of country is a cumulative product developed from within? Legislation of this type is inspired by a false philosophy and equally false basic assump- tions. ; The philosophy underlying these laws was best ex- pressed by Senator Clayton R. Lusk when he said: The public school teacher is a representative and officer of the State as it now exists. He is employed by the State to teach loyalty to its institutions and obedience to its laws. In entering the public school system the teacher assumes certain obligations and must of necessity surrender some of his in- tellectual freedom. . . . No person who is not eager to cum- bat the theories of social change should be entrusted with the task of fitting the young and old of this State for the responsibilities of citizenship. This same idea was expressed by His Imperial Majesty Francis of Austria, when he said: There are new ideas in progress which I cannot and will not approve. Hold fast to old ideas. I need no learned men. I do need brave citizens. Your duty is to make the nation into such. Whoever serves me must accept what I command. Whoever is unable to do that, or comes to me with new ideas, can go, or I will remove him. In a word, this philosophy or doctrine transforms the teacher into an intellectual serf and into a propa- gandist for the status quo—a negation of the basic purpose of teaching. Thus we find that the basis of this legislation is the cultural lag bequeathed to us from the days of absolutism in government and in- dustry. What are the basic assumptions which accompany this dangerous philosophy sc unsuited to a democracy in a period of transition to a new social order? They are as follows: 1. That you really teach children by telling them something. Teaching comes from conflict, thought, application of material presented or obtained by the students, and not from passive acceptance of predi- gested thought. 2. That training, which implies indoctrination by repetition, is educative. Training is necessary in life and has educative value. But it is not education in the higher and better concept of that term. We train dogs, but we should educate students to be fearless, socially-minded, and independent. It is this con- cept of training that leads to military training, to implicit obedience to the uncritical acceptance of shib- boleths, etc. 3. Fear of punishment will prevent progress by intimidating the fearless thinkers. This assumption totally ignores the teachings of history which prove conclusively that the enemies of progress and new ideas may kill or maim the body but they can never hurt the spirit. Hence the pages of history are full of the heroism of those who died that society might progress. TEACHER THE AMERICAN 4. That critical intelligence can be developed in an atmosphere of fear—a ridiculous assumption. 5. That while the scientific attitude and -critical thinking are desirable and should be encouraged in the field of the natural sciences and the conclusions thus arrived at hailed as evidence of progress, a sim- ilar attitude in the social sciences is looked upon with disapproval because they regard the results of that attitude as dangerous. Dangerous to whom? To the exploiters or war mongers, or to society? 6. The feeling that it is necessary for teachers to “uphold the Constitution,” whereas it is the function of teachers to “uphold truth” as they see it or dis- cover it. Legislation of this type is conceived in fear and born of hysteria. It is advocated by men of limited intelligence or by those who seek to perpetuate the status quo with all its iniquities and opportunities for the exploitation of the weak or the less fortunate by the strong or more fortunate. /It tends, as Gov- ernor Alfred E. Smith so ably” said, to “limit the teaching staff of the public schools to those only who lack the courage or the mind to exercise their legal right to just criticism of existing institutions’”—the type the schools can well dispense with. Under these laws delimiting spheres of intellectual activity, the greatest benefactors of mankind and the greatest of our leaders would be ineligible for teaching positions in our schools, notably men of the calibre of Jeffer- son, Lincoln, and Seward. Can legislation which would bar from the teaching profession those who would be its greatest ornaments, be socially desirable? Legisiation of this type harks back to mediaeval juridical principles and ideas. They assume that teachers are guilty unless they establish their inno- cence. Hence they encourage snooping and spying by supervisors, fellow teachers, parents, and even by students. How can education flourish in an atmos- phere of suspicion, spying, cowardice, and fear? Shall intelligent citizens permit themselves to be car- ried away by unthinking superpatriots inspired by mediaeval and Teutonic ideas of justice, or shall we stand by our democratic ideals of freedom, tolera- tion, and justice? As against the enemies of progress, we present the basic philosophy that change is imperative in a living and growing society; that freedom is basic in such a concept and that without such freedom society will stagnate and die. As against the concept that the teacher must be a servile tool of those who uphold the status quo and indoctrinate children with such ideas, we posit the theory that it is not the business of the teacher to uphold any doctrine but to present all available data or views on debatable questions and to permit and to encourage the play of critical intel- ligence upon these ideas. May I sum up by saying that teachers oppose all repressive legislation which limits or interferes with academic freedom because it destroys the basic pur- pose of education, retards progress, breeds servility, fear, and subservience. Incidentally, we oppose such legislation because— a. It reflects upon the teaching profession and tends to detract from its attractiveness. Hence it will keep out of the profession those most needed— courageous, socially-minded, thinking teachers who Ene - Cw Fs — Marcu-Aprin, 1935. Taking Profit Out of War.—Taking the profit out of war, which is alleged to be the object of cer- tain bills under consideration by Congress, did not receive the approval of Secretary of War Dern in his testimony before the Committee on Mili- tary Affairs of the House of Representatives. He limited his approval to measures designed to pre- vent “profiteering,” which is far removed from abolishing all profit. Gov. Nice Flays Sales Tax.—Repudiation of the sales tax as a method of raising increased taxes required by the State Government and support of the income tax characterized the message of Gov. Nice to the Maryland State Legislature. Confronted with the necessity of raising at least $30,000,000 additional taxes, $18,800,000 of which will be required for unemployment relief during the next two years, Gov. Nice said: “While the choice of methods is within your province, I think it proper to say that there should be no sales tax, for it operates disproportionately upon those in the community least able to bear it.” The recommendation of Gov. Nice reflects the policy of the American Federation of Labor, which has persistently opposed the sales tax and favored in its place higher taxes on incomes and inheritances. 34 Ousted Teachers Lose Final Decision —The Court of Errors and Appeals, the court of last resort, has upheld the dismissal of 34 teachers by the Hoboken school board in June, 1932. The teachers sought without success reversal of a Supreme Court opinion upholding the dis- missal. The school board failed to obtain re- versal of portions of the opinion which ordered two months’ pay to the dismissed teachers and the return of seven tenure teachers. The high court affirmed the Supreme Court opinion in all particulars without comment. At the end of the 1932 school year 26 teachers in the school system were transferred to two schools and a day later were notified that the schools would be closed and their positions abol- ished. Arthur T. Vanderbilt, of Newark, who repre- sented the teachers, told the court that those transferred to the school, and eight already there were all married or non-residents of Hoboken or “suffered from both infirmities.” Rockford, Ill., Teachers Get 10 Per Cent Boost in Pay.—Salaries of Rockford teachers will be in- creased 10 per cent under the 1935 budget. At the same time the school tax rate on local prop- erty will be reduced approximately 5 per cent as a result of the increased income from other sources, Class Railway Fares Stressed by Eastman.—The establishment of various grades of railroad service with transportation charges determined accord- ing to the paying ability of rich, middle class, and poor, was recommended by Joseph Eastman, transportation coordinator, in a report outlining a number of methods by which it is hoped the railroad managers will be able to increase railway travel and income. lr ee i READ L. 1. D. PAMPHLETS Informative and Critical HOW AMERICA LIVES, with newly published supplement by HARRY W. LAIDLER A concise handbook of facts indispensable to the stu- dent of economics and history. 64pp. 15c. INCENTIVES UNDER CAPITALISM AND SOCIALISM, by HARRY W. LAIDLER Who'll do the dirty work under Socialism? 56pp. 15c. THE COMMUNIST MANIFESTO with an Essay on Karl Marx by HAROLD J. LASKI The Communist Manifesto still remains the most in- spiring and up-to-date socialist document. Laski’s essay gives the essential facts in Marx’s life, and analyzes the ideas of the “Manifesto” in their philo- sophical and historical perspective. 95 pp. 25c. THE PLIGHT OF THE SHARE-CROPPER by NORMAN THOMAS Discloses what has happened to a million and a half American workers under the Administration’s agri- cultural adjustment program. 34pp. 10c. SOCIALISM’S NEW BEGINNING by MILES, with a Foreword by Norman Thomas and Preface by H. N. Brailsford This document from underground Germany has al- ready become a classic in socialist literature. It is indispensable to any understanding of fascism as well as to an appreciation of why the German Socialist and Communist movements failed. 148 pp. 35c. EDUCATION AND A NEW SOCIAL ORDER by JOHN DEWEY — 5c. LOOKING FORWARD — DISCUSSION OUTLINES Introductions by JOHN DEWEY These discussions are stimulating and provocative guides not only for study and discussion groups but for the individual student. Subjects: Two Years of Roosevelt, Government in Business, The March of Labor, Nationalism in America, Preparation for World War, The Coming Struggle for Power. 10c. FASCISM . by J. B. MATTHEWS and RUTH SHALLCROSS A concise description of the generic traits of fascism and their specific applications to the United States. 16pp. 5c. For Catalogue and Information Write the LEAGUE FOR INDUSTRIAL DEMOCRACY 112 East 19th Street NEW YORK, NEW YORK =. st Sf om, Pee ee wget THE AMERICAN TEACHER Democracy in Education The Teacher in Politics American Federation of Teachers Organized April 15, 1916 Affiliated with the American Federation of Labor 506 South Wabash Ave., Chicago, III. President Raymonp F. Lowry, Toledo Local 250 219 Fifteenth St., Toledo, Ohio. Secretary-Treasurer Florence Curtis Hanson, 506 S. Wabash Ave., Chicago, Ill. THE AMERICAN TEACHER Official Organ Apvisory EpitrortaL Boarp Lucizs W. ALLEN RutuH GILLeTTe Harpy Chicago Local 3 New York Local 5 Mary C. BARKER HENRY R. LINVILLE Atlanta Local 89 New York Local 5 Se_tMA M. Borcwarptr A. D. SHEFFIELD Washington Local 8 Wellesley College JOHN M. GRAYBIEL CHARLES B. STILLMAN San Francisco Local 61 Chicago Local 2 FLoreNce Curtis HANSON, Executive Editor Publisher H. G. Apatr Printine Co. 107 N. Wacker Drive, Chicago, III. 5 a WE'LL NOT FORGET/ ee THE UNION LABEL Is THE SYMBOL OF HIGHEST QUALITY OF AMERICAN-MADE PRODUCTS. PATRONIZE BUSINESS PLACES WHICH DISPLAY THE UNION LABEL, SHOP CARD & BUTTONS. UNION LABEL TRADES DEPARTMENT American Federation of labor Wash., D. C. The Union Label is Supreme. Look for it. You'll never find it on inferior goods. The best brands bear the Union Label. The best buyers buy Union Label brands. The first duty of the public school is to teach citizenship, that is to inculcate a sense of civic duty and responsibility. But it is to be done by teachers forbidden civic and political interest and activity. A conspicuous example of the blind leading the blind! The American Federation of Teachers has consistently held that teachers should take an active part in the civic and political life of their communities, but when they take this advice with the purpose and intent of protecting the schools and themselves from exploitation by politicians, a storm of protest and indignation arises. As Dr. William McAndrew says in com- plimenting the Cleveland teachers upon their entry into the political arena, “Did you ever notice that the most violent critics of teachers for going into politics are politi- cians ?” THe AMERICAN SCHOOL BoarD JournaL, January, 1935, in an edi- torial on The Public School and Politics expresses grave concern over the action of the New Bed- ford, Massachusetts, teachers in seeking to select those who are in a sense their employers; and deplores that in at least two states, educational bodies are urging active interest in the nomina- tion and election of the members of state legislatures. The editorial continues, The purpose here is to insure legis- lation that*may provide adequate school support. The wisdom of this approach may be seriously questioned. It concludes The general public must exercise its judgment as to the selection of those who shall govern the schools. To organize themselves into a poli- tical body is inconsistent with their (the teachers’) professional calling and to seek to contro] the selection of those who are to be their employers is illog- ical and untenable. That is those than whom none have a greater stake in the future development of our schools are to be barred from participation in their control and administration. THe ScHoot Boarp JOURNAL editorial itself arraigns the charac- ter of school board members and argues for active participation by soundly interested persons of char- acter when it says: The candidate who is most vigorously opposed is sometimes elected. The teacher who has openly sought to de- feat a candidate for the school board, will stand in an awkward relationship if that candidate happens to win an elec- tion. The spirit of retaliation may as- sert itself; a bad situation will certainly ensue. (Italics ours.) Teachers Exploited by Politicians On the other hand we have seen no deep concern over another all too prevalent teacher-and-politics relation. We have failed to find editorials in the public press, school board journals, and educational journals on the growing evil of soliciting and compelling financial contributions from teachers in sup- port of political campaigns and candidates, The anthracite coal region of Pennsylvania, where teachers have been required to contribute sub- stantial sums to the party in power on penalty of losing their jobs, has long been a scandal. This is not, however, an_ isolated example. Within the month the editor was discussing with a group of teachers in a nearby state the importance of teachers organizing for their own protection. A teacher present said, Why should I join an organization for protection when I pay for my job? When pressed for an explanation she said, I paid $125 as a political campaign contribution when I got my contract. We all pay according to our salaries. Chicago with all its difficulties, political and other, has been in the past free from political assessment. In the past, but not in the present. This fall tickets for the city cham- pionship football game between public and parochial schools, the proceeds to go to the Mayor's favorite charity, were sent to the schools with instructions that the teachers should purchase for them- selves and sell to others. Civic bodies protested this use of the schools, and the president of the School Board denied that a state- ment that a list of teachers who failed to purchase tickets would be filed with the Board for future Marcu-Aprit, 1935. 21 Education for Democracy action had been issued from his office. Cambridge, Massachusetts, fur- nishes a conspicious illustration of the injection of politics in the schools and a convincing explana- tion of why teachers are in some places forbidden to interest them- selves in the choice of school board members. The Cambridge League of Wom- en Voters on November 16 ad- dressed a letter to the school com- mittee of Cambridge in which it asked Does the school committee approve of the sending of a written request to the teachers in the schools for contribu- tions to campaign funds? and in a letter of January 21 the League suggested the adoption by the school committee of a resolu- tion of the following tenor: No teacher while on the school prem- ises shall be solicited personally, or through any other means, for funds to be used in a political campaign. The school committee further records its dis- approval of any teachers’ organization in soliciting funds or support for a candidate for public office. This action on the part of the League of Women Voters was the result of the solicitation from teachers of campaign funds to aid a member of the school committee, Ralph W. Robart, to become sher- iff of Middlesex County. It ap- pears from the investigation that every school had been canvassed and that contributions were turned over to a headmaster in the school system, The League has also asked that the alleged political activities of the Teachers Club and its offi- cers and their part in the solicita- tion of campaign funds be exam- ined. The Teachers Club is the company union of the Cambridge school system. The hearings on this matter be- fore the Cambridge school com- mittee were the most violent in the history of that body and the charges of the League that teach- ers gave to the Cambridge election fund and sums were levied to aid school committeeman’s Robarts’ race for sheriff on a quota grada- tion, a fixed amount for masters and another for teachers, were sub- stantiated. This is the kind of politics which we have in the schools and which teachers are seeking to eliminate and which apparently are not the deep concern of politicians and some others. Teachers in politics but not tools in politicians’ hands is the desideratum. What F ell O er Alabama? The two hundred teachers of Clarke county, Alabama, after teaching for two months without pay—a meager wage below a sub- sistence level—decided to remain away from their classrooms until pay should be forthcoming. The federal relief money for their pay was in some unaccountable way held up. County superintendent D. C., Mathews and the County Board of Education approved the action of the teachers. Not so Governor Bibb Graves. He answered the teachers with a statement “the schools are going to stay open,” and issued an “executive order” to the probate judge of Clarke county to “order” the sheriff of that coun- ty to “order” the teachers to report for duty, and to perform their duties under threat of arrest and imprisonment. “If the superin- tendent of education or anyone in- terferes” with plans to keep the schools open, the sheriff’s orders read, he is to arrest him and hold in jail “for further orders.” The governor then instructed Dr. J. A. Keller, state superin- tendent of education, to “go to Clarke county, take complete charge there, and keep the schools running.” The determination of the teach- ers was increased by the action of the governor in setting aside the duly-chosen officials and turning the schools over to the sheriff and the probate judge. The innovation of forcing teachers to go to work by armed deputies found no sup- port. The governor took a_ second thought and revoked his orders to the state superintendent and coun- ty probate judge and sheriff. He also found the money for the teachers’ pay! Be not simply good—be good for something. —Thoreau. What Is the I. Q. of the U.S.C.of C on Education? You buy things to use when you understand something of how they work. The salesman has a much harder job selling goods to people who are entirely ignorant of them. The science courses of a school are a major instrument for the teaching of such understandings of machines. The present immediate problem of business in the UV. S. A. is to promote a wider effective demand for its goods by an understanding public. In proportion as people ap- preciate the workings of various apparatus of modern convenience they will buy, use, and be satisfied with more such things. The phenomenal increase in the acceptance of and use of modern appliances in the home and the shop, (which are but modern sci- ence applied to make work more effective) parallels the growth of the high school as the place of edu- cation of the great body of intelli- gent Americans. And now along come the solemn financiers and so-called business- men of the U. S. Chamber of Com- merce and announce that the way to improve our present situation is to lessen the costs of education by the following measures: 1. Increase the size of school classes and the teaching hours. 2. Reduce the elementary schools to seven grades. 3. Reduce the four-year high school curricula to three years. 4. Impose a fee on high school students. Now let us see how these are likely to change business: (1) If size of classes and teachers’ hours are increased, there will be even less time for the teacher to help able students to do their work quickly, and slower students will flounder without hope of rescue and renewed courage in success. So the school process will be slowed . down for all. Even more children than now will feel discontent with the schools, and will leave as soon as any alternative is possible. So these young people will have little contact with science courses, which tend to familiarize them with ap- plied science. : ee ne Te OST 2 aoe ye, 2s CTD cuiieds Se ae ee a gee —_—— we 22 (2) If we reduce the elementary curriculum by one year and the high school likewise, we will have to leave out some of the. present content. And the things that will be left out next will be the next in order of recency in the school: the chemistry, the physics and the general science, the biology and courses on physiology and health. These are the courses that make for the understanding, apprecia- tion, and use of the applications of science, from the use of sewing and washing machines to the ap- plication of nitrifying bacteria to the soil or the importance of vita- mins for the health of a herd of cattle or a family of children. If school work is shortened, the un- derstanding of the benefits of mod- ern science will be still more severely decreased, and the pur- chase of important products all too severely lessened. (3) Finally, if tuition is charged high school students, as the C, of C. suggests, that will lessen the funds available for the purchase of home equipment still more dras- tically. Let the United States Chamber of Commerce finance a census of the modern apparatus used in the homes of some representative city, and of the high school or lower educational course of these people, and let it correlate these. If tu- ition is charged, less graduates will spend still less for the products of business. So manufacturers and fi- nance will contract. However you look at it the prop- ositions of the C. of C. are self- contradictory and stupid. We have public schools because they are a better and a more eco- nomical means of education than private schools can be. We want every genuine economy, but we do not want to starve our children to save a few dollars in taxes now, whether for the lack of food or for the malnutrition of an inade- quate school experience. The un- derstanding of the methods and to some slight extent the content of modern science is a prerequisite for social experience out of which is grown civic and economic in- telligence. They starve their own financial and business security who starve the schools, Visiting the iniquities of the fathers upon the children still remains inevitable, and the only alternative is support of the schools to the full, Not scarcity, but abundance; not pinch-penny economy, but far-see- ing investment for ease, comfort, and security; not power for the few but assured security for all; —these are the legitimate goals of our society. And the first means for such full freedom for all is found in an ever vigorous and in- telligent process of education. eS Who Are Enemies of Teachers? Under this caption a letter ap- peared in a newspaper of recent date cataloguing those who uphold the teachers in their demands for adequate compensation, security of position, and proper teaching con- ditions, as enemies of education. In the last issue of the Amer.- ICAN TEACHER there was published an article entitled Enemies of the Public Schools. It seems to be an acknowledged fact that the schools and teachers have enemies tho who they are depends on the point of view. A little introspection on this subject may be in order. We recognize as enemies of edu- cation entrenched wealth evading its just share of taxation. We recognize special interests thoroughly organized with all the resources of money, power, and propaganda. We recognize the inertia and in- difference of the general public deceived by all this false propa- ganda. We do not recognize the greatest enemy of education—the teachers ourselves. The attitude of the teachers is the chief enemy of progress in education. Their fear, their timidity, their belief that by conciliating their enemies they can gain, their failure to recognize their friends, their expectation of accomplishment by seeking favor of their opponents rather than the support of their friends, their piti- ful efforts to claim professionalism rather than taking action to build a profession, and above all their lack of loyalty to each other. When the teachers recognize their enemies, they will destroy them and a better day will dawn. THE AMERICAN TEACHER Be An Organizer Sound effective organization of teachers would be the most power- ful single influence for social bet- terment possible. The value of organization is known to every one better than to teachers, It is amaz- ing that in this day of organization the one group with the greatest potential power should be the most unorganized and disorganized. The unorganized teachers need to have the gospel of organization carried to them. Whose task is this? Let each member of the Federa- tion take up the responsibility; let each member become an active or- ganizer, and the work of building a strong organization for school and teacher protection is done. The A. F. T. should be able to say that it has thousands of organizers working to build unity, solidarity, loyalty in the teaching group and among all workers. The strongest influence upon the unorganized teachers is the influence which you, their fellow- teachers, can wield. Are you ready to use this influence for the American’ Federation of Teachers? Do you wish to do your utmost for your organiza- tion? If you do, then you will be- come an organizer among your friends. You will know and see that they know that the American Federation of Teachers is the na- tional organization of classroom teachers affiliated with the Ameri- can Federation of Labor. You will explain to them the significance of these three points. It is evident from results that local organiza- tions can not meet the crisis and that a national organization is needed to meet a national problem. It is evident that an organization controlled by administrators can- not or will not solve the problem, and that the rank and file who know best what is happening and by close contact with the children are most deeply concerned must assume their responsibility, if a bet- ter day is to dawn. It is evident that no one group standing by itself can win in a struggle so vital to us all against a foe so strongly entrenched, and that those having this foe in common should unite in a common cause. Tell these things to your fellow teachers. Study the history of A. F. T.; understand its fundamental Marcu-Aprit, 1935. principles; acquaint yourself with modern school problems and the needs of teachers. And then tell them where is the source of help. Be An Organizer. Many Teachers Receive Less Than Dole The Detroit Labor News is pleased that its efforts to further an adequate educational program met with the approval of the De- troit Federation of Teachers. In- cidentally, it is rather amusing that the State Superintendent of Public Instruction is reported to have told an audience in Flint that when the present funds for the operation of schools are exhausted, the schools should be closed tight. No one would accuse Dr. Voel- ker of being a Union man, yet he here expresses a sound Union prin- ciple that if a service is worth having, it is worth paying for. Gas and electric companies are at liberty to discontinue service when their patrons fail to pay for them. Should we demand that schools be kept open even if teach- ers in many instances are receiving less than people on the welfare rolls? The American Federation of Teachers does not believe that children should be sacrificed at a time of economic stress, yet the children are being sacrificed due to the procrastination and evasion of responsibility on the part of those who are directly responsible for public education. —Detroit Labor News. Equal Educational Opportunity Equal educational opportunity for all,—child, youth, adult,—re- gardless of the accident of birth or residence is the traditional Amer- ican standard. We have never reached this goal, but we had al- ways been working towards it and making progress until the present economic debacle came upon us. Now we find ourselves farther away from our goal than ever be- fore. In the work for National Recovery, we find Education dis- regarded. Educational Recovery is basic to National Recovery, but we find this fact overlooked, and while banks, industry, agriculture receive federal aid, schools, li- braries, recreation, are beyond the pale. The inequalities in American educational opportunity are indi- cated by the following figures: One state has approximately 8 times as much wealth per child of school age as some of the less fortunate states. Children of school’ age (6-17 yrs.) constitute 31.3 percent of the population in one state; 16.6 per- cent in another. Average number of days schools were in. session in 1932 ranged from 132.9 in one state to 188.3 in another. Average number of days at- tended by each pupil ranged from 98.1 to 163.2. Annual expenditures for educa- tion per pupil in average daily at- tendance ranged from $31.70 to $152.85. Average annual salaries of all teachers, supervisors, and prin- cipals ranged from $593 to $2,494. Value of school property per pu- pil enrolled ranged from $74 in one state to $391 in each of two other states. Why this discrimination? The answer may lie in the reply of a government official who, when asked why teachers were re- ceiving only 30 cents an hour while skilled labor was receiving $1.00 an hour, said, “Well, you know Labor is organized.” How to make our ideal of equal educational opportunity not a dream but an actuality is our next question. The answer is clear, Federal Aid for Education sufficient to guar- antee a satisfactory program for all children in every state. A. F. T. Bulletin The National Office prepared and published a special bulletin under date of January 15, 1935. The main article of this Bulletin was the report of our Legislative . Representative, Miss Borchardt. A second article was the story of Hearst’s attempt to Hitlerize America. The publication has been so well received that we hope to issue others from time to time. They will 23 be devoted chiefly to legislative matters. Not enough of these Bulletins were printed to supply each mem- ber. It was expected they would be passed about until all had seen them. If you have not had one, ask your president or secretary for a copy. What Price Speaking Out Loud! A New Voice _ The Social Frontier, a monthly journal of educational criticism and reconstruction, made its debut in October. Under the editorship of George S. Counts and the guid- ance of a Board of Directors headed by William H. Kilpatrick and including a veritable roster of progressive educators, it aims to become “the expressive medium of those members of the teaching profession who believe that educa- tion has an important, even stra- tegic, role to play in the reconstruc- tion of American Society.” The Social Frontier, to quote its own editorial: “assumes that the age of individualism in economy is closing and that an age marked by close integration of social life and by collective planning and control is opening. . . . It will devote its pages positively to the de- velopment of the thought of all who are interested in making education discharge its full responsibility in the present age of social transition. Its editorial staff and board of directors hope that it will help fight the great educational battles — practical and theoretical—which are already loom- ing above the horizon. And they trust that it will engage in the battles of the twentieth and not of the eigh- teenth century.” And don’t miss its funny page, “Voices from Olympus!” The magazine is published at 66 West 88th Street, New York City. Subscription price $2 per year. Hearst’s Red-Scare Campaign A new wave of anti-red hysteria has been set in motion by Mr. William Randolph Hearst, of nu- merous great financial interests in- cluding a chain of newspapers, “Red propaganda in schools and colleges” is played up with com- plete disregard to facts. On Mr. Hearst’s list of dangerous “Reds” are the editors and contributors to The Social Frontier. The reason for this can be found in the above quotation from this periodical. Se ARR SE Bees maa if f $ ? + A | "ag i ES t ‘ 24 What Price Speaking Out Loud indeed ! The American Federation of Labor and others have instituted a boycott on German goods. Since this idea of suppression of aca- demic freedom is an importation from Germany by Mr. Hearst, should not the boycott include cer- tainly his idea if not Mr. Hearst himself ? Unions the Need of the Hour There was never a time when wage-earners had so much to gain by membership in a trade union or so much to lose by neglecting their rights and opportunities through union affiliation. We are now de- termining the fundamental policies and agencies that will largely shape future industrial relationships. Or- ganized representative groups can have a part in shaping decisions by presenting experiences and needs. Employers and other spe- cial groups are organized and ac- tive in presenting their interests. During the session of Congress which has just begun momentous issues of public policy are to be, considered and decided. The future of the National Recovery Admin- istration, Labor’s right to organize in trade unions free from employ- ers’ interference, and the enforce- ment of this right, jobs for the un- employed and a social security program, are coming up for definite action. Even though the representatives you wished to be elected are now members of this Congress you can bring your welfare to their con- sideration only in organized capac- ity. After public policies are deter- mined and laws become effective, every wage-earner must look to his union to see that laws are put into force. Though the law may give workers the right to organize and bargain collectively, the right to form their own unions; though codes may fix minimum wages and maximum hours—it is only the union that can police the workshop, report violations, and see that jus- tice is done. It is the union that takes cases to the National Labor Relations Board and its regional boards, that makes presentations to the Na- tional Recovery Administration and the President when necessary. It is the union that enables workers to get their full rights under workmen’s compensation laws and it is the union that helps to make our social security plan effective. The union is a voluntary institu- tion which serves public as well as private purposes. It performs a social purpose that can be greatly strengthened as wage-earners more generally fulfill their responsibility by joining the union to which they are eligible. It is the agency that can put a balance into our indi- vidual and social living that will provide justice between men. The greatest responsibility that rests upon us for the coming year is to advance organization work and help unions to become more effective in doing their work, —WILLIAM GREEN in American Federationist. The Meldahl Trial Representing the A. F. of T. I attended the trial of Mr. Andrew Meldahl, principal of the East Jun- ior High School, Duluth, Minne- sota, on January 12th, 1935. Mr. Meldahl had been charged by Mr. Young, Superintendent of the Du- luth Schools, with insubordination and conduct unbecoming a teacher. Both these charges are statutory causes for dismissal under the Minnesota Tenure Law. Mr. Young, of course, acted for the Board. Specifically on the charge of in- subordination the complaint was that Mr. Meldahl had been insub- ordinate when he wrote, and had printed in his school paper, an editorial declaring that the Board of Education had been intimidated by the Duluth Taxpayers’ League. The question before the Board was whether they should make drastic cuts in teachers’ 1935 salaries to keep a balanced budget or issue warrants against delinquent taxes and other revenues to maintain the salary schedule in full. Ap- pearing before the Board the Tax- payers League’s representative threatened suit to establish per- sonal liability for each board mem- ber who would vote for the issu- ance of warrants. On the charge of conduct un- becoming a teacher Mr. Meldahl was alleged to have spoken in an THe AMERICAN TEACHER uncivilike manner to a _ certain woman who inquired as to com- munity fund collections among the teachers in his school. Since the entire School Board was involved in the charge of insubordination one by one they were placed under oath and testi- fied that Mr. Meldahl’s statement was substantially correct in that each did not relish the idea of personal liability actions against them as individuals, Intimidation was reasonably inferred from this testimony. On the second charge Mr. Mel- dahl denied that his alleged state- ments to the aforementioned wom- an were true. Since this was a telephone conversation with no witnesses, there was not much legal ground to make this charge hold. In making its decision the Board of Education returned the verdict that Mr. Meldahl had not been insubordinate but that he should be given a reprimand by the Super- intendent of Schools for his con- duct. This is the first lawsuit I ever attended where the jury was at once the witness and the judge of its own testimony. [ doubt whether a similar situation has ever oc- curred in our fair land. I believe that the reader’s sense of humor is aroused when he considers the cir- cumstances surrounding this trial. I have heard rumors that certain groups in Duluth are agitating for changes in our Tenure Law here in Minnesota. R. J. AHLSTROM. Nineteenth Convention American Federation of Teachers The Nineteenth Annual Convention of the American Federation of Teachers will be held in Cleveland the week of August 25, 1935. The headquarters will be the Hotel Hollenden. Cleveland Local 279 has various committees already at work on plans to make this an outstandingly successful meeting. The complete program will be published in the next issue of the AMERICAN TEACHER. Marcu-Aprit, 1935. Federal Aid for Education Clyde R. Miller Only one thing can arrest the continuing breakdown of our schools and bring a return of edu- cational opportunity to millions of American children now deprived of it. That one thing is federal finan- cial aid. Congress has appropriated more than three billion dollars for public works, It has given through the Reconstruction Finance Corpora- tion around three billion dollars to banks, railroads, insurance com- panies, and such enterprises. Operation, building, and mainte- nance of schools should be in- cluded under federal aid. Federal money is needed today to open the closed schools, to restore the shat- tered curriculum, and to place once again on a pay roll scores of thou- sands of teachers who have been going without pay or have been living from hand to mouth on lim- ited script payments. Dams, roads, and bridges may be desirable, but schools are neces- sary! Ninety per cent of the money spent for schools, moreover, will go into pay rolls which will im- mediately be spent in the local communities to bring once again some measure of prosperity to those communities. Direct action by the Federal Government must involve appro- priation of hundreds of millions of dollars. These sums must be distributed among those states which are un- atile to finance public education. The need is imperative. It be- comes greater with every passing day. As far back as January, 1933, it was revealed by the U. S. Office of Education’s National School Sur- vey that 9,500,000 American school children were without adequate educational facilities. Hundreds of thousands of this number have since been deprived of all or nearly all school facilities, The old bugaboo that federal aid means federal control is just that—a bugaboo. This aid can be given on a strict- ly objective basis, determined by tthe financial status of the local community and the state of which it is a part, and by the needs of that community. To raise the question of federal control at this time is to raise a question entirely academic. Federal aid to our schools will mean no larger measure of federal control than we have already. It does not and it will not mean that the Federal Government de- termine who will teach what. The Federal Government, in the making of these school appropria- tions, can set forth for all the states in the union desirable taxa- tion plans, and recommend their adoption. Such plans are in_ existence, ready at a day’s notice. The Office of Education provided the basis of them in the National Survey of School Finance, published last January. It is likely that out of the large and immediate grants of federal money for local schools there could come within a year vast improve- ments in state systems of taxation —improvements which otherwise would be delayed for a generation or longer. The giving of federal aid will raise this issue and it can decide it, to the great advantage of the farmers and small property owners in the various states; for such tax reform means far less dependence upon the property tax and much greater emphasis on the income tax. But the main point is not to argue either federal control, of which there will be no more than we have now, or systems of taxa- tion. The immediate aim is to remove those great barren areas where edu- cational privileges are entirely lack- ing or are being increasingly curtailed, —Extracts, Congressional Digest. Cooperation Builds a College Ross Stagner The unique problems facing col- lege teachers and students as a re- sult of the collapse of our eco- nomic system have called atten- tion more and more to the death of competition and the birth of an era of cooperation. In the rad- ical movement, where cooperative thinking was much farther along than in academic circles, cooper- 25 ative colleges have been attempted for years. I do not believe that strictly academic education has witnessed many experiments in cooperative colleges, and for that reason I think that members of the American Federation of Teachers will be interested in the People’s Junior College, where the ideal of our union, “Democracy in Educa- tion,” comes very near to being carried out. In 1933 the city of Chicago closed Crane Junior College, which has accommodated thousands of young people who wanted the first two years of college at minimum cost. This “economy” move ren- dered unemployed many college instructors, and left a large num- ber of students stranded with no chance to get a higher education. Private educational institutions could not help these students. Most of them could only afford a fraction of the fees charged even at well-endowed colleges. The situation called for coop- eration between teachers who were equipped to form a college, stu- dents who wanted to go to one, and some group which could fur- nish buildings and equipment, at least the minimum essentials. The Jewish People’s Institute of Chicago, a social and educational center on Chicago’s west side, solved the most difficult problem by permitting the use of its modern plant at 3500 Douglas Blvd. This included rooms well- adapted for classroom teaching, some laboratory material, and the general equipment of the Institute, library, gymnasium, lounge, etc. A group of about twelve col- lege instructors supplied the fac- ulty. They came together on the agreement that all would share alike in work and in the financial rewards (such as they were!) of the venture. The faculty was given practically free rein by the Edu- cational Board of the Institute, so that college matters are settled by discussion and democratic vote at faculty meetings. As a result, re- markable harmony prevails. Since all have equal work and equal privileges, little friction develops. About four hundred high school graduates and former junior col- lege students supplied the student body. Evening classes were cre- ated for those who found it neces- (Turn to page 30) ae ego yr. ee BOOKS “There is no frigate like a book To bear us lands away.” —Emily Dickinson. Wesster’s New INTERNATIONAL Dic- TIONARY, Second Edition, 1935, Unabridged, 3,350 pp. Cloth binding, $20; also terms; G. & C. Merriam Co., Springfield, Mass. Reviewed by Michael B. Scheler. “The most notable publishing event of the century,” say the publishers about this new edition of Webster's International Dictionary, and truly it is! Since 1907, 207 special editors, outstanding authorities in their re- spective fields of endeavor, have been at work, gathering new words and citations until the stupendous number of 1,665,000 have been reached. With that number as a basis they sat down to the task of putting the Dictionary in final shape, and the result is a work that constitutes “the greatest single volume ever published.” The second edition of Webster's is an entirely new book. Sixty per cent of its listings are either entirely new or completely revised. Almost all the new words of the English language, reflecting the momentous changes that have taken place in the world since the World War, in government, geography, science, social philosophy, etc., are included and clearly and accurately defined. The New Webster's contains more than 600,000 entries, consisting of the following classes: 552,000 vocabu- lary entries, 5,000 abbreviations listed in a special table which includes the entire nomenclature of the N.R.A.; more than 35,000 geographical terms, with population figures drawn from the latest census statistics for each country; and 13,000 biographical en- tries. The New Webster's offers 122,000 more words than any other dictionary. When the mass of data was accu- mulated, the editors divided their ma- terial into several dozen subdivisions and sent them to experts for defini- tion and synonymous terms. Thus medical words went to medical au- thorities, aeronautic terms to out- standing personalities in the field of aviation, scientific terms were distri- buted to the leading men and women of the various sciences, and so forth, with the result that the Webster's New International Dictionary em- bodies in one really over a dozen dic- tionaries, medical, technical, business, etc. In addition to the hundreds of thousands of word definitions, there are in the New Webster’s hundreds of charts, tables, and articles which are encyclopedic in scope. There are listed in convenient tables the nomen- clatures of nearly all sciences. Un- der the word planet the reader will find the listing and description of the major planets; under element a full list of the known elements with con- cise descriptions ; under color is given a picturesque chart indicating all colors and their variations; under coin the reader will find the most exhaustive list of the coins of the world with their equivalent value in American money, and so on. One hundred and fourteen out- standing public speakers, teachers of speech, linguistic scientists, have “fur- nished invaluable information about their own pronunciations,” under the supervision of Paul W. Carhart and John S. Kenyon, author of American Pronunciation, an outstanding, au- thoritative work on the subject. Professors John Livingston Lowes and George Lyman Kittredge, both of Harvard, were in charge of the compilation of synonyms and anto- nyms, of which there are hundreds of tables. More than 12,000 terms are accom- panied by clear illustrations. There are numerous full-page and many- colored plates of the flags of all na- tions, birds, butterflies, coins, gems, insects, wild flowers, and others. An invaluable aid to the student and teacher is formed by the tabula- tion of hundreds of groups of words compounded by various prefixes and suffixes. a While the Webster's New Interna- tional Dictionary is far from being all- inclusive of all the words employed in the English-speaking world (I failed to find these words taken from one issue of the New York Times in December, 1934; aetiological, jumbo- ism, phonogenic, and regisseur), and while a few errors have crept in here and there (semi-weekly is inserted under biweekly thus giving the reader the impression that they are inter- changeable), it is, nevertheless, “the most notable event of the century” and no library, public or private, is complete without it. Never despair, but if you do, work in despair. —Edmund Burke. THE AMERICAN TEACHER Tue Story or Tue Paris Pact. Arthur Charles Watkins. Na- tional Student Forum on the Paris Pact. 532 Seventeerith St., N. W., Washington, D. C. 160 pp. Cloth-covered 75 cents; pa- per-covered 15 cents, in quanti- ties 10 cents. THe Story OF THE Paris PACT, re- vised and brought up to October, 1934, describing the first five years of the application of this world agree- ment, has been prepared for the use of “students of the higher citizen- ship” in all kinds of schools and in study groups everywhere, but partic- ularly for the use of students in those schools that are participating in the program of the National Student Forum on the Paris Pact. In the five years, 1929-34, approxi- mately one million students in eight thousand different high schools in the United States and its Territories and Dependencies are recorded as having studied the Paris Pact. The revision at the close of 1934 and the publica- tion at a nominal price of the one available book on this subject make it possible for all students of inter- national relations to have access to the essential facts. The whole story is told simply but attractively in a style that appeals to all ages and classes of students. The general reader, likewise, will find himself in- trigued by the appealing philosophy of this remarkable book. The book is highly commended by leading edu- cators and experts in the Peace Movement. O. Myxrtnc Menus, Department of Sociology and Teacher Training, State Teachers College, Maryville, Mo., says: Excellent for the high-school student as it contains the material we need to supplement our regular textbooks. It ought to find a place in every high school in our land. Tue New Democracy. Harold I.. Ickes. New York. W. W. Nor- ton and Company. $1.50. 156 pp. Reviewed by F. Melvyn Lawson. The spirit of the exploiting con- queror has been bred into the flesh and fiber of the American people by their struggle for existence on a virgin continent. Once successful in that struggle, they turned to exploiting human beings. Failing to bend the spirit of the Indians to their will, they used the Negroes and poor im- migrants in abundance, and made little distinction between men, women, and children. Coincidental with hu- man exploitation went the ravaging of the nation’s natural resources. Forests, soil, wild game, natural gas, oil, and similar forms of natural wealth were wasted with wanton —_— Marcu-Aprit, 1935. abandon, all to the tune of a “rugged individualism” which resulted in a game of “Dog eat dog.” The inevit- able consequence of it all was an un- wieldy industrial Goliath brought to its knees by its own stupidity and faced with the necessity of throwing itself wholly on the mercy of the government at Washington. In this fashion does Secretary Ickes open his attack on the old order, and proceed to defend the new. In perhaps the choicest words yet arranged in sen- tence form since the depression be- gan, he defines and flays the “rugged individualist.” His denunciation of the “liberty leaguers” and the “great constitutional lawyers” is a classic that should be preserved for future generations who will undoubtedly have to face the same kind of ob- structionists to true group liberty. Contending that the New Democ- racy is the application of “the great- est good to the greatest number,” Mr. Ickes discusses the minimum “good” which the government might set out to accomplish for all of its citizens. Its activities should include a three-fold program. First it should protect “life” by safeguarding health and giving assurance of food and shelter to everyone. Second, it should guarantee “liberty” by pro- tecting the majority from the inter- pretation given that word by either the die-hard reactionary or the be- whiskered anarchist; and third, it should promote the “pursuit of hap- piness” by developing an education for children and adults that is adapted to a changing society. As Secretary of the Interior and Public Works Administrator, Mr. Ickes has had ample opportunity to view the Roosevelt policies on the firing line. His picture of the P.W.A., N.R.A., A.A.A., T.V.A., and other widely current alphabetical combina- tions in action is an alluring one, and it would be more so were it not for the fact that many of his readers are too close at grips with the situation he discusses to be economically and socially revived by mere well phrased verbalizations. Granted that the ad- ministration program is tremendous in size, content, and idealism, still Mr. Ickes often has a tendency to overstate its actual achievements. The book is short, readable, and extremely frank. One cannot but agree that its author has the right idea even though he may disagree on the question of how to put the idea into practice. The seven cryptic chapters may constitute a cleverly fashioned piece of administration propaganda, but even so, their ob- vious political utility cannot be used to detract from their essence of truthfulness. REDIRECTING EpucaTion. Vov. I, Tue Unitep States. Rexford G. Tugwell and Leon H. Keyser- ling, editors. Columbia University Press, N. Y. 273 pp. $3.00. Re- viewed by H. L. Latham. The writers in this volume are as follows: Rexford G. Tugwell on Social Objectives in Education; Leon H. Keyserling on Social Objectives in the American College; Thomas J. Blaisdell, Jr., on Economics in the College; Charles Woolsey Cole on History in the College, and Joseph McGoldrick on Political Science in the College. These topics form a part of a course at Columbia Uni- versity conducted by a group of lec- turers who seek to explore the count- less interrelations of education to the several spheres of human thought and experience. Here we reach bed-rock in the analysis of social conditions, world progress, and educational develop- ment. Instead of the strained-out thoughts of a writer of educational textbooks the authors have given to us their actual findings, the ore from the vein. At every point where you begin to read you feel the need of continuing to the end of the story. There is positively nothing radical or revolutionary in the trend of these discussions. The conclusions seem as inevitable as the gliding of ship into the waters at the time of launching. One feels like saying, “If you want to know just how to readjust your educational policy, read this book.” The authors know the facts, face the facts, and tell us plainly what the facts mean. The discussions are frank and forceful and may well serve as a measure of intelligence for those who actually read the book or who are able merely to turn its leaves. A Socrat Basts or EpucatIon. Harold S. Tuttle. Thomas Y. Crowell Co. $3.00. Reviewed by Mark Starr. In this most recent volume of the Crowell Social Science Series, Dr. Tuttle makes the necessary point that education cannot be concerned exclusively with the psychology of the individual child, his complexes, and his particular I. Q. More importantly, educa- tion must consider its aim in rela- tion to society. His main thesis is that “education can serve its so- cial purpose only by consciously’ cultivating social interests and mo- tives.” To most of the readers of the AMERICAN TEACHER such an assertion will seem like knocking at an open door, yet doubtless they will benefit from the arguments 27 and reasoning learnedly compiled with a superabundance of refer- ences. The teacher must be the so- cial engineer to use the school as the agency to rescue society from its present deadlock. The aim of education, Dr. Tuttle claims, should be “progress toward a truer de- mocracy, a finer culture, and a richer civilization.” And naturally this carries with it the removal of inter-racial prejudice. “A com- mon language is needed, if com- plete understanding is to be achieved among nations of the world. Without doubt it would do much to diminish the misunderstandings and suspicions growing out of ignorance as to the ideas and sentiments of other peo- ples.” (Strangely enough Dr. Tuttle seems unaware of the use already made of the international auxiliary language Esperanto in this connection. ) Amid a wide variety of sugges- tions on the before mentioned aim, the author insists that security of tenure is indispensable to obtain teacher efficiency, although there is no direct advice how to gain the strength of organization without which tenure cannot be assured. This is probably due to Dr. Tuttle’s academic attempt to be above the battle. He would have the work- ers insist on “economic justice” rather than develop “class con- sciousness” (that is his inference on p. 309); he things the good school can remake the bad a —a utopian idea. It is throug class consciousness and struggle (including the struggle over the control and aims of the school) that the great majority of the peo- ple will be able to destroy what is ‘bad in education and build up a real community consciousness and an education devoted to the high aims stated in this book. Tue PsycHo.tocy or CHILDHOOD. Norsworthy and Whitley. Mac- millan. N. Y., 1933. 479 pp. Bibliography. $1.80. First published in 1918, this well- known and able study has been re- vised and brought completely up to date. A good text, as well as a handy book for any teacher to use as a reference. Contains an excel- lent bibliography. et erent ay ———e Sn >. ee sy News from the Field New Locals The American Federation of Teach- ers welcomes into membership and its crusade for school protection and social betterment 19 new locals since the last previous issue of the AMERICAN TEACHER. Teachers Union of San Diego and Imperial Counties, Cal., Local 370. Ransom County, N. Dak., Federation of Teachers, Local 371. Barnes County, N. Dak., Federation of Teachers, Local 372. Oklahoma City Federation of Teach- ers, Local 373. Bismarck, N. Dak., Federation of Teachers, Local 374. Miami University, Ohio, Federation of Teachers, Local 375. Cabell County, W. Va., Federation of Teachers, Local 376. . Buffalo Teachers Union, Local 377. Granite, Utah, Federation of Teach- ers, Local 378. Oshkosh, Wis., Teachers Federation, Local 379. Highland Park, Michigan, Classroom Teachers Association, Local 380. Duluth Federation of Teachers, Lo- cal 381. Wood County, W. Va., Federation of Teachers, Local 382. Harrison County, W. Va., Federa- tion of Teachers, Local 383. Monongalia County, W. Va., Chapter. Local 384. Marion County, W. Va., Federation of Teachers, Local 385. Midwest, Wyo., Teachers Union, Lo- cal 386. Lone Star, Tex., Local 387. Sioux Falls, S. D., Federation of Teachers, Local 388. State Federations State Federations of Teachers, com- posed of A. F. T. locals, are now formed in California, Wisconsin, Ohio, Illinois, Arkansas, Utah, Michigan, and North Dakota. Their program is legislative ac- tion and organization promotion. Pennsylvania has formed a Joint Leg- islative Board, which, it is planned, will develop later into a State Federation. Madison Local 35 In reviewing the work of the Madison Federation of Teachers the following accomplishments are outstanding : (1) We were instrumental in having our salary cuts proportioned so that those in the lowest brackets are cut least. (2) We have affiliated with the Wis- consin Federation of Teachers. (3) Members of our local were leaders in the formation of a Council of City Employes. This body did splendid work in presenting to the pub- lic the case of the city workers and se- cured Dr. Arnold Zander, secretary of the state federations of both teachers and state employes, as its paid repre- sentative, an office which he fills in such a way as to command the respect of all. (4) Asa result of the fine work of the federation in behalf of salary res- toration the best of feelings and splen- did cooperation have been manifested by the general association of all teachers. Miss Yeager came before the Teach- ers’ Council at Supt. Bardwell’s sugges- tion to explain the research work of the Central Council of City Employes. She reported that Dr. Arnold Zander is ad- visor to this group, the last move of which was to present to the City Coun- cil a budget for 1935 which would in- clude the restoration of salary waivers. She further reported that funds are needed for the research being done, that the individual contributions are not com- ing in rapidly enough to be a fair rep- resentation from the teachers, and that it might be the wish of the Council to add a subscription to the amount already collected from individual teachers. The Public Accountant who has been working on the books at the City Hall is paid at the rate of $25.00 a day and his as- sistant $10.00 a day. The Council appropriated $100.00 from its treasury for the furtherance of the Central Council work. Council mem- bers were asked to take word back to their schools to aid in getting the dol- lar contribution from each teacher for the work of the Central Employes Council. Our efforts have so far borne little fruit as teachers have had only 44% salary restoration, thus bringing them up to the cut given all other employes. Needless to say our efforts will continue. The officers elected at the December meeting fer the ensuing year are: President, Miss S. Amelia Yeager; Vice President, Miss Harriet Kuhns; Secre- tary-Treasurer, Mr. Benjamin Ashman; Delegates to Federation of Labor, Mr. Richard Butler, Miss Josephine Brabant ; Alternate Delegates, Mr. Leo Schleck, Miss Ruth Bartholomew. Heten FE. Davis Atlanta Local 89 Letter from Supt. Sutton Enclosed you will find a clipping from one of our local newspapers giving the story of the “bonus” given by the Board of Education to the employees of the Atlanta Public Schools. While our em- ployees suffered a reduction in salary this year, the school administration and the Board of Education have worked with unceasing zeal to try to make it possible to restore a part of the cut which they had to take. It was a pleas- ure for the superintendent to be able to announce that there were thirteen months in the year 1934 and that the thirteenth check for a half month’s pay would be paid on the basic salary schedule. I am happy to state that. the program has been kept intact and that we have eliminated none of the services rendered to the children and adults of our city. Cordially yours, Wius A. Sutron, Superintendent of Schools. THE AMERICAN TEACHER Teachers Get Bonus of Half Month Pay Atlanta school teachers received good news when it was announced that a bal- ance of $134,877.29 due for 1934 will be distributed among the teachers, each to receive a bonus of a half-month’s pay. Dr. Willis A. Sutton said the surplus was accumulated because of the eco- nomical operation of the schools under the direction of Thomas W. Clift, busi- ness manager. Dr. Sutton said in view of the fact that school teachers had received more cuts in salaries than other city employes he felt that the distribution of this money in the form of bonuses was the proper procedure. Each teacher will receive one-half a month of the basic salary scale. This means that the bonus will be given on the basic rate scale and not on the re- duced rate scale. (Atlanta Georgian) Jan. 2, 1935 Fulton County, Ge. Local 183 At the fall meeting of the Fulton County Teachers’ Association the fol- lowing officers were elected: R. L. Ramsey, president; Mrs. C. C. Julian, vice-president; Miss Sallie Shannon, secretary; Miss Sara Swanson, treas- urer; and representatives to the meet- ings of the Federation of Trades, Charles W. O’Rear, Mrs. R. D. Oster- hout, Miss Caroline Jeter, J. W. Rogers, and B. D. Purcell. In December, committees were ap- pointed by Mr. Ramsey and announced at the regular Directors’ Meeting. The chairmen of these committees are Miss Lydia Guice, membership; Miss Mar- garet Wallace, educational; H. R. Adams, teachers’ interests; Miss Marie Long, publicity; Miss Mary Brooks, social; R. H. Lamkin, grievances; Mrs. Tom Lewis, amendments; Miss Mattie Michael, nominating committee; Mrs. R. A. Aderhold, floral; Mrs. R. D. Oster- hout, legislative; C. W. O’Rear, labor; and G. N. Coleman, citizenship. Twenty-nine schools were reported to have reached 100 per cent membership in the association by December. Definite steps are being taken to have a teacher tenure bill brought before the next meeting of the state legislature. Mrs. R. D. Osterhout is chairman of the legislative committee. The association feels very fortunate in having its president, R. L. Ramsey, recently elected to the state legislature. Marte Lone. Philadelphia Local 192 In continuing our salary restoration campaign, we plan the following steps— first, to try to secure the immediate re- peal of the Wilson Act (which empow- ered the Board to cut salaries in the first place) ; second, to prevent the pass- age of any similar bill. Our entire legislative program for this year embraces, however, much more. It includes the passage of a Tenure Law, a Milk Bill (to provide for the dis- tribution of free milk to needy chil- dren), support of the proposed state income tax for school purposes, and firm opposition to any sales tax movements. «~~ MarcuH-Aprit, 1935. To these ends, a Legislative Action Committee has been formed. The ac- tivity of this committee is divided among four groups—a Citizens’ Committee, a Teachers’ Committee, a Labor Commit- tee, and a Legislative Committee. The response for workers on these commit- tees has been most gratifying. Their main task will be to enlist the support of the various groups mentioned above, to stimulate general public opinion in our favor, and to secure strong mass backing for our program. Another project we are undertaking will, we are sure, bring forth some very interesting results. We have begun an investigation of school conditions throughout the country to determine to what extent the 20-point program of the Chamber of Commerce has been real- ized. Results will be published when the survey is completed. Bloomington, IIL, Local 276 The Bloomington Federation of Teach- ers has increased in membership until it now has enrolled all teachers in the system except two. A better and closer feeling between all teachers has already developed. Meetings are held monthly, at which the attendance and interest are good. Milwaukee Local 252 At a recent meeting of the instruc- tions committee of the Milwaukee Board of Education, Director William Buechm, Socialist member of the board, pre- sented a resolution which sought to sub- stitute live teaching of social science in the public schools for the static sys- tem now in vogue. Speakers for the resolution in addi- tion to Mr. Buechm were, Mr. T. F. Friedrick of the Federated Trades Coun- cil, Mr. W. W. Lindeman of the Elec- trical Workers Union, Mr. James L. Fitzpatrick of the Teachers Union, and others. The speakers emphasized the facts that our present social science courses are limited in scope and formal in character. That they present only one side of the question, the desirability of the status quo, and that such courses, in order to be of educational value, must present all sides of all questions whether of a controversial nature or not. The committee referred the resolution to Mr. Potter, Superintendent of Schools. The coming school board election is of special interest locally at this time. The present board is composed of eight Non-Partisans (?) and seven Socialists. Five members are to be elected, the terms of three Non-Partisans and two Socialists expiring this spring. Most of the so-called Non-Partisans are parti- sans of the special privilege, anti-social groups. The Socialists have been in the minority so far because of the op- position of the Hearst and other dailies of like nature. Local teacher organizations are barred from taking an active part in school board elections. The Federated Trades Council, of which this Union is a mem- ber, is very much interested in secur- ing a more liberal school board. While it is the policy of organized labor not to recommend any political candidate, this does not prevent the local organiza- tions from sending out questionnaires, nor the individual members from taking an active part in campaigns. The League of Women Voters is also sponsoring a questionnaire to be sent to each school board candidate and will have the re- plies published. A “teachers oath bill,” sponsored by Hearst and similar to the New York bill, is up for consideration before the state legislature at Madison. Members of the Madison local, representatives of the State Federation, and representatives from nearby locals lodged vehement pro- tests against the bill before the hearing committee. The committee sent the bill to the house with an adverse report. SEVERIN SWENSEN. New Rochelle, N. Y., Local 280 The New Rochelle Federation of Teachers, Local 280, invited Dr. Abra- ham Lefkowitz, Chairman of the Legis- lative Committee of the New York City’s Teachers Union to speak on the Legis- lative Outlook for Public Education in 1935 on January 17th. The meeting was well attended by teachers and citizens interested in education from all of West- chester County. Dr. Lefkowitz stressed the vicious- ness of the new certification regulations for teachers in New York State and pointed out they were a direct attack upon tenure although the State Depart- ment of Education has never conceded this point. At the time of this meeting Dr. Lef- kowitz had proposed a bill to protect the teachers of New York City from the infringement upon their rights and advocated that the teachers of the state propose a similar bill to protect them- selves. As an outcome of the aforementioned meeting, on January 24th the Yonkers Teachers’ Association of Westchester County invited Assistant Commissioner of Education Mr. Cooper to speak to the teachers of the County on these new certification rulings. At the meeting Mr. Cooper was asked many questions of a very pertinent nature. He did not con- vince the group of the purity and vir- tuousness of the work of the State De- partment of Education at Albany. On Wednesday, January 30th, the New York Sun published a news article announcing the proposal of two bills by Dr. Lefkowitz to protect teachers ten- ure in smaller cities of the State frou attempts by the State Department of Education, through certification pro- posals, to interfere with their tenure. These bills were backed by the Joint Committee of Teachers’ Organizations of New York City and sponsored by our Federation, No. 280, the Teachers’ Welfare League, and other organiza- tions throughout the State. State Teachers College, Valley City, N. D., Local 281 On January 12, the secretary of Lo- cal 281 attended the meeting of the Barnes County teachers which resulted in the formation of the Barnes County 29 Federation of Teachers, Local 372. Mr. W. B. Satterthwaite was in charge of the meeting. On the evening of the same day Mr. and Mrs. Satterthwaite were the guests of V. C. S. T. C., Local 281, at an in- formal dinner. Mr. Satterthwaite spoke on the development of the union move- ment among teachers in North Dakota and expressed the expectation that very soon there would be a call of the locals in North Dakota to meet and form a State Federation. (Since accomplished.) Mr. Satterthwaite is doing an excel- lent piece of work and I hope that he will not have to leave the state until all possibilities at the present time have been canvassed. We are growing! James H. Seymour, President. Wisconsin Legislative Program The Wisconsin Federation of Teachers is sponsoring several im- portant educational measures in the Wisconsin legislature. Efforts are being made to pass a bill introduced by Professor Harold Groves, Madison senator and progressive leader, protecting teachers in their right to join any teachers’ organization of their own choosing and their right to hold any economic, social, or political opinions. This bill was discussed before the senate committee on education, but at this writing the action of the committee is not known, Several organizations, in- cluding the Wisconsin Federation of Teachers and the Wisconsin State Federation of Labor, ap- peared for the bill. There was no public opposition on the part of any individuals or organizations. While this bill is not as general in its scope as a tenure bill, it is a beginning and guarantees to teach- ers specific rights, which at present frequently cause them the loss of their positions or other penalties. A second bill which is of major importance requires the retirement of all teachers and administrators in the state educational system outside of the State Teachers’ Col- leges and the University of Wis- consin, after the school year in which they become sixty-five years . of age. There is some opposition to this bill on the part of those whom the bill affects. It is be- lieved by the State Federation that the bill is as fair to these people as any retirement bill could be, be- cause it does not take effect until July 1, 1937. Its application is e.g ee ee ee ad i : } - $ a ; 30 also restricted to those teachers who are under some pension sys- tem. Wisconsin school attendance laws now require all young people up to the age of sixteen to attend school full time. Those sixteen and seventeen years old must attend at least one day each week. The Fed- eration of Teachers has introduced a bill requiring this group to attend school full time until eighteen, un- less employed. Among other things, we feel that this bill, if passed, will reduce juvenile delinquency. Cotin G. WELLEs. Cooperation Builds a College (Continued from page 25) sary to work by day. The fees charged were only fifty dollars for a full semester program, and pro- portionately less for evening stu- dents who necessarily carried re- duced schedules. The creation of the P. J. C. opportunity. The college has been very successful. Its enrollment held up this year in the face of hastily reopened city junior col- leges, and as it enters its fourth semester an increase seems in prospect. As has often been remarked of the capitalist system, we have enough of everything, only some people have too much and others don’t have enough. The disease of the economic system has also afflicted education. The depres- sion only underscored a problem which had been seen by many edu- cators already — that we have plenty of people trained and anx- ious to teach, plenty of students prepared and anxious to learn, but the difficulty is that they aren’t brought together. The answer both to capitalism and to a confused educational system is cooperation. We hope that the cooperative idea in education will spread rapidly and far, THE AMERICAN TEACHER PROCEEDINGS OF THE Eighteenth Annual Convention OF THE American Federation of Teachers Price 50 Cents NOW ON SALE AT THE made it possible for many stu- dents to carry on their education, when otherwise, as a result of a tax-saving board of education and high private school fees, they would have been deprived of this Self-reverence, self-control; these three alone lead life to sovereign power. —Alfred Tennyson. National Office Ameiien Federation of Teachers 506 South Wabash Avenue Chicago, Illinois self-knowledge, The Peace Cause Moves On (Continued from page 16) Another important factor in the onward march of peace is the militant stand that church leaders are taking in this matter. They are declaring that as Christians they will have no part in any program which violates the principles enunciated by the Prince of Peace. They affirm that war is murder on a colos- sal scale, and they refuse to be partners in any scheme that contemplates the wholesale destruction of human life. They are insisting on cooperation and good will instead of brutality and carnage in settling disputes that may arise among nations. A wholesome international attitude is developing among thinking men and women in every walk of life, for they realize that the world is so constituted today that no nation can live economically aloof from the rest of the world. We exchange products with every country. We are one big family; and any war between nations in one part of the world would affect every other nation, for no nation can live unto itself alone in our complex world. In this article we have tried to show that there are many encouraging signs for those who are trying to work for world peace and better international under- standing. The stakes are so great that we must ex- pend every effort to attain our goal. Let us take re- newed courage and push on with new enthusiasm, for the peace cause does move on! TO REMOVE WANT AND FEAR OF WANT While there is yet time, let us turn to Justice and obey her; let us trust Liberty and follow her. Then will dangers that now threaten disappear, forces that now menace turn to agencies of elevation. To remove want and the fear of want, to give to all classes leisure, and comfort, and the decencies and refinements of life, would be like turning water into a desert—Henry George. A. F. of T. BADGES AS PIN or BUTTON Pins with a safety catch or buttons for coat lapels of Rolled Gold, either red or green gold, like the above cut in design and size, may be obtained at 50 cents each, $5.00 per dozen, or $38.00 per hundred. Enameled by request at slight extra cost. Order from AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS | 506 South Wabash Avenue Chicago, Illinois —_—_ ~~» 2 —eeo——_ 2s ~~ — _- ee ~~ ww Se ees w WS ee fee —$—— i ———— —_ eae ~ MarcuH-Aprit, 1935. They Write— I have enjoyed THE AMERICAN TEACH- er the past year very much, and espe- cially the January-February, 1935, issue with your Pittsburgh speech and some - other strong features. Grant E. Fursusu. Syracuse, New York, January 23, 1935. You will be interested in knowing that at the recent election of our Trades and Labor Assembly I was elected Vice President, which gives me the Chair- manship of our legislative Committee. Mr. H. Storlie, also of our Teachers Union, was elected to the Board of Directors. We are very much pleased to have Mr. Satterthwaite in the state. He is doing splendid service for education. I understand that the legislators have great respect for him. It is marvelous to me the command that he has of figures on taxation and school opera- tions as a whole. I cannot imagine a better type of man for Organizer than he is. We are very busy this winter in aid- ing and securing legislation for labor as well as a tenure law for teachers in this state. Hersert C. Hanson, Secretary-Treasurer, N. Dak. State College, Local 265. January 22, 1935. I believe all members of the Minne- apolis Federation of Teachers agree that the AMERICAN TEACHER is a very fine magazine. However, the January-Febru- ary number is exceptional, and I wish to congratulate you on this splendid issue. As I read the various articles I wished that this number could reach every teacher in the United States. It would help to educate and enlighten and give many courage to face some of the difficult problems which confront us. GRETCHEN STEINHAUSER. 25 Years ii Send in your broken parts, or write, telling your troubles Most Complete Stock of Replacement Parts in U. S. PHONOGRAPH REPAIR SHOP We Repair All Makes 315 So. Wabash Avenue CHICAGO, ILL. PARTS Ail mane Teachers Buy $1.25 Chiffon __._ $2.50 pure silk French Hose at 71c - Slips | at $1.50. Wholesale prices. Save 40% by making group irect from the an Ba wom We ship on approval. Pay for goods in 5 days. Write descriptive circular. — the way of other teachers are doi SAMUEL A. ROTH & CO. 330 W. Superior Cleveland, Ohio On the Strike Issue At the Delegate Assembly Meet- ing of the New York Teachers Union Local 5 on January 9, 1935 the following resolution was ap- proved: Resolved, That the Teachers Union, Local 5 of the A. F. of T., does not subscribe to the position taken in an editorial on Teachers’ Strikes appearing in the November issue of the AMERICAN TEACHER toward teachers who are driven to strike by non-payment of salaries or other intolerable conditions. We rather express our solidarity with such cour- ageous teachers and offer them our moral and financial support. Be it further resolved, That this be forwarded to the AMERICAN TEACHER with a request that it be published in the next issue as the opinion of Local 5. And be it further resolved, That a member of the Union staff be instructed to write an article along the line of this resolution, for publication in the Union TEACHER, and in the AMERICAN TEACHER if possible. The Delegate Assembly of Local § has adopted the accompanying resolu- tion, one condition of which is that soine member of the staff is “instructed to write an article along the line of the resolution.” Since the writer is the only member of the “Union Staff” who is supposed to have the time to under- take such a task, the selection of a writer becomes automatic. However, it may be thought that there is no point in attempting to write an article “along the line” of a resolution, especially when failure to do so may consist in the fol- lowing of some other than a precon- ceived “correct” line. Thus, the writer may be running as much risk as did the Editor of THe AMERICAN TEACHER when she published the editorial on Teachers’ Strikes. Frankly, I see nothing to discuss in the editorial except what may be inter- preted as too great anxiety concerning the charge continually being made by our opponents that unionism means strikes. I think we may protest too much against being attacked as poten- tial strikers. Certainly, there is no rea- son for our giving the impression that we feel apologetic to unfriendly critics because the strike is used as an instru- ment in labor’s fight for the right to bargain collectively. While we are re- alistic in recognizing the fact that a strike by teachers under existing social conditions would almost surely prove disastrous, nevertheless, we should not yield this potential weapon simply be- cause our opponents hold that we have it concealed about our persons. On the point of whether organized teachers are unsympathetic toward un- organized, striking teachers, as implied in the resolution, I must regard the language of the resolution as based on inference, rather than on evidence. The American Federation of Teachers is do- ing its best to organize all teachers of whatever economic status. Henry R. Linvite, President, Local 5. 31 Who’s Who In This Issue R. J. Ahlstrom, instructor social science department, Edison High School, Minneapolis; president, Minneapolis Local 238; vice-presi- dent A. F. of T. Dr. John Dewey, professor emeritus, department of philoso- phy, Columbia University; distin- guished educator and author. Dr. Mordecai Ezekiel, Economic Advisor, Office of the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture. H. L. Latham, director, Char- acter Research Service; editor, Character Education Inst.; author and teacher. F, Melvyn Lawson, Sacramento Local 31, instructor in the Social Studies, Senior High School, Sacramento, California. Abraham Lefkowitz, legislative representative New York Local 5; vice president A. F. T.; author and lecturer. Dr, Henry R. Linville, president New York Local 5; past president A. F. T.; chairman A. F. T. Com- mittee on Academic Freedom, O. Myking Mehus, professor of sociology, Northwest Missouri State Teachers College. Clyde R. Miller, director Bureau of Educational Service, Teachers’ College, Columbia University; treasurer, Progressive Education Association; author and lecturer. Aileen W. Robinson, teacher Eaglebrook School, Deerfield, Mass. Michael B. Scheler, free lance writer whose work appears in many periodicals. Ross Stagner, instructor, de- partment of psychology, Univer- sity of Wisconsin, Mark Starr, instructor in Brook- wood Labor College, organizer and lecturer for the National Council of Labor College of England from 1921 to 1928, and three times a candidate for Parliament on the British Labor Party ticket; author of a num- ber of books among which are “Trade Unionism, Past and Future,” “Lies and Hate in Edu- cation,” and “A Worker Looks at Economics.” —— | i ; The Modern THINKER Edited by Dagobert D. Runes, Ph. D. A Truly International Magazine .... For the intelligent reader keenly interested in the affairs of the world—affairs that embrace politics, literature, philosophy, sociology, art, science—there is a magazine which will keep him informed with the most eminent thought of the present day. That magazine is THe Mopern TuiInkKer. This publication is international. Its viewpoint is unbiased and cosmopolitan. It has one interest: to present the finest writing by the finest minds. Thus you can find, side by side in THe Mopern THINKER, an iconoclastic essay on the ruthlessness of nature by Llewellyn Powys; a deprecation of the theology of present-day physicists by Professor Max Schoen; George Bernard Shaw on the problem of sterilization; Arnold Zweig on half-Jews and their worries in the modern world. In current issues you will find also such articles as What /s Behind Race The- ories, by Franz Boaz; The Soul of Modern Man, by Carl G. Jung. The scope of THe Mopern THINKER is vast. You will find it not only comprehensive, but intensely interesting as well. You can do no better than to subscribe to it now. There is a special subscription rate at present—$2 for one year. Simply enclose this sum (bills, check, or money order) and mail to THe Mopern Tuinxer, 310 Riverside Drive, New York. American Federation of Teachers 506 South Wabash Avenue CHICAGO, ILL. THE AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS desires to establish an intimate contact and an effective co-operation between the teachers and the other workers of the community. THE AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS desires to co-operate with all civic organizations for improved civic life. Groups of seven or more public school teachers are invited to affiliate with this National Organization of Classroom Teachers, for mutual assistance, improved professional standards, and the democratization of the schools. Our Slogan Is Democracy in Education Education for Democracy THE AMERICAN TEACHER published bi-monthly by The American Federation of Teachers. Membership dues carry subscription to the magazine. To all others the subscription price is $1.00-per year, 25 cents per copy. ——— TTT rr~ ——i am