VOL. IX, NO. 2 JANUARY, 1930 


BULLETIN 


OF THE 
Department of Elementary 
School Principals 


A Symposium on Character Education 
The Principal Views Character Education—Knox 
The Superintendent Views Character Education—Cody. 
The College Teacher Views Character Education—Rugh. 
The Philosopher Views Character Education—Neumann 

A Joint Program of Supervisory Study Among Principals and 
Supervisors—Morriss 

Health Education—Some Encouraging Features—Beveridge.. 

Some Uses of Elementary School Assemblies—Coffin 

The Extracurriculum Program in a Small Community— 
Greenawalt 

The Boy Scout Jamboree—White 

The Personality of the Teacher an Important Factor in 
Moral Education—Hazard 

The Elimination of Repeating—Dix 

More About Salaries and Supervision—Hubbard 

Enrolment News 

The Principal and Supervision 

The Atlantic City Meeting 











PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY THE 
DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 


of the National Education Association of the United States 
1201 SIXTEENTH STREET NORTHWEST, WASHINGTON, D. C. 


Entered as secondclass matter November 20, 1922, at the postoffice at 
Washington, D. C., under act of August 24, 1912. Acceptance for mailing 
at special rate of pemeee provided for in Section 1103, Act of October 3, 1917, 
authorized December 18, 1922. 








BULLETIN 
of the 
DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 
CASSIE F. ROYS, Editor, 2609 Bristol Street, Omaha, Nebraska 

Published quarterly in October, January, April, and July by the De- 
partment of Elementary School Principals of the National Education 
Association of the United States. 

The payment of $3 active membership dues entitles a member to 
attend all meetings of the Department, to hold office, and to receive 
the Bulletin quarterly. 

Two dollars of each membership fee is for a year’s subscription to the 
Bulletin. 

Subscription to nonmembers is $3 per year; single copies, 50 cents; 
Yearbook, $2. - 

Members are requested to report at once any change of address, giving 
old as well as new address. 


Entered as secondclass matter November 20, 1922, at the postoffice 
at Washington, D. C., under act of August 24, 1912. Acceptance for 
mailing at special rate of postage provided for in Section 1103, Act of 
October 3, 1917, authorized December 18, 1922. 


Executive and Editorial Offices, 1201 Sixteenth Street Northwest, 
Washington, D. C. 





OFFICERS OF THE DEPARTMENT 
1929-30 
President, HERBERT C. HANSEN 
315 Plymouth Court, Chicago, Illinois 


First Vicepresident, Miss EvA G. PINKSTON 
Sam Houston School, Dallas, Texas 


Second Vicepresident, JAMES R. FLoyD 
717 Garden Street, Plainfield, New Jersey 


Third Vicepresident, Mrs, GENEVIEVE STONE 
Whittier School, Minneapolis, Minnesota 


Fourth Vicepresident, N. H. Price 
Hemphill School, Birmingham, Alabama 


Fifth Vicepresident, Mrs. MARGARET N. SMITH 
Principal, Mitchell School 
32nd and Lafayette, Denver, Colorado 


Secretary, Miss Cassie F. Roys 
2609 Bristol Street, Omaha, Nebraska 


Executive Committee 
M. E. Pererson, Twentieth Street School, Los Angeles, California 
(Term Expires 1930) 
ELizABETH McCormick, Howe School, Superior, Wisconsin 
(Term Expires 1931) 
JoHNn MerriLL, 1526 Garland Avenue, Detroit, Michigan 
(Term Expires 1932) 
M. EMMA Brookes, Miles School, Cleveland, Ohio 
(Term Expires 1933) 


National Chairman, Enrolment Committee 
HERMAN Ritow, Fort Sheridan, Illinois 


























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25 eR 

















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BRC 


A SYMPOSIUM ON CHARACTER EDUCATION 


HARACTER education vitally concerns every elementary school 
principal. The public expects the schools to bear their share in im- 
proving the moral fiber of our youth. Our Department has been 
fortunate in obtaining the following articles on character education which 
have been prepared by persons who have devoted much study to this theme. 
No more stirring words could be used in introducing this symposium 
(pp. 67-77) than these lines by Oliver Wendell Holmes: 
Build thee more stately mansions, O my soul, 
As the swift seasons roll! 
Leave thy low-vaulted past! 
Let each new temple, nobler than the last, 
Shut thee from heaven with a dome more vast, 


Till thou at length art free, 
Leaving thine outgrown shell by life’s unresting sea! 


THE PRINCIPAL VIEWS CHARACTER EDUCATION 


MARGARET KNOX 
Principal of Public School 15, Manhattan, New York 


T A recent convention of the Department of Superintendence of the 
National Education Association, held in Boston in 1928, the keynote 
at all conferences was “‘ Character.” How shall we build fine character 
in the children of America? What methods of ethical or moral training are 
being used in the schools of the east and of the west? These were the ques- 
tions on the lips of the leaders of educational thought as each for his own 
community strove to find some rock upon which he could build a moral 
educational scheme for his own school, city, or state. 

At the close of this convention in Boston, another was held in New York 
under the auspices of the National Child Welfare Association and Teachers 
College, Columbia University. It was a national conference, and the theme 
that occupied the minds of the educators who attended it was “ Character 
Education in Schools.” 

Those who had arranged this conference were representative of the leading 
educational thinkers, not only of New York City but of the country; and 
it was significant of the deep interest that is being taken by educators all 
over the United States, that where there were expected not more than 
one hundred interested searchers for light upon this vital subject, there were 
at least one thousand who attended the opening meeting in the hall in 
Columbia University. The meetings throughout the days of the conference 
were well attended by eager searchers to find means for real help in char- 
acter training of our children. 

The subject was discussed from the physical, biological, psychological, and 
religious standpoints, and by those who deplored any possibility of training 
character by definite rules, as well as those who advocated a definite course 
of study with an allotted place in time schedule. 


[67] 








68 NATIONAL EpUCATION ASSOCIATION 





The men and women who attended this conference were evidently eager 
and sincere in their quest for a practical plan of character training for chil- 
dren that would be workable, and that would bring forth visible results in 
America. In the minds of many of our most advanced teachers, character 
training is included in our lessons in civics, history, biography, and literature, 
in fact in everything that is taught, and needs no further emphasis, but how 
many of us who are principals in these public schools of our own great City 
of New York are satisfied with the results of the civic and ethical training 
that our children are getting under these conditions ? 

How many of us are satisfied with the manners of our young people who 
ride with us day by day in public conveyances? Have you ever seen breaches 
of common politeness among the youth, such as: 

Young boys, keeping seats, apparently studying algebra, or Latin, or feigning 
sleep, while elderly women hang on to the straps? 

Young boys and girls rushing to take seats in a trolley car, while older women 
have to stand aside until the rush is over and find no seats after they enter the car? 

Have you ever listened, without straining your ears in the least, to a conversa- 
tion among girls, in which were discussed in no doubtful terms the merits or de- 
merits of their teachers, or of their boy friends; to a conversation among boys 
where the prevailing tone was that of vulgarity and profanity ? 

Have you ever seen intelligent, evidently cultured, educated folks dropping 
newspapers, candy wrappers, cigarette and cigar butts upon the floors of cars, 
elevators, platforms, and even down into the road bed of our subways where the 
life of the cleaner is in danger every moment as he wends his way in and out over 
electrified tracks? 

Have you walked through any of our city parks and seen the lawns, walks, and 
flowerbeds disfigured with all sorts of litter, and have you watched our people, 
young and old, as they thoughtlessly drop the disfiguring litter? 


Have you ever attempted to stem this tide of ill manners that confronts 
us every day, by a word of remonstrance or of advice and been met with 
this, ““ Aw, what’s it your business? ” 

Again I come to you with that same question that I have asked our prin- 
cipals over and over again. Is it not our business as teachers to devise ways 
and means by which good manners become habitual; by which children 
brought up in homes of culture and refinement are not ashamed to speak 
the English of their homes, or to practise the ordinary courtesies of a re- 
fined home lest “the fellows ” laugh at them; and by which children not 
fortunate enough to have homes of refinement and culture can be trained 
to know what is right and what is wrong? 

Is it not our business to train our children in the public schools in the 
way they should go and to lead them to think and to do “ whatsoever things 
are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, what- 
soever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely? ” 

I think your answer to my question is “ Yes, it is our business.” I think 
you will follow it by saying, “‘ But how can we do it? How can we accom- 
plish better results than up to this time are evidenced in the manners and 
mode of life of the children we have been training?” 





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ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 69 





Speaking from your own experience will you tell me which subject of 
the curriculum is most successfully taught in your own school? Is it pen- 
manship, or reading, or arithmetic? Is nature study a real live subject in 
your school? Are the children really interested in the birds and flowers, 
and trees; are they successful little gardeners? If we were to hold a round 
table conference upon this question, I know what the result would be. 
We would acknowledge that the subject receiving impetus from the prin- 
cipal, a hearty interest directing the teachers and stirring them to find the 
very best methods of presenting the daily lessons is always the successful, 
well-taught subject. 

The old pedagogical maxims, “ We learn to do by doing,” and “ No im- 
pression without expression,” are still true even in this modern world of 
new thought and new experiments in child training. The teacher does not 
know that the child has learned his lesson in geography or arithmetic or 
nature study until he tells her in his own words all that she has taught 
him, until the knowledge that he has acquired shows itself in habitual 
action in his everyday life. 

Are those of us who hold that the character training incidental to the sub- 
jects taught throughout our whole course of study is enough, satisfied with 
the results? The attendance at national conventions indicates the thought 
of today, the thought not only of educators but of the thinking public at 
large. All are in quest of a method for making children firm in their under- 
standing of good manners and right conduct. All are agreed that desultory, 
indefinite application of fine traits in the characters of our great heroes— 
Washington, Lincoln, Roosevelt, and Lindbergh—does not, cannot, result 
in inculcating the same fine characteristics in the children themselves, who 
stand afar off and follow the teacher’s command to admire and do likewise. 

Character training in school must therefore become a definite part of 
the curriculum, must have definite time assigned to it, must call for definite 
results. 

May I quote from an address made by F. G. Bonser, Professor of Edu- 


cation, Teachers College: 


As a curriculum problem character education is not primarily a matter of pro- 
viding words to be learned or providing for the enjoyment of thrills evoked by 
accounts of the rare and remote heroes who here and there illuminate the pages of 
history and literature. These have their place but relatively it is not the major 
place. The primary problem is in providing for experiences through which charac- 
ter traits may grow. Character is a development, not a reward or an adornment. 
It is an integration of habits, attitudes, ideals, and knowledge, operating together 
in determining the conduct of daily life. If one’s conduct is wholesome, if his 
character is good, this means that hundreds of activities of his daily life are the 
expression of good habits, good attitudes, and fine ideals, together with good think- 
ing where selections among optional courses of action have to be made. 

Only as the curriculum provides rich and varied experiences, real and personal 
to the learners, in activities that force questions of personal relationships and re- 
sponsibilities upon the learner as elements contributing to their success or failure, 
does the school provide much opportunity for helps in developing right habits, 
attitudes, and ideals. 








70 NATIONAL EpUCATION ASSOCIATION 


‘ 


There must also be “ provision for cultivating the habit of thinking 
through to a satisfactory conclusion any question offering optional courses 
of conduct.” 

The committee appointed by the Board of Superintendents to prepare a 
course of study in character training has presented a course arranged in 
accordance with Dr. Bonser’s suggestions. It provides for daily lessons in 
good manners and right conduct, providing for the teachers definite moral 
topics upon which to base their lesson plans and suggestions for engaging 
the children in activities which will give them the personal experiences 
necessary for impressing the lessons to be learned, and also the opportunities 
for proving to their teachers that they understand what is right conduct 
under given conditions. 


THE NINTH YEARBOOK | 


HE title for the 1930 Yearbook is ‘Good Administration 

Precedes Supervision.”” “The choice of this title was sug- 
gested because of its fitness not only for this yearbook but because 
it suggests that supervision is to follow good administration. ‘Uhis | 
sequence of duty of the principal will be treated in the two year- 
books which are now being planned. ‘The yearbook for 1931 will | 
be entirely devoted to the problems of supervision. (See announce- 
ment on pages 124-5.) 

The Editorial Committee has plans under way for the next | 
three years. It is hoped by careful planning several years in ad- 
vance, the yearbook will grow in value and become more and more 
a handbook for the principal’s constant reference. 

Hundreds of letters have been mailed to superintendents, super- 
visors, and principals. We find that there are a great many suc- 
cessful principals who are developing a progressive attitude and 
are more than willing to volunteer their help and contributions. 
The committee trusts that all who read this article will feel that 
they are not only given a cordial invitation to correspond with 
members of the committee but will be glad to know of an avenue | 
through which their ideals will benefit some co-worker. The ele- | 
mentary school principalship is a worthy work and deserves the | 
highest type of cooperation and team work. 








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THE SUPERINTENDENT VIEWS CHARACTER 
EDUCATION 


FRANK Copy 
Superintendent of Schools, Detroit, Michigan 


HARACTER education is the most important task of the school. It 

is fundamental to any adequate system of schooling. No amount of 
emphasis on spelling, writing, chemistry, and French, as such, will neces- 
sarily produce boys and girls and men and women of honor and integrity. 
The school must provide definitely for training in habits of right living. 

The classic example in this field is the situation in writing. We may 
teach a child to write legibly and quickly. But teaching of writing alone 
will not insure that that child, as he grows older, will use his ability in. such 
ways as writing a birthday letter of appreciation to his mother rather than 
as forging his employer’s signature on a check. The socalled fundamental 
tools of the three R’s are indeed necessary. Yet, something else is needed, 
something which will develop in boys and girls the ability to choose well 
the purposes for which these skills are to be used. 

The importance of character education has never been questioned. It 
has been recognized especially during the recent years after the World War. 
President Hoover’s Commission on Law Observance and Enforcement is 
one of the signs of the times. Another sign is the action of Premier 
MacDonald in the direction of furthering international peace and un- 
derstanding. Another is the current emphasis upon the training of chil- 
dren in the preschool years because of the belief that those years are pecu- 
liarly significant in determining the character qualities of later life. Finally, 
the fact that the Department of Superintendence of the National Educa- 
tion Association has selected character education as the subject of the 
1932 Yearbook is an indication of the place which character education has 
in the minds of school people. 

What does character education include?—Like all terms that are much 
used by speakers and writers, character education has a wide variety of 
meanings, depending upon the user. For myself, I should like to consider 
under character education all sorts of changes in attitudes and purposes and 
ideals in the direction of increased wellbeing of the individual and of 
society. 

Character education has itself changed along with the other changes 
which have occurred in economic and social life. The test of a good char- 
acter—that the person shall contribute the most that is possible to the 
wellbeing of everyone—is the same today as it was centuries ago. How- 
ever, the elements of such a character have changed materially. The virtues 
that sufficed in the small homogeneous group no longer suffice. Tolerance, 
while always a virtue, takes a much larger place in character today than a 
century ago. There is scarcely a community in the land today where there 
is not a mixture of races and religions and national origins. If such diverse 
groups of people are to live together happily and effectively, they need to 





[71] 








72 NATIONAL EpucATION ASSOCIATION 





have mutual respect and friendliness. Tolerance is an example of an element 
which is much more important now than formerly, not only in character 
but also in character education. 

The modern social structure, with its mixed groups and with its varied 
relationships between groups, requires a whole new series of virtues. When 
people can sit in their homes on Christmas day in Memphis, or ‘Tucson, or 
Port Huron, and hear Christmas carols from Canada, Germany, England, 
France, and Belgium, it is hard to say that any man can live unto him- 
self alone or that any group can live unto itself alone. There are so 
many bonds, economic, esthetic, and scientific, between even the largest 
groups that we dare not stress the narrow tribal virtues alone. An adequate 
character education for the conditions of modern life will include not only 
the development of friendliness, honesty, and sincerity among those who are 
in the same group but also the development of these same virtues between 
members of widely different groups. 

What is to be included under character education may be considered also 
from another point of view. The schools are concerned with two main 
types of such education. One is the corrective work with those individuals 
in whom faulty attitudes, wrong purposes, and bad habits have appeared. 
This training is essentially reconstructive and, in a sense, negative. ‘The 
other, and the one to which the school should address most energy, is the 
preventive work. This is the original teaching of boys and girls to the 
end that they will develop right attitudes, worthy purposes, and good habits. 
Such teaching is essentially constructive and positive in its nature. It is 
far more important as an objective of the school than is the other, although 
neither may be neglected. Probably for every dollar spent in the treatment 
of problem boys and girls there should be ten dollars spent in the effort to 
ward off such problems before they ever arise. 

What methods and what materials?—How is this job to be done? Ex- 
actly what specific objectives shall we adopt? In what grade shall we in- 
troduce the training for each desired trait? What materials will we find 
helpful in our work? What methods shall we use in our teaching? ‘lo 
what extent shall we use the socalled direct method? So far as I know, 
there are no generally accepted answers to these questions. Every school- 
man and every man on the street has his own answer. The trouble is that 
the answers differ radically and, further, that there is as yet no conclusive 
evidence as to which answer is the best. 

For the present, we must recognize that the current period is one of ex- 
perimentation. As superintendents and principals we must encourage the 
careful study of the problems which are involved in character education in 
this modern age. We dare not refuse consideration to any proposal but we 
must be chary of approving and adopting any specific plan until its value has 
been clearly proven. 

Cooperation—As I view the problem of character education, | am con- 
vinced more and more that the solution will come only through cooperative 
enterprise. The schools of a community are fortunate in having the back- 


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ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 73 





ing of the community on every worthy activity which is attempted. The 
willingness of the community to cooperate with the school is nowhere more 
evident than in the case of character education. Literally dozens of agencies 
are concerned with the development of right character in youth. All of 
these agencies are ready to ally themselves with the school authorities who 
are attacking the problem. There are the governmental agencies, including 
the law-making bodies of city, state, and nation; the courts, and many ex- 
ecutive departments. There are the churches, which have always stood for 
the highest and finest in life. There are the many social agencies which 
have sprung up in all communities in the effort to aid in the adjustment 
of problems of all types. The Boy Scouts and the Young Women’s Chris- 
tian Association are illustrations of such agencies. Finally, there are the 
voluntary clubs and organizations of all types, such as the Rotary, Kiwanis, 
Parent Teacher Associations, and the various lodges. 

Practically every one of all these different agencies is interested in the 
development of character. The wise schoolman will not attempt to solve 
the problem alone. He will inform himself as to the program of these 
various agencies and, after consultation with them, will set up the program 
for the schools. 

I am confident that the schools of America are offering each year a better 
and fuller program of character education. I have faith that it will con- 
tinue to improve as long as the men and women who direct the schools 
continue to devote themselves to this task and utilize to the utmost the 
available contributions of all cooperating agencies. 





O MEET the rapidly changing conditions that affect social 

welfare, the public, and educators, themselves, are looking to 
the school to do more than they have done in the past to help 
young people make the moral adjustments that are needed by 
present-day living. Definite plans have been initiated in nineteen 
states of the U. S. to promote the development of personal char- 
acter. The future will probably find more states taking such 
action.—E. H. Fishback. 











See President Hansen’s announcement of the Atlantic City Pro- 
gram on page 126. Are you going? 








THE COLLEGE ‘TEACHER VIEWS CHARACTER 
EDUCATION 


C. E. Rucu 
Professor of Education, University of California, Berkeley, California 


HE wisest and the best parents, the wisest and the best teachers, and 
the wisest and the best communities would not deprive any child of 
anything necessary to bring to full fruition the best and all of the best 
possible. Stated positively, the wisest and best parents, teachers, and com- 
munities exhibit their wisdom and their goodness by endeavoring to pro- 
vide the means for realizing the best and all of the best in all of the children. 
Character education is the best term to stand for education at its best. 
There are some who would characterize ‘“ best” education as ‘“‘ moral ” 
or “ religious,” but you will have to go back a decade to find these terms 
in the index to the Proceedings of the National Education Association. The 
term “ character” is now used to cover this aspect of public education. 


Wuat Is CHARACTER EDUCATION ? 


An examination of even the recent literature or the recent proposals 
exhibits an almost hopeless confusion. Those interested in human welfare 
are more or less respectful to any serious and sustained effort to improve 
education. ‘he wisest, the best, and, it may be said, the most successful 
attempts at improvement have been along the lines designated character 
education. In a thousand-word paper there is no space for reviewing these 
attempts. Such a review would yield no conclusions, anyway. ‘The present 
pressing problem is to clear up some of the confusions in the interests of some 
concrete actions in research and service. 

The confusion is most concretely exhibited in the different and conflicting 
meanings and uses of the terms, character and education. It would be a 
worthy research and service to collect and classify these differences, particu- 
larly as such a procedure would suggest causes of different uses and mean- 
ings. The root causes, however, are known without such a research. These 
root causes are the complexity of human nature and of human society, along 
with the focal nature of attention and effort. Practically all advocates and 
all practitioners focalize upon one or a few of the possible ways and means 
and tend to stress these specialized efforts out of all proportion to their real 
value, for example, the use of “codes,” ‘‘the thirty-three virtues,” the 
use of “ literature.” ‘These special attempts through focalized efforts, many 
of them good in themselves, keep up the controversy between the advocates 
of the direct as over against the indirect approach. ‘This arises from two 
further fallacies: (1) the belief that some persons have and that other 
persons do not have character; (2) that character can be analyzed into 
certain fixed “traits” that can be singled out and trained piece-meal. 

1. Every person, by virtue of being a person, both is and has a character. 
This seeming paradox is another source of confusion. Character is the 


[74] 


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ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 75 





algebraic sum of the abilities and dispositions of a person in relation to a 
particular situation ; “ algebraic sum ” because in each person in relation to 
any particular situation there may be both positive and negative factors; 
and in relation to each particular “ situation” because the functions and 
values of these factors may change, do change, with change of situations. 
Perhaps this is why “ trait analysis” uptodate has failed. 

2. Every person has a character because as persons each one has control 
or management over some means for producing consequences for which they 
are personally responsible. 

3. Every educational event whether intended or not, has character conse- 
quences. Therefore, all education is character education. The alternatives 
are not character education or no character education; they are, education 
better or worse. That is why some careless thinkers insist that character 
education means good character. “There would be no serious objection to 
this meaning if general agreement could be secured. 

The worse confusion concerning the term education comes from failure 
to distinguish between education and schooling. This failure does not take 
account of heredity, home, community, personal effort. Schooling now 
consists of curriculum and extracurriculum activities, but these two are not 
all. School morale is another or at least a different aspect of the problem 
of character education. Another confusion, and a very serious one, too, 
comes from failing to distinguish between the habit, knowledge, and atti- 
tude aspect of every curriculum and extracurriculum activity. Another 
kind but different source of confusion comes from isolating these three 
aspects until they become abstractions, instead of principles of action. Per- 
haps the most important single principle in education is that in every activity 
the whole child acts whole-heartedly. There is both a knowledge and an 
attitude aspect in habit. There is a habit and an attitude aspect in knowl- 
edge. There is a habit and knowledge aspect in attitudes. With these 
principles in mind, note the three aspects of character education with 
spelling as an example, and spelling is used because it is so simple. 

(1) Habit aspect—Each child must learn to spell a few thousand words by skilful 
presentation and drill. (2) Knowledge aspect—To be able and willing to meet the 
new situations when a new word needs to be spelled, the child must know how to 
use the dictionary. (3) Attitude aspect—A child might know how to use the dic- 
tionary but not have the disposition (spelling conscience) to do so. A child is not 
educated in spelling, that is, does not have the character of a good speller, until he 
has this spelling conscience—not only knows how to spell and to find how to spell, 


but intends to spell right, along with the disposition to have remorse if spelling is 
wrong. The same may be said for every other form of worthy school activity. 


In the last analysis character education means the development of the 
ability and disposition to courageously and intelligently attack all the life 
problems that arise, both in relation to oneself as a person and as a member 
of the institutions of which that person is a cooperating member. Such a 
program of character education implies the cooperation and coordination of 
all the agencies concerned in human welfare. 








THE PHILOSOPHER VIEWS CHARACTER EDUCATION 


Henry NEUMANN 
New York City 


HEN Sir Launfal, eager to escape seeing the leper, tossed him a coin 

in scorn, the beggar refused it. The gift without the giver was 
bare, the young knight was reminded, even though it was better than nothing 
at all. The spirit of one’s conduct is of first importance. Moral education is 
intent upon getting specific acts of behavior ; but although it is better to speak 
truth, let us say, than to lie, some of the motives to truth-telling are more 
admirable than others; a philosophy of life in which our pledged word is 
sacred is better than one in which integrity is expected to bring us more 
income. 

This is why a sound program of education, much as it wants specific acts, 
also wants something more. What manner of person we are is closely con- 
nected, both as cause and effect, with the basic spirit of our deeds, or our 
fundamental philosophies of life. 

Are all of us then to be philosophers? Or, still more terrifying, are we 
expected to graduate miniature Platos and Kants? We may calm our 
fears. Not all of us are philosophers, or are expected to be, in the sense 
of being special students in this field as others are experts in chemistry. 
Nor are all philosophers, in having a dominantly reflective cast of mind, 
much given to examining first principles of conduct. Most of us are 
entirely too busy earning a living, or else we have little aptitude or liking 
for any such abstract business. 

And yet people of even quite average intelligence, and young as well as 
old, do philosophize at times. For instance, “ Finding is keeping” is a 
general principle which not a few boys will plead on hearing it suggested 
that they restore found money or pocket knives. It is very crude philosophiz- 
ing of course, little more than an attempt to make an agreeable piece of 
conduct seem entirely reasonable. But it illustrates the fact that people do 
reflect occasionally, at least, upon the significance of conduct, that they 
appeal to certain large general considerations, and that the soundness or 
the unsoundness of whatever reasoning they do has its bearings upon their 
future choices. Yes, philosophizing of a sort is a common practise even in 
child life. One object of character education is to induce reflections in- 
creasingly wiser and better. 

Consider a few common general attitudes. A democratic life requires 
respect for the unlike. But everywhere in our country a deplorable in- 
tolerance exists, the attitude which says, “ These outsiders are inferior to 
us and hopelessly so.” Here is one philosophy which is badly in need of 
examination. Here is another. A group of lads were discussing their 
teachers. One of them remarked, “I can bluff the whole lot of ’em to a 
standstill—and then they want to teach me how to succeed!”’ Here was a 
certain underlying assumption, and a very frequent and dangerous one about 
the nature of success. Surely it is the business of the school, the home, and 


[76] 














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ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 77 





the church to hold a principle like this up to the light, to compare it with 
better ones, and to help our pupils see more clearly than otherwise what 
such beliefs mean. 

“ Mind your own business and don’t hurt anybody else.” Here is another 
principle on which young and old act, sometimes unconsciously and some- 
times with more or less awareness that this is a good general rule of life. 
It is much better than another common philosophy: ‘ Everybody for him- 
self regardless of who is hurt.” But sooner or later we want our young 
people to understand still better attitudes, such as ‘‘ Lend a hand,” or the 
principle which Sir Launfal did not honor until his eyes were opened. 

Life, in short, offers our boys and girls a bewildering array of choices. 
Which kinds of conduct are they to make their own? Are we to leave 
this important matter to mere chance? Children pick up ideas from one 
another, from the comic strips, from the movies, from newspaper stories, 
from the gossip of home and street, from the examples of all sorts of be- 
haviors, high, low, or in between. Amid this variety we can assuredly do 
much to help them choose understandingly. It is by such understanding 
choices that all of us grow. 

We would count the school a failure if in this modern world boys or 
girls used an electric light without at least some acquaintance with the 
principles interpreted in the science room. This knowledge we do not 
leave at the mercy of accident. We give teachers a special training in the 
aims and methods of this part of school work. The day will come when 
we shall have far more teachers than at present, specially trained to guide 
young people on principles even more fundamental than knowing how 
atoms behave, namely the business of right behavior for human beings. 

Knowledge, of course, is not all. In an ancient Greek theatre when an 
old man looked about him for a seat, a party of Athenian youths made 
merry over his difficulties. A group of young Spartans, however, rose 
to offer him a place. The other group applauded; and the old man re- 
marked, ‘“‘ The Athenians know what is right but the Spartans practise it.” 
To this day there is misconduct enough which can hardly be ascribed to 
ignorance. But this does not make any less important the attempt to build 
up a sound philosophy of life. The ever present need is for a knowledge 
which is warm with the living fire of deeply cherished conviction. If this 
is not easy to cultivate, it means only that every available help we can offer 
is none too much. 





DUCATION is guided growth, not only the mastery of habits 
and skills, but the building of helpful attitudes.” 











A JOINT PROGRAM OF SUPERVISORY STUDY AMONG 
PRINCIPALS AND SUPERVISORS* 


Mrs. ELizABETH C. Morriss 
Director, Adult Elementary Education, Court House, Asheville, North Carolina 


RINCIPALS and supervisors working together in sympathetic under- 

standing of their common problems may hope effectively to improve 
both the quality and the quantity of instruction in the large rural schools. 
Working alone, either group will find itself seriously handicapped, both in 
improvement of teachers inservice and in the securing of efficient teaching 
results. 

The idea of supervision as the prime duty of the principal is being ad- 
vanced by many educational writers today. 

In North Carolina, the principals and the rural supervisors are more and 
more concentrating their efforts on programs for increasing and making 
more discriminating the supervisory activities of the principals and of the 
supervisors. This procedure is necessary for the reason that it is becoming 
increasingly evident that it is neither practical nor possible for counties to 
put on a sufficient number of general supervisors to meet all of the supervisory 
needs of the schools. 

These programs of study and of experimentation have two major ob- 
jectives: (1) the taking over by the principal of the major responsibility 
for the improvement of the instruction of the individual teacher in the 
classroom; (2) the initiating of an increasing amount of research and ex- 
perimentation by the general supervisor. 

In Buncombe county, a very simple service study has been made. It is 
hoped that the simplicity of the procedure may make an appeal to the prin- 
cipal and to the supervisor who feel themselves too overloaded to undertake 
regular research work. 

In this county system with 58 schools, 17 of which are accredited, and 
485 teachers, the supervisory set-up is perhaps as nearly adequate as can 
be undertaken by the average county. ‘There are three full-time super- 
visors—primary, grammar grade, and high school, and a fourth who de- 
votes half time to the supervision of the elementary day schools and half 
to the program of adult elementary education. 

This means that the average teaching load for each supervisor is 138 
teachers. In the elementary grades, these teachers are scattered throughout 
the county in 58 schools. ‘The average index of scholarship of the teachers 
in the elementary grades is 5.6 years. In other words, the average training 
of these teachers is four years of high school and one and a half years of 
college. 

With 138 teachers, the average teaching load for each supervisor is still 
a third more than the 100 teachers suggested by investigators as a practical 
teaching load for supervisors when the principals share in supervisory 


* Undertaken in Buncombe County, North Carolina, in the school year 1928-29, as 
an accredited course of the University Extension Department, Dr. R. W. Tyler, 


Instructor. 
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ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 79 





activities, and 88 more than the 50 teachers recommended as an ideal 
teaching load. Thus the reader can see the necessity for an increasing 
amount of supervision by principals. 

The chief needs of Buncombe county principals, as seen by themselves, 
in taking over their share of supervision at the beginning of the 1928 fall 
term were: 

1. More study to overcome deficiencies of preparation and more professional 
reading for keeping in touch with current, progressive developments in education. 

2. A plan of research, whereby new technics may be tried out, experiments con- 
ducted, and such records made as to be of usable value to the principal himself and 
to the other members of his group. Or, in the words of a principal, efficient enough 
to admit his limitations quite frankly: “ We need more time for supervision and more 
knowledge of what to do when we have the time.” 

A group of five principals, together with the grammar grade and the 
elementary supervisor, undertook to attack this problem through some sort 
of study which would not demand more time than was available. The 
principals decided they could give from an hour and a half to two hours 
a week to this study during the entire school year without finding it bur- 
densome, and the supervisors thought they could give four or five hours a 
week to this phase of the work. 

They called in, as consultant, Dr. R. W. Tyler, of the University of 
North Carolina Extension Department. He suggested to the group that 
since there was available such a limited amount of time and since there 
was urgent need for use of the results of the different phases of the study 
as fast as they developed, that they undertake a service study rather than 
a research study. He suggested also that if they become familiar with the 
methods of attacking service problems, they would have the key to the 
solution of all their problems, no matter how much they might differ 
in kind. 

In planning the service study,’ there are three major steps: 

1. Define the actual problem in terms of data that can be readily obtained (things 
to be collected) 

2. Determine where the data may be found (reliable sources, close at hand) 

3. Write down the data desired, the sources selected, and the methods by which the 
data can best be obtained from the sources. 

The three major steps involve at least five different elements that are 
present in any service study. A sixth element, “ findings or conclusions,” 
is essential in the actual study but may be disregarded in the preliminary 
plan: 

1. The problem 

2. The data needed to investigate the problem 

3. The assumptions needed to support the plan of attack 

4. The sources to be consulted 

5. The technics or methods of obtaining the data from the sources. 

These essential features of the service study were discussed in detail. 
The group decided that it seemed a more practical procedure than any 
with which they were acquainted. 


* See Investigations in Teaching by Douglas Waples. 





80 NATIONAL EpuCATION ASSOCIATION 





They set to work to state their problem. This proved to be a more diffi- 
cult matter than they had expected it to be. The greatest difficulty, per- 
haps, lay in narrowing the scope of the problem sufficiently to make its 
solution attainable in the very limited time available. 

After several weeks of curtailment, the following major problem 
emerged with nine sub-problems in its wake: 


I. Major Prosp_eM 


To set up some attainable objectives in the supervision of the elementary 
grades by individual principals of 11-grade schools with varying numbers 
of non-teaching periods and study hall periods in Buncombe County, N. C. 


Sub-Problems: 

1. To collect best standards, based on expert opinion, for six important supervisory 

activities of elementary grades by principals. 

(a) Class visitation and observation 

(b) Individual conferences with teachers 

(c) Testing and measuring 

(d) Demonstration teaching 

(e) Pupil study and adjustment 

(f) Teachers’ meetings. 

To collect examples of present supervisory practise in elementary grades of five 

county principals in these six activities. 

3. To determine which of these six activities needs greatest immediate emphasis 
in each of the five individual schools. 

4. To collect specific difficulties to be overcome in improving the quantity and the 
quality of supervision in the six activities. 

5- To collect efficient methods for overcoming the outstanding difficulties. 

6. ‘To set up objective checks for each of the problems studied. 

7. To record the findings of the study in such shape that they will carry over into 
actual supervisory practise in the county. 

8. To determine which of the present activities of the principals can be delegated 
to someone else without loss of effectiveness. 

9. ‘To revise the present practise time distribution by eliminating the activities 
which can be delegated, and including those activities which could be car- 
ried on in the time thus saved to the greatly increased effectiveness of the 
principal’s work. 


Selected because most frequently 
mentioned as important in studies 
for supervision by principals. 


N 


The supervisors, having a larger time allotment for the study, under- 
took to prepare all needed time distribution blanks and check-lists and to 
summarize and organize the data assembled from these sources. “They also 
kept all necessary reference material immediately available. 

Each principal determined upon the one of the six supervisory activities 
chosen for study which needed greatest immediate emphasis in his school. 
Two principals, with very little non-teaching time, chose “ individual con- 
ferences with teachers,” while one who had no teaching periods, chose “ class 
visitation and observation,” the remaining two chose “ teachers’ meetings ” 
for their phase of study. 

They then set up their problems and sub-problems, data desired, assump- 
tions, sources for securing data, and methods for obtaining data on these very 
specific problems. In this way, valuable data and findings on three of the 











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ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 81 








six major supervisory activities are being collected by the principals, coordi- 
nated by the supervisors and put to use by all of the members of the group. 
The effectiveness of this plan of study is due to the fact that each principal 
can concentrate upon one major type of supervisory activity. It is possible 
for him to find time to work out practicable methods for making that one 
type of supervisory duty more successful than it has been, Furthermore 
the effective procedures which he works out are more stimulating and help- 
ful to the other principals than procedures described in books or observed 
in schools in other localities. “ If this can be done in a neighboring school 
in the county,” say the principals, “ we, too, can develop such a successful 
program.” 

The working out of the data desired, assumptions, sources of data, and 
methods for obtaining data for the problem, as a whole, proved to be of 
increasing value. They are listed here but probably need no further com- 
ment, unless it may be of interest to note that the sources of data were 
selected on the basis of primacy, accessibility, and reliability. 


II. Data DestiRED 


1. Desirable standards for supervision of elementary grades by principals as set 
up by recognized authorities. 

. Best present practise as measured by these standards. 

3. Present practise of principals in supervising elementary grades in Buncombe 
County and in at least one other North Carolina county. 

4. Differences between county present practise and best present practise. 

Difficulties which cause this variation. 


‘ 

6. Which of these difficulties are, at present, unavoidable and which are 
remediable? 

7. Standard conditions of school system. 

8. Remedial measures for overcoming avoidable difficulties. 

g. Criteria for remedial measures. 

10. Expert advice on methods, procedures, criteria, and findings. 


III. AssuMPTIONS 


1. That the supervision of the elementary grades is of increasing importance to 
every principal in the county. 

That studies and experiments made by educational authorities on this problem 
are trustworthy. 

3. That diagnosing the difficulties involved as unavoidable or remediable under 

present conditions will clarify the problem. 

4. That seeking and recording remedial measures will help the present situation 
and open up the way for further study and experiment. 

That the principals are interested in increasing their ability to give definite 
help on problems concerned with the improvement of instruction. 


N 


wn 


IV. Sources 


(Selection based on primacy, reliability, and availability) 


Five principals with number of free periods varying from none to seven for 
specific and detailed data. 
Twelve additional principals for data on present practise. 


_ 
. 


» 


























































6. 


NATIONAL EpUCATION ASSOCIATION 


Primary and grammar grade supervisors in daily contact with principals. 

University extension course. 

County superintendent of schools. 

State supervisors of elementary grades. 

Studies on supervision by principals made by recognized authorities: Research 
Bulletin of the N. E. A., “The Principal Studies His Job”; The Seventh 
Yearbook of Elementary School Principals; The American Educational 
Digest, Sept. 1928; Bulletin of the Department of Elementary School Princi- 
pals, Jan. 1929; U. S. Office of Education, books and magazine articles; 
Cubberley, The Principal and His School; Gist, Elementary School Super- 
vision; O'Shea, The Child: His Nature and His Needs; Anderson, Barr, 
and Bush, Jisiting the Teacher at Work; Barr and Burton, Supervision of 
Instruction; Wilpatrick, Foundations of Method; Burton, Supervision and the 
Improvement of Teaching. 


V. Meritops ror OsrainInc Data 


For learning desirable standards and best present practise of elementary 
grades by principals study Seventh Yearbook of Elementary Principals; 
“The Principal Studies His Job.” (N. E. A. Research Bulletin, 1928.) 

For present practise as to time allotment of free periods, examine forms filled 
out by 20 principals for three weeks with this end in view. 

For present practise as to supervisory activities of principals examine forms 
filled out by five principals making an intensive study of the problem. 

Check present practise as recorded in Buncombe County against best present 
practise for differences here from best present practise. 

Supervisors and principals work together in the elementary grades and con- 
fer together in order to discover difficulties in supervision. 

Confer with principals, county and state supervisors and university instructors 
as to which of the difficulties are remediable and which unavoidable. Also 
consult the studies of educational authorities as to which of these difhiculties 
were present in their problem. 

Remedial measures for use of principals for difficulties previously discovered: 

a. A time budget. 

b. A major topic for emphasis for certain weeks or months; as 

c. Objective helps, as, for instance: 

(1) The use of the county handbook to acquaint teachers with lesson plan- 
ning, improvement of English, teaching children how to study, reduc- 
tion of retardation, and larger unit study. 

(2) Plan book to put in the hands of teachers to help them in reaching and 
recording desired results. 

d. A guide sheet for supervision of general schoolroom practises and pro- 


cedures. 

e. A clearer working knowledge of the accomplishments to be expected in each 
grade. 

f. A more careful diagnosis of the strengths and weaknesses of individual 
teachers. 


yg. Definite means worked out to care for these strengths and weaknesses; as, 
carefully planned faculty meetings with this end in view. 

h. Observation in classrooms sometimes with supervisor and university con- 

sultant, followed by organization of observations, and carefully planned 

conference with teacher. 

Use of two or more professional magazines for reference work. 

Use of books on supervision by principals for reference and guidance. 

Definite problems stated to supervisor in order that she may begin im- 

mediately to work on problems instead of having to find them. 


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ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 83 


]. A clearer knowledge of giving and scoring standard tests and how to help 
teachers make use of results. 

m. Participation in grade and group meetings held in school. 

n. Such records kept of procedures tried as will be of definite help to other 
principals having the same problem. 

o. The education program of the county for the current year and the agencies 
available for reaching the objectives as outlined as well as the checks to 
be applied at the end of the year. 

In order to make their supervisory efforts effective, the principals felt 
it to be important to learn the attitude of the teachers toward the various 
supervisory activities. If the teachers looked with disfavor on a certain 
type of supervisory work, the success of this type would be hindered. In 
such cases, two courses would be open, either to reduce the emphasis upon 
that type of activity or to attempt to change the attitude of the teachers. 

Each of the principals engaged in this study, asked his teachers to rate 
the six general types of supervisory activities with reference to their de- 
sirability from the teacher's point of view. ‘To permit of a greater analysis 
of their reactions, the teachers also rated each of the nineteen more 
specific types of supervisory duties. ‘he teachers were not asked to sign 
their ratings since the concealing of identity would probably promote 
greater frankness in expressing their real attitude. The ratings of all the 
teachers were then combined and summarized. ‘These summaries, which 
follow, provide an interesting outlook on supervision from the teacher’s 
point of view. 


TABLE 1.—SUPERVISORY ACTIVITIES RANKED IN ORDER OF DESIRABILITY FROM 
‘TEACHERS’ STANDPOINT 


General Activities Rating 

o. SRGRVRRAL COMEELERCES WIT TERCHOTE o.oo. 655 es dd sdogindscawannerenes 2.12 
2. Pupil study and adjustment (including consultation with parents)...... 2.84 
S,  TROMENEE: CINEMIEG facia. cho ececsicca.n prepaisis) 4:57 eacalana acer Sintembere elem aa oka estate 3-44 
SARE WHINE SIE ONO WOUION 0 56.55.55 03s oer e has nahin os Malrenatairenis 3.84 
S;. NNN OREM oo ao cs o.o.e-6 od nace esd eee manele a aipaee eae eset 4.08 
ie, CEE UNE SUM NIINN ooo 55. a Sis xn a aks alarareeiewdisrarnpane apenas 4.44 

TABLE 2.—Supervisory ACTIVITIES RANKED IN ORDER OF DESIRABILITY FROM 
TEACHERS’ STANDPOINT 

Specific Duties Rating 

2. Hold office hours for teachers seeking REID ..c.i.<.0.46:.6:00scccscsvewssedees 4.36 
S.. Pia Wi HOW COMCHELS TGIVIORINY 0.55.5. 55 6 d:5i5:p.0:s6nin san dindien st s00 eeneen 5-95 
3. Give classroom demonstrations when requested..................00005 6.95 
4. Help teachers with broad and suggestive recommendations............ 7.40 
5- Hold instructional group meetings with new teachers..............+. 8.00 
6. Hold friendly personal conference with teacher following visit....... oo ‘mi 
+. Goud out-mimcceraphed lessen Wel06 5.66.65 65500605 cosccsasedersscuees 8.13 
8. Hold frequent instructional conferences with teacher groups............ 8.50 
9. Organize inspiration meetings with invited speakers.................. 8:63 
10. Send out mimeographed suggestions for reading and self-help.......... 9.31 
11. Advise and assist in the collection of collateral materials, visual aids, ete. 9.81 
12. Direct classification and instruction to meet individual differences...... 10.5 


84 





NATIONAL EpuUCATION ASSOCIATION 





13. Personally give prearranged model lesson at teachers’ meetings........ 10.6 
14. Inspect and make recommendations concerning physical equipment of 
DD ovnscarneesadapda chader Seeds tsk deeweshessideenehiwnn eas 11.5 
15. Train and direct teachers in consistent use of texts.............6...4. 11.6 
16. Make silent, friendly classroom visits................000 cece eee eeee 13.1 
17. Organize special experimental work in the evaluation. of texts and 
NID id bara diec sits atarelt gd oa dR a eee oldla Ro nibiae e wchonca ny di nisin welee mede 13.2 
18. Give spontaneous demonstrations during visit...................0005. 14.1 


19. Encourage invitations from teachers for special visits to their classrooms. 14.4 


It is apparent that teachers particularly desire individual help from their 
principals and supervisors upon their problems, for “ individual conferences 
with teachers” is ranked highest in the first table, while in the second 
table, “ hold office hours for teachers needing help” and “ plan with new 
teachers individually ” are ranked highest. On the other hand, they would 
discourage visits and observations even when, in the second list, the state- 
ment is “ make silent, friendly classroom visits.”” This emotional reaction 
against visits represents a basic problem for improving the effectiveness of 
classroom visitation and conference. 

A further study of these tables will reveal other difficulties and other 
interesting attitudes. Sufficient description has been given to indicate the 
use that is being made of these ratings. We can no longer plan our super- 
visory programs without considering the attitudes and wishes of the teachers 
to be helped any more than children can be taught without consideration of 
their interests, prejudices, and desires. 

After a group discussion of the attitudes and wishes of the teachers, it 
was agreed by the principals and supervisors that the needs of the teachers 
furnish the most logical basis for their supervisory activities. They agreed 
that these needs can be most effectively met if due consideration is given 
to the attitudes and wishes of the teachers. 

As a first step toward discovering the needs, as seen by themselves, the 
teachers were asked to make a list of their outstanding difficulties. These 
lists furnished conclusive evidence that teachers, like principals, supervisors, 
and most other people, have great difficulty in stating their problems in 
specific terms. 

Realizing this, the teachers were quite responsive to the following sug- 
gestions which grew out of the publication, in various papers over the state 
and county, of the basis on which teachers would be elected to positions. 


SUGGESTIONS FOR “TEACHERS WHo Have DIFFICULTY IN STATING 
THEIR PROBLEMS 


Most teachers, and most people of all kinds, have difficulty in making a clear 
statement of their problems. It is not easy for them to make the statements specific 
enough for help to be given readily. 

For instance, a teacher may say, “ My greatest difficulty is teaching reading.” 
Much more effective help could be given her if she stated her specific difficulties in 
the teaching of reading; as perhaps: 

1. Making the children independent in word recognition 
2. Teaching the children to make every day use of the new words they learn, 

















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ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 85 





Many school committeemen and other school officials of the state have decided to 
select their teachers for the coming year on the basis of the qualifications listed 
below. 

The teachers will find it helpful to check on this list their chief points of difficulty. 

These broad topics may then be subdivided into specific problems with the help 
of the principal or supervisor. The first topic, “ Daily Preparation,” has been so 
divided, though still other individual problems under this head will readily suggest 
themselves. 

The teacher may then write down two or more of the remedial measures for 
these specific difficulties, which she has tried, stating whether or not they have 
proved successful. 


QUALIFICATIONS OF TEACHERS, ExpEcTED By MANY OF THE SCHOOL 
CoMMITTEEMEN OF NorTH CAROLINA 


I. Classroom work: 


A. Daily preparation 
Planning of lessons (can be subdivided half a dozen times at least) 


Keeping up one’s own interest and enthusiasm in the lessons to be taught 
Planning seatwork of value and interest to all of the children 
Finding sources from which children can get needed material or preparing 
to guide children in the making of the material 
5. Making or securing needed material which the children cannot make or get 
6. Planning to meet the needs of individual children—bright, dull and average 
B. Type of instruction 
. Ability to interest pupils in work so that they will advance 
D. Classroom management 
E. Attitude and conduct of pupils toward school work 


> Ww NH 


II. Professional: 


Training for work 

Study during year 

Application of principles of professional study to classroom work 
Attitude toward teaching 


Op > 


a 


III. Cooperation with: 


Principal, other teachers, county superintendent, county supervisor, and community 
IV. General attitude towards school work 


Then the teachers wrestled again with the statement of their immediate 
problems, previously submitted to their principals. This effort to make 
statements of specific problems more and more definite is being continued 
and will be steadily continued by teachers, principals, and supervisors. ‘They 
have come to believe that a problem clearly stated is half solved. 

For further guidance in planning their program of activities, the prin- 
cipals and supervisors found definite help in the following suggestions from 
the study of Douglas Waples on Teachers’ Difficulties as a Basis for 
Supervision: 


1. To anticipate the teaching difficulties of beginning teachers or of experienced 
teachers undertaking a new teaching assignment. 

2. To help individual teachers recognize the difficulties of which they are only 
vaguely conscious and to make such difficulties explicit in terms of typical 


classroom situations. 








86 NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION 





3. To collect the difficulties which the teachers of a given school, department, or 
grade are able to define, and to organize the difficulties so as to provide a 
program for systematic supervision of the group of teachers concerned. 

4- To evaluate the difficulties with respect to such criteria as frequency, importance, 
and seriousness—for the group of teachers concerned. 

5. To analyze a given type difficulty into the specific difficulties it involves, in order 
that the specific difficulties may be more conveniently solved. 

6. To collect solutions for the difficulties from available sources and to organize 
the solutions for the teachers’ convenient use. 


In group discussions and in individual conferences, the principals found 
many immediate, usable values in the exchanging of experiences as to the 
difficulties found and the means used in attacking them as well as in check- 
ing on results. 

The principal who taught four periods and kept study hall three periods 
reported that his first difficulty was to find some relief from continual in- 
terruptions and to salvage some time for supervision. Careful planning 
and consultation resulted in the following program: 


PROGRAM 
(Recitation room and the study hall are near the office door) 


1. Let one of the best students sit near the door during recitations and answer any 
telephone calls and leave number or message on the desk for principal at close 
of class period, also answer door calls. 

2. During all study hall periods, get a competent pupil to study in the office and 
answer telephone calls and door bells and refer only those messages to the 
principal that she could attend to properly. 

Place on bulletin board a schedule of office hours—before and after school. 

4. Leave a competent pupil in charge of study hall from 11 to 12 :15 and use this 
period for an office or class observation hour. This would enable the principal 
to attend to all calls from different rooms, to visit those teachers who most 
need help and to see callers who could not be seen before or after school. 


w 


The results were as follows: 


1. The office girl answered many calls from parents about children, programs, and 
lunches, as well as I could have done it. 
Supplies asked for by teachers were provided by office girl. 
Many little reports that must be looked after at once could be tabulated and 
called to principal's notice at close of school. 
4. Outside callers were met cordially and asked to wait until office hours. Usually 
they would do this. 
5. Another activity which grew out of this program was for the principal to visit the 
room of any teacher who he thought needed help, and discover her weakness 
—discuss it in a tactful and proper way and suggest means of overcoming it. 


This I did. 


With this small amount of time available, individual conferences seemed 
to be the most logical supervisory tool to be used. The difficulty here was 
how to make these conferences as effective as possible through preliminary 
preparation. From consultation and daily experiences, these suggestions 
evolved and proved to be of practical value: 

1. The teacher’s attitude shows: 


a. Need for solution of problem 
b. Statement of problem 





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ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 87 








c. Why problem is submitted to this particular teacher at this particular time 
d. Value of the outcomes to the teacher, the pupils, and the school. 
The teacher’s background—physical, mental, emotional, social. 
School facilities: 
a. Needed by the teacher 
b. Provided for the teacher 
c. Which the teacher may secure for herself. 
Sources of subjectmatter: 
a. Knowledge needed by the teacher for solving the problem 
b. Knowledge possessed by the teacher 
c. Help to be given by the principal. 

(1) Immediate, from his own experience or studies. 

(2) Suggested sources; as, supervisors, university consultant, teacher problem 

committee, library, community organizations. 

Faith that the teacher is interested and will use the suggestions offered. Or, 
means and devices planned for securing this interest, if doubtful. 
Release of the teacher from: 
a. A mental attitude which would retard her efforts 
b. Uncertainty as to the specific factors in her problem 
c. Ignorance of remedial measures. 
Direction of the teacher in securing specific objective goals to be attained by 
definite dates. 
Checks planned for these objectives. 


One of the most interesting problems attacked through these conferences 


was that of a teacher who was seemingly unable to secure the cooperation of 
her pupils. She and the principal took up, point by point, the following 
means, suggested by Almack and Lang in The Beginning Teacher as help- 
ful in developing each of the four important principles underlying success 
in securing the cooperation of pupils: 


A 
ahs 


B. 


I. Keep everyone busy. 


Make preparation ahead of time to meet the needs of those pupils whose 
capacity or attainment is not equal to the work assigned. 

Make preparation ahead of time to meet the needs of those for whom the work 
is too easy. 

Make preparation ahead of time to meet the needs of those who have not 
acquired proper habits of study and attention. 

(1) Find out their special interests and their home background. 

(2) Plan remedial measures that will reach them through these interests before 

resorting to corrective measures. 


II. Build up a good school spirit. 


Pupil participation in government. 

Interesting group discussion of proper and improper forms of conduct. 

A school-service program, with recognition for the deserving. 

Opening exercises prepared by pupils with desirable character traits as the basis. 


III. Maintain the proper personal attitude. 


A quiet, composed teacher will usually have a quiet orderly school. 

The successful teacher learns to govern herself. 

The teacher should never take the act of a mischievous pupil as a personal 
affront. It should be made clear to the offender that by his bad conduct he 
has interfered with the work and happiness of others. 








88 NATIONAL [SpUCATION ASSOCIATION 


C. The successful teacher will handle personally all except isolated and abnormal 
cases of discipline. If a teacher needs assistance, it should be first in the 
nature of advice as to what to do. After she has followed good advice and 
exhausted other resources, then if failure results, she may turn the problem 
over to somebody else. 


IV. Secure permanent values. 


NOTE: The immediate values of good discipline are happy children who are 
making progress in their studies. ‘The permanent values are even more important. 
They include habits of attention, industry, order and obedience. They comprise 
courtesy, tact, politeness and consideration of others. ‘They embrace the elements 
which make up service, couperation, and leadership. 


A. Socialized class activities. 
. Pupil committee on: School tasks, creeds and codes of behavior, playgroun 
B. Pupil ¢ tt School tasks, Is and | f behavior, play nd 
eadership, classroom beautification, and special day programs. 
leadership, classr l tification, and ial d am 
C. Recognition of achievement. 


This principal, in talking with the rest of the group, said: 


Those items checked were tried out by the teacher with good results. After work- 
ing along the lines indicated for a few weeks the following list of punishments was 
given this teacher and she was asked to check as indicated: 

In the following list, check 12 punishments which, in your judgment, are proper 
and 11 which are improper. 


Schoolroom tasks. the offender hold heavy objects, stand 
Serious talk. on one leg, stand in a fixed position, 
Compulsory apology. etc. 

Reproof. Notifying parents. 

Enforced idleness. Cuffing upon ears, head, or face. 
Solitary confinement. Rebuke or reprimand. 


Apology before class. 
Restoring damage. 
Scolding and nagging. 
Isolation from others. 


Expulsion. 

Keeping in after school. 

Low grading in scholarship. 
Loss of privileges. 


Suspension. pe 

Sending home. Ihreats, ridicule, and sarcasm. 

Personal indignities —tying up the Detention to overcome a_ piece of 
mouth, court plastering the lips, gag- neglect. 


ging, washing out the mouth, making Corporal punishment. 


After this was done, | went over this paper with her and discussed each punish- 
ment in its proper relation and made corrections. At the end of the year, this 
teacher could leave her room when necessary and be assured that the conduct would 
be all right. Again, whereas this same teacher had been sending from one to many 
children to the principal every day, for the last two months scarcely any children 
were sent. Also in these later days, as I went into the room, I found it orderly and 
the children at work. A wonderful change came over this room. Attribute it to 
what you may, this problem furnished a real situation. I believe it was worked out 
in a practical way and that both the teacher and the principal were helped. 


The use of test results formed the basis of the faculty meetings held by 
another principal. After the county tests were graded and returned, a 
meeting was held for the purpose of making detailed plans for immediate 
use of the results. It was decided that graphs should be made of each 

















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ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 89 





pupil’s standing in class. The pupils should be grouped according to their 
strengths and weaknesses. A definite period of remedial treatment should 
be begun. 

At the next meeting the graphs were discussed and remedial measures 
planned. Decisions were made as to just what easy reading material should 
be supplied, of which pupils case studies should be made, and just what 
other remedial measures were indicated. 

Perhaps the most interesting of this series of meetings was the final one. 
Each teacher compared notes with the teachers of the grades above and 
below her own. ‘They discussed in detail what each expected of the 
pupils who came to her. ‘They conferred together over the records of border- 
line pupils. As a result, promotions were made more satisfactorily than 
ever before. Each teacher felt that she would be able to begin the fall term 
with a better understanding of her incoming pupils than ever before. ‘The 
meeting closed with a vote to make an intensive study the next year of 
remedial measures in reading. 

Earlier in the year, the faculty meetings had been centered around demon- 
stration teaching of the four types of lessons with special attention to lesson 
planning as this was to be the theme of the next group center meeting. ‘This 
principal, in reporting on these meetings to the group, said: 

The best teachers were selected for this teaching. This was especially worth- 
while for the new teachers. They were given firsthand information of the best 
teaching in our school. After these demonstrations, a round-table discussion was 
held with criticism, pro and con, flying around the table. Every difficulty was 
discussed. Sometimes information and help were suggested from certain sources 
known to some of the teachers. An interesting phase of this work was that all 
teachers were to do some work on the next week’s program. For instance, we were 
to have the appreciation type for our next assignment, with a teacher selected for 
demonstration. All teachers were to be able to give something worthwhile at the 
next meeting. Suggestive readings were given. These types were followed up by 
the principal’to find improvement. Teaching became more interesting and a pro- 
fessional spirit was increased. A concrete illustration of this was the exclamation 
of the teachers on returning from the group center meeting: “ Just think! We had 
just been doing the very things that were discussed at the meeting. We were able to 
make some firsthand contributions.” 

The other principal who was working intensively on teachers’ meetings 
tried a somewhat different plan but one of especial interest to his teachers. 
He and they decided to have demonstration lessons for each other on Tues- 
day, Wednesday, and Thursday. To study the assigned material in the 
county reading circle book, and to come together on Friday afternoon for a 
one and one-half hour conference for discussing the demonstration lessons 
and their professional readings. 

They conferred as to the theme of the coming county group center meet- 
ing and planned their demonstration lessons accordingly but with special 
reference to their own needs. They decided whom each one should observe. 
A schedule was posted, giving the subject and type of demonstration lesson 
to be taught, the date, the hour, the teacher, and the visiting teachers’ 
names. From one to three teachers observed in each room. 








90 NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION 





The problem arose of taking care of the work in each visiting teacher’s 
room. This was solved by asking a high school pupil, who had a study 
period at that hour, to take charge of the room. These pupils showed 
genuine interest in preparing to make the hour of value to the children and 
in line with their day’s work and interests. 

There were demonstration lessons in reading, language, history, and 
arithmetic, beginning tuesday morning and lasting through Thursday. 

At the conference period on Friday, each teacher was present and took 
a much more active part in the discussions than in any previous meeting. 
They had gained a much clearer idea as to what a meeting may mean when 
problems similar to those to be taken up have been worked through and 
discussed. 

An outgrowth of this discovery was a plan for their meetings the follow- 
ing year. They decided that in order to get the greatest possible value from 
group and grade meetings the next year, they would plan the following 
program: 

1. Gain a clear idea of the purposes and essential features of the group and 
grade meetings at least two weeks ahead of the date of the meeting. 

2. Carry through activities of the same nature as those to be considered at the 
meeting. 

3. Make statements, as definite as possible, of the problems encountered and their 
attempted solutions. 

4. Make notes at the meeting of specific helps gained there. 

5. Plan and carry through a follow-up meeting in their own school two weeks 
later. 

Through the close and frequent contacts brought about by those meetings 
already held, the principal gained a much more definite idea of the strengths 
and weaknesses of the teachers. 

The principal who was concentrating his efforts on classroom visitation 
and observation decided to adapt the case study technic to help one of his 
teachers. When he had made the study and had begun the use of remedial 
measures, he found her cooperative but not alertly interested. ‘The first 
thing that seemed to catch and hold her attention was this problem exercise, 
adapted from Problen Exercises for High School. Teachers by Douglas 
Waples to a concrete situation in her grade: 

Assume that a boy of average ability in the seventh grade leaves the school 
during the morning session, without explanation or permission and refuses to listen 
to a pupil whom the teacher sends to ask his return, remaining away until after 
the noon recess. It becomes necessary for the teacher to establish her authority. 
Consider the following procedures by which this might be done: 


1. By asking him to leave the room and stay out until he has apologized to the 
teacher and made it clear that he will not repeat the offense. 

2. By threatening corporal punishment on the spot if the apology is not made at 
once. 

3. By sending the boy to the principal’s office with a note of explanation. 

4. By swinging class opinion including the culprit’s against such conduct by showing 
in detail how it has interfered with the rights of all of the class. 

5. By having pupil lose privileges which he values. 

6. By notifying his parents. 








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ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 91 





Directions: 

a. Write the number of the procedure you consider most efficient. 

. Write the number of the procedure you consider least efficient. 

c. List two procedures which you have used in a similar case, giving details and 
results. 

d. There is a procedure, not listed here, which has brought successful results to 
many teachers in similar cases. Talk with other teachers and state the con- 
sensus of opinion on what this other procedure may be. 

After working on this and several other problem exercises, she seemed 
to realize more fully her own needs and now frequently asks for help. 

This same principal used the case study in helping a teacher with a little 
fellow retarded in arithmetic. He stood at the head of the fourth grade in 
everything except arithmetic. In that he was below foot. Information from 
every angle of the study was good, except that, in his own words, arithmetic 
was to him “ just a jumbled up mess of numbers.” 

Remedial instruction was offered to him thirty minutes a day for eight 
weeks. He himself was interested as much as the teacher, so that all effort 
was concentrated on finding the most helpful methods of instruction. It 
was soon found that under careful guidance he could get accurate results, 
but that unguided, he would get impossible results. Stress was placed chiefly 
on (a) exposing him to numbers in many concrete forms; (b) increasing 
his number experience; (c) providing for him continued practise; (d) and 
restraining him from too hasty conclusions. 

Some devices which were tried and which appealed to him were (a) keep- 
ing attendance record for his grade; (b) relay games; (c) “ elder brothers ” 
from upper grades choosing him for score-keeper in playground games; 
(d) keeping a 5 and 10 cent store; (e) making original problems; (f) mak- 
ing a progress book, and several others. At the end of the eight weeks he 
had mastered the multiplication facts, and worked without error in six min- 
utes nine problems similar to 867 plus 927 plus 342. 

The results were very gratifying and continued progress was made until 
the close of the term. His standard test revealed the astonishing fact that 
he had climbed in arithmetic from a grade of 2.8 at the close of the previous 
term to a grade of 4.4 at the close of the present term, and his educational 
grade being 4.8. Thus he had almost “ caught up with himself.” 

Genuinely interested in the success of these remedial measures, the study 
group asked this principal to give them, somewhat in detail, his plan for 
carrying out his program of classroom visitation and observation. His 
reply was: 

I had already made a preliminary survey and had some idea of the work going 
on in each room. Through these visits I was making myself acquainted with the 
type of work being done by the teachers. As I had nothing very definite in mind. I 
did not see very much room for improvement, so usually I came away with nothing 
but commendation for the teacher and her class—much of it being deserved, at that. 

However, if there was nothing more to it than that, what was the use of my 
job? I began immediately to propound questions to Mrs. Morriss and Dr. Tyler, 
who defined my problem more clearly and gave me much light. I began to read 


such books as: Barr and Burton’s The Supervision of Instruction, Cubberley’s The 
Principal and His School, O’Shea’s Everyday Problems, The Principal Studies His 








92 NATIONAL EpucaATION ASSOCIATION 





Job, and others. I saw at once that I must have some information which I did not 
have. Barr and Burton tell me that the only aim of supervision is the improvement 
of instruction. Barnes, in his Rural School Management, intimated the same thing. 
The same idea prevails in The Principal Studies His Job, as well as in many other 
books on the subject. Therefore, in the beginning, I accept this as the answer to 
my first subproblem: “ The true aim of all supervision is the improvement of instruc- 
tion.” So, whatever I do in this line must be for the improvement of instruction, or 
it is not supervision. 

Cubberley in The Principal and His School tells me that “classroom visits need 
to be planned carefully” and “the principal must lay out in his own mind what 
it is he wants to see and do, know why he wants to see it and what he will do with 
the results.” Therefore, I began to make a study of just what I should have in 
mind as I enter the classroom. I realized at once that | could not do the teacher 
any good unless my attitude toward her and her work was very sympathetic. My 
visits must not be merely of the inspection type. In order that she may have the 
proper attitude toward me and my visits, my attitude toward her must be very 
friendly and helpful. My criticism must be constructive, not destructive. My 
understanding with her as I go into her room must be something on this order: 
“This is your job and mine. If your pupils fail, it is not yours and their failure 
alone, but mine also. I am not here as an inspector but a helper. This is our job. 
Let’s do it together and succeed together.” 


The principals and supervisors thus completed their discussions of some 
of the outstanding difficulties encountered during the study, the methods 
used in attacking them, and the results obtained. 

In their last two meetings together, interest centered on the delegation of 
duties to others and the supervisory activities which may be carried on in 
the time thus saved and, last of all, on their conclusions growing out of 
the study. 

The activities which this group thinks can be delegated to someone else 
with no detriment to the school program are: 


1. Making out reports 

Typing, cutting stencils, mimeographing, filing 

Answering the telephone 

Giving out supplies 

. Distributing milk 

Gathering needed information from various classrooms 
Keeping, filing, and sending out certain records 

. Giving information to visitors 

9. Check on supplies 

10. Keeping of study hall 

11. Handling miscellaneous finances (milk money, plays, etc.) 
12. Some of the routine work in connection with tardies and absences. 


AupPey 


os 


The supervisory activities which they think can be carried on in the time 
thus saved are: 


1. Visit and observe daily in classrooms. 
2. Hold conferences with individual teachers. 
3. Learn the teachers’ difficulties. 
4- Through closer, more frequent and more purposeful contacts, help more 
promptly and more effectively in overcoming the difficulties. 
5- Hold office hours for teachers seeking help. 
6. Assist in securing and in collecting materials. 
Teach in certain grades in order to make it possible for the teachers to observe 
outstanding teachers at work. 








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ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 93 








8. Help the teachers prepare for getting the most help possible from their 
observation in other classrooms. 
Check with these teachers on the results of their visits and help them in 
adapting their observations to their own problems. 
10. Help in giving standard and informal tests. 
11. Help teachers in making use of test results. 
12. Do more professional reading and studying. 
13. Pass on to the teachers helpful references in books and magazines for their 
specific problems. 
14. Help the teachers in stating their “impossible” problems, so definitely and 
clearly that the supervisor can join promptly and effectively in finding a 
solution. 


At the final meeting, the principals put down their “ convictions” in 
writing: 


We are convinced: 

That the principal must prepare himself more thoroughly for supervision. 

That the principal has more time for this duty than he has been willing to admit. 

That the matter of attitude plays an important part in this duty. 

That classroom visits should be based on the difficulties of teachers and that 

visitation and observation should be definitely planned. 

That individual conferences can be made doubly effective by careful pre- 

liminary preparation and a wisely thought-out follow-up. 

6. That teachers’ meetings can be made to carry over into definite improvement 
in classroom practises. That this can be accomplished by preliminary prepara- 
tion, which shows the teachers the relationship of the meeting to their 
specific problems and by an interesting follow-up to make sure that adapta- 
tions have been made. 

7. That no matter which phase of supervision is centered on for intensive study, 
all of the other phases are almost inevitably included. 

8. That there are not so many impossible problems as we have been accustomed 
to believe. But that the combined effort of teacher, principal, supervisor, 
and child will usually find a solution. 

9. That many pitfalls may be anticipated and prevented by reflective thinking. 

10. That the teacher who objects to constructive supervision should be weeded out. 

11. That general supervisors are worth just what teachers and principals will let 
them be but are indispensable to a wide-awake school system. 

12. That our service study, through our reflective thinking, has brought theory 
into the realm of our every-day experiences. 


N 


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“ 


All of the members of the group feel that in making this study they have 
made for themselves a supervisory tool, a homely sort of tool but made 
by themselves with the interested help of teachers, supervisors, children, and 
university instructor. They find that they can use it more deftly than if 
it were more finished but less familiar. Having made it themselves, they 
have been surprised by its practical effectiveness and by the amount of in- 
definiteness it has cleared away. They are keenly interested in making 
another supervisory tool, with still more help from the teachers and from 
the children. 


Are you interested in supervision? See the Editorial Committee’s 
announcement on pages 124-5. 








HEALTH EDUCATION—SOME ENCOURAGING FEATURES 


Joun H. BeveRIDGE 
Superintendent of City Schools, Omaha, Nebraska 


NE of the outcomes of health education is the lengthening of the span 
of human life. The following encouraging data shows an increase 
in the span of life for the nine-year period between 1900 and 1921: 


In 1900—average span of life was 49 years 

In 1910—average span of life was 51 years 

In 1920—average span of life was 55 years 

In 1921—average span of life was 58 years 
‘Those who have made careful study of infant mortality tell us that a 
child, having reached the age of five years, has a life expectancy of 62 years. 

A second outcome of health education should be the development of such 
habits as will enable the child to enjoy the life he is living. ‘There is little 
value in merely learning facts about health. One should learn to practise 
good health habits. 

The schools have contributed something by having children learn well 
established regulations concerning good health and physical welfare, for 
every idea put into the mind has a tendency to work itself out, but the 
maximum is accomplished by having children put these ideas into practise. 

Rhythm plays an important part in the lives of children. It is well for 
the child to learn simple little jingles such as: 


Here I stand 
By the wall 

Look at me 
See how tall 


I shall gain 
I shall grow 
If I eat 


Good food you know. 


However, the check up must be made. Height and weight graphs should 
be kept so that children may know what progress is being made. ‘This is 
the way proper health habits are formed. It is encouraging to see the splen- 
did work teachers and school nurses are doing in the follow-up work that 
puts good health ideas into practise. 

It is a fine thing to have children report on what they actually do in the 
way of observing proper rules and regulations relating to their own physical 
welfare—such as number of hours of sleep, number of hours of recreation, 
number of hours of rest they take, types of food they eat, record of time spent 
daily in the open air, proper ventilation of sleeping rooms, etc.—not that 
all standards may be observed exactly, but that the child may become in- 
terested in his own physical welfare, that his parents may become interested 
also, and thus the child and the parents, working with the school, may 
establish a series of habits that make for physical efficiency. * 


[94] 





















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ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 95 





While the outcome of health education should be keeping well rather 
than becoming well, we are confronted with the fact that children do have 
physical defects and that much remedial work must be done. The growth 
in the idea of having a nursing staff for both city and rural schools has 
developed actual interest in the physical welfare of children. Through this 
means physical defects are discovered and remedied. Dental clinics over the 
country have shown their interest in examining children’s teeth and indi- 
cating the treatment necessary to the end that the health of children has 
been greatly improved. It is a wellknown fact that the mouth is the chief 
carrier of disease. It is encouraging to note the interest taken by the dental 
profession in promoting the health of children and to note how rapidly 
dental clinics are growing. It is our business to cooperate. 

We find encouragement again in the closer coordination manifested 
between the Departments of Health and Physical Education in the school 
systems. For example, those who enter vigorous physical contests are re- 
quired to take physical examinations and have the consent of their parents 
and a physician before engaging in such contests. 

In those physical contests that are wholesome, a larger and larger number 
of pupils participate to the good of the entire school rather than to the 
welfare of a few. Recently | observed more than 1000 elementary school 
girls, who had participated in volley ball contests, come together in one 
group meeting and hold a final contest and social gathering, and have a 
social contact beneficial to all concerned. One feature of this affair was to 
have several representatives each wear a costume that would represent some 
good substantial book. ‘Uheir interest was thus carried over from the 
physical education department to social education. 

The introduction into the physical education department of remedial 
work, emphasizing good posture, grace and ease of manner and bearing, 
is an encouraging feature in this department. 

The interest that both elementary and high-school pupils are taking in 
the sanitary conditions of the communities in which they live has raised 
the standard of health and education, and has helped to build ideas regarding 
health that will make for better citizenship and be of benefit to these people 
in properly planning for their leisure time. 

The emphasis that is being placed upon the study of health education is 
significant. “Che goals of health education as set up in the Sixth Yearbook 
of the Department of Superintendence of the National Education Asso- 
ciation are as follows: 

1. To establish health habits and standards. 

2. To instill a working knowledge of practical facts relating to cleanliness and 
sanitation, food, fresh air, rest, exercise, games, sports, and other types of 
recreation, the causes of preventable diseases, and the means of checking them. 

3. To build ideals regarding health, beauty, and service for self, school, and 
community that will result in better living, including proper use of leisure time. 


4. To develop the individual’s sense of his responsibility, not only for his own 
health, but for that of the community in which he resides. 











96 NATIONAL EpUCATION ASSOCIATION 





There is also an increased interest in the subject of mental health. May 
I call your attention to an article by Daniel W. LaRue, “ Mental Health 
and the Principal,” found on page seven of the October issue of this 
Bulletin. This article is an illustration of such interest and says that 
“ultimate health is mental health”? and admonishes, “ live as you would 
be lived with.” Mr. LaRue states that teachers believe that “ tact” is 
the first qualification of the school principal. Consider the best and most 
efficient executives you know. Are they not, for the most part, men and 
women of good physical and mental health? 

A recent investigation shows that the absence of teachers, due to illness, 
cost the city of Cleveland, Ohio, $300,000 in one year. This may not be 
great for so large a city as Cleveland, but it is significant. This, with other 
studies of a similar kind, has forced upon us the importance of the physical 
welfare of the teacher. 

But still more important than the financial value of regular attendance 
to duties is the educational value of having teachers who radiate health 
and vigor—teachers who are dynamic, alert, and buoyant. The promotion 
of teachers is an obligation of educational administration. As a result of 
three separate studies made relative to the health of teachers, recommen- 
dations were made which practically agree in the following: * 

1. That conditions of schools include rest places and rest time for teachers, proper 


ventilation, cleanliness, adequate lunch facilities. 
2. That better facilities be provided for physical activities and recreation of 
teachers. 
That definite efforts be made to find adequate living quarters for teachers. 
That selective physical examination be given to all applicants before employ- 
ment—this examination to be followed by instructions on how to keep well. 
That probationary health periods be fixed for correction of remediable defects. 
6. That provision be made by educational authorities for health supervision and 
guidance of teachers with periodic health examinations and advice concern- 
ing matters of personal health. 
That adequate provision for retirement be put on a permanent basis. 
That salaries be based on a decent and adequate standard of living. 
9. That health insurance and sick leave be provided, and that teachers who are 
unfit for effective work be required to take sufficient time for recovery. 
10. That records of teachers’ absences be kept. That an annual analysis of the 
absences be made to determine the causes which impair the health of teachers. 
11. That every teacher in training be given a thorough physical examination upon 
entrance by a competent physician with a “health positive” attitude. That 
instruction and training be given in personal hygiene and health education. 
12. That conditions of supervision be made consistent with the policy of health 
promotion among teachers. 


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sali 


Laws of a number of states require that cases of “ radium poisoning ” 
be properly reported. 

Several states have made certain occupational diseases compensatable under 
the Workmen’s Compensation Act; New York state is an example. This 
state reported 1438 cases of occupational disease and poisoning in the 
year closing June, 1926. Many industries are making eliminations of in- 


* Health Trends in Secondary Education—Child Health Association, 370 Seventh 
Avenue, New York City, p. 46-47. 











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ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 97 





jurious substances and substituting harmless ones. For example, white 
phosphorus has all but been eliminated in the manufacture of matches; the 
use of radium paint for making luminous dials on watches is being seriously 
questioned. 

According to Dr. Raymond Pearl, hard physical labor, after the age of 
forty often brings premature death, or at least shortens the life of the indi- 
vidual. Caution is necessary. Many of us may have to revise the slogan: 
“Hard work never kills anyone.” We are learning that subjecting our- 
selves to work in greatly varying temperatures endangers life, and that 
hot and heavy work after the age of forty should be avoided. 

In the last two decades great improvement in mortality has taken place 
among wage earners. About five years have been added to the life expectancy 
of every “ industrial worker at the age of twenty.” 

It is encouraging to see the interest manifested in prolonging the lives 
of industrial workers by manufacturers and by most industries. Attention 
to conditions under which people work, provision for physical recreation, 
periods of rest, proper conveniences, better food for lunch—all spell better 
health. 

The interest shown by President Hoover in his remarks to the White 
House Conference Committee on July 29, 1929, shows the significance he 
attaches to health education. He said in part, “ We should take national 
stock of the progress and present situation in health and the protection of 
children, that out of this investigation we should also develop common sense 
plans for further advancement in these directions. . .. . The greatest asset 
of a race is its children, and their bodily strength and development should 
prepare them to receive the heritage which each generation should bequeath 
to the next. .... By the safeguarding of health, and the protection of 
childhood, we further contribute to that equality of opportunity which is the 
unique basis of American civilization.” 

Out of this conference has come a main division on Medical Service and 
Public Health Administration, with four subdivisions each working toward 
the physical betterment of the child. Watch this committee’s work, its 
investigation, reports, and recommendations. 





S I SEE IT, and as I am sure you appreciate it, health is that 
condition in which we have the greatest freedom for the ex- 
ercise of all our faculties for the enjoyment and for the work of 
life. It affords us the opportunity to do what we wish to do and 
to go whither we desire to go, within the limits imposed by heredity, 
and our past experiences. Now, at the present day, this definition 
will answer very well as the aim of all education, and it is but 
logical that the educator has taken it upon himself to see that the 
child has the maximum of fitness, physically as well as mentally, 
for his work and play in school and in after life-—James Frederick 
Rogers, M. D., U. S. Office of Education. 




















SOME USES OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ASSEMBLIES 


REBECCA J. COFFIN 
The Lincoln School of Teachers College, Columbia University, New York City 


zz BLIES for the purpose of sharing experiences have been a 
very real part of the life of the Lincoln School from its beginning in 
1917. A class wished to tell the school about a study which it had made 
or to present a play. Plans needed to be made by the school for Christmas 
giving. Someone—parent, teacher, or child—knew of an explorer, painter, 
musician, or poet whose contribution would very much enrich the life of 
the school. “These and numerous other real purposes in sharing formed the 
beginnings of the development of assemblies. At first, meetings were called 
at irregular intervals, but these soon became so important in the life of the 
school that a regular weekly hour was included in the program. At this 
same time a committee of staff members was appointed to study the uses 
of assemblies and ways of improving them. As an outgrowth of these be- 
ginnings there is at present an assembly committee composed of one child 
from each class from the third grade through the sixth grade with a teacher- 
advisor, which reports at times to the Elementary School Council.’ 

Among the changes in practise that have come about through experience 
is that of limiting the audience and the time to fit the situation. Kinder- 
garten, first, and second grade children seldom participate in a general assem- 
bly now because of overstimulation and confusion on the child’s part. An 
assembly which is simple enough and short enough for a first-grade child 
is generally not stimulating to a sixth-grade child, and one that is worthy 
of a sixth-grade child in content and organization is nearly always too 
mature for a first-grade child. Sometimes two or more groups of the 
younger children have an assembly together in one of their own rooms, 
where the vastness and strangeness of a large assembly room does not over- 
come them when they are making their contributions. 

A study of assembly programs over a period of years shows that they 
fall into rather definite groups in which special values inhere. Programs 
growing out of classroom studies form one large grouping. ‘he presentation 
of a classroom study (or unit of work) on aviation by a sixth grade calls for 
a careful consideration of the medium through which to present the materi- 
als—shall it be a debate as to which country leads in aviation? Shall it 
be a series of talks with demonstrations, illustrative materials, and charts? 
Or shall the pupils write a play embodying their ideas in dramatic form? 
Shall the fifth grade present their study of the evolution of water trans- 
portation through a series of paintings and talks, shall they impersonate 
leading men in navigation, or shall they give poems, dances, and songs re- 
lated to sea-life? “he desire to show to others the interesting work done 


‘See p. 12-21 Curriculum Making in an Elementary School by the Staff of the 
Elementary Department of the Lincoln School of Teachers College, published by 
Ginn and Company, 1927. 


[98] 





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ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 99 





in their class inspires each group to ingenuity.’ The reorganization of a 
class study may call for interpretation through another medium. This 
serves to select and to fix useful information. Not the least among the 
values in the presentation of class studies as assembly programs is the 
natural use made of various forms of expression such as the planning and 
making of costumes, the building and painting of scenery, the planning 
and writing of the content of a play, and the managing of the stage. 

Other programs group themselves around problems that have to do with 
the life of the school. At these assemblies ways of improving the lunch 
hour may be discussed; a council meeting may be held, or the children 
new to the school in the fall may meet for discussion of phases of the school 
which interest or puzzle them. ‘These assemblies go far in developing a 
spirit of good-fellowship which comes through sharing common respon- 
sibilities. Here, too, the younger and the older members come to appre- 
ciate and understand each other. Very valuable suggestions bearing on 
different phases of organizing the life of the school have grown out of 
assemblies of this type. 

The occasional programs by specialists and artists are planned pri- 
marily to bring about further appreciation and give keen pleasure in some 
field in which there is already interest as in the cases where Miss Rose 
Fyleman read some of her poems, and Miss Constance Lindsay Skinner 
told how she wrote her books. ‘This type of assembly also sets high standards 
of artistic excellence. 

Sometimes there are assemblies for practise. These serve to bring to a 
number of classes an appreciation for a complete program and to give the 
experience of fitting single parts into a whole. Outstanding class shortages 
are noted for further class work. ‘The time is not used for teaching words 
or for detailed drill; this is done in the class period. This type of assembly 
is most often for music practise. 

The assembly committee is responsible for planning dates for those 
wishing to give assemblies, for keeping in touch with teachers and pupils 
as to what topics they would like to see presented, for making any special 
arrangements for lighting, decorating, disposing of materials, etc., and also 
for keeping balance in the year’s programs. 

Progressive schools everywhere are concerning themselves with further 
developing the aspects of their work which contribute to socialized living.’ 
This is interpreted to include organized living in the school as a com- 
munity. ‘The Lincoln School is constantly examining its assembly pro- 
grams with this thought in mind. Following is a partial list of such programs 
grouped from this standpoint.’ 


‘Ibid., p. 1oo-111 for Miss Avah Hughes’ detailed account of how the Wheat 
Play developed in a Second Grade. 

See “The Morning’-Exercise as a Socializing Influence.” Francis W. Parker 
School Yearbook. Chicago, 1913. This contains a discussion of the theory of 
assemblies, materials and programs for many assemblies and illustrations. 

*From “Some Uses of Elementary School Assemblies” in preparation by the 
Lincoln School of Teachers College, New York City. 








100 NATIONAL EpucATION ASSOCIATION 





1. Assemblies to develop school community life 


A Dream in the Library. Developed to show how the library should be used. 
Described in “ The Lincoln School Library,” p. 14. Published by the Lincoln 
School 

A creative work period assembly 

A summer work exhibit assembly 

The assembly as a means of planning a school activity 


2. Assemblies to develop appreciation of social and industrial cooperation 


A study of records—A program given by a sixth grade showing how human 
records have developed from the cairn to presentday methods of record 
keeping. 

A textile assembly 

An assembly on shelter (See Illustrative Programs) 

New York City—A second grade dramatized some aspects of life in the play 
city which they built 





3. Assemblies to develop appreciation of other people 


Christmas in other lands—Christmas stories from Sweden, Spain, France, and 
Germany were told and carols of these countries sung in the original language 

Africa: A travel talk given by one of the fathers who had just returned from 
an educational mission to Africa 

The Little Dawn Boy—An American Indian play given by the second grade 


4. Assemblies to develop appreciation of science 


The Lincoln Nature Corporation—An account given by the fifth grade of 
their experiments in raising pedigreed canaries and white rats—nutrition 
experiments in the feeding of the rats, with charts showing results. 

A study of fossils (reported by a third grade) 

Experiments in science 

A food assembly 

Birds (A talk by the high-school biology teacher) 

Primary assembly on electricity 

Kite flying (See Illustrative Programs) 

Aviation (sixth grade) 


5. Assemblies to develop appreciation for the esthetic 


A. Literature 
“The Magic Fish Bone” (a dramatization by a sixth grade) 
“ Odysseus” (a dramatization by a fifth grade) 
Ballad assemblies 
How we use books 
Christina Rosetti assembly 
A puppet play 
A favorite book assembly 
B. Art 
A study of pottery—Demonstrations and talks by representatives from the 
third grade through the sixth grade. 
C. Music 
A creative music assembly—A symphony given by all of the children of the 
fourth, fifth, and sixth grades. Many of them used instruments they had 
made. 
Song assemblies 
The Norfleet Trio—Two concerts were given by artists on stringed instru- 
ments 


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ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 101 





D. Rhythmic plays and dances—Folk-songs and dances given by Grade IV 
Original dances. 
A rhythm assembly—These rhythms were selected from among many which 
had béen developed in the physical education classes 


6. Assemblies to commemorate anniversaries 


A talk given to the entire school by a man who is an authority on 





Lincoln 
Lincoln 

A Thanksgiving assembly 

The Christmas story dramatized 

A Columbus play 

“The ideal is one of vital school meetings where pupils learn to share 

their interesting experiences, to express themselves intelligently, easily and 
naturally, and where they grow toward high standards of comradeship, 
citizenship, appreciation, and scholarship through cooperative efforts in 
school affairs.” * 


ILLUSTRATIVE PROGRAMS 
ASSEMBLY ON SHELTER 


(Under the direction of the Industrial Arts Department. Arrangement and man- 
agement by Ninth Grade boys) 


OCCT CTT TEC TET CCE TE TOT PCE TE Oe TC TE ey rT Grade IX 
Se | ION aa Goes co. 4 9 anor cet ba ar0 dave Dspace aa ea oupieny Giehate lalate che ena ee Grade | 
I Scie toi iain dia. d vic wleaia aed ecace Te aoa naloinree Bde ea Eee ee Grade II 
I NO inna ck. ork, ah wie ain wick ast Dwi nln fold dea Hm aR Re ROR eee aa Grade III 
How We Made Bricks and Concrete in the Fourth Grade.............. Grade V 
OS EEO TE ae APE EE AY ee eT RC Grade VII—Girls 
meaty FP Pee: CONMPMGION 6. «oc: 5 o.5:6-c asic cnddionas a siiesins or Grade VII—Boys 
Exterior and Interior Finish of Houses..................0000e- Grade VIII—Boys 
Modern Buildings (Illustrated by Lantern Slides).............. Grade IX—Boys 


A. The Zoning System 
B. Contributions from the Past 
C. Our Finest Buildings 


Kite AssEMBLY 


(By Sixth Graders) 


I. Introduction 
Beginnings 
II. A Chinese Legend 
III. Kite Flying in Other Countries 
IV. Kite Flying in the United States 
For Sport 
For Scientific Purposes 
V. Benjamin Franklin’s Experiences with Kites 
VI. Our Experiences 
1. Construction—framework, geometry applied, covering kites 
2. Flying Our Kites 
What Makes a Kite Fly 
The Beaufort Scale of Wind Force 
3. Our Tournament 


1Some Uses of School Assemblies, published by the Lincoln School of Teachers 
College, 425 West 123rd Street, New York, 1922. (Out of print) 











102 NATIONAL EpuCcATION ASSOCIATION 





‘THANKSGIVING 
I. Four Songs of Harvest-time sung by children in Grades I and II 


Now to the Meadows 
Out in the Orchard 
Pretty Little Johnny 
The First Bouquet 


Il. “We Think of the Harvest Festivals of Other Peoples” contributed by 
children in Grades III-VI 


The Hebrew Hymn of Thanksgiving 
Harvest Customs of Ancient Peoples 
The Pilgrims’ Thanksgiving 
An Indian Hymn of Praise 


IIl. We ‘Tell of the Things for Which We Are Thankful in Our Own Hymn of 
Praise (See “ Our Hymn of Thanksgiving ” below) 


Song, “Come, Ye Thankful People, Come.” 


Our HyMn or THANKSGIVING * 


Child: We give thanks for the beautiful country that lies around us. 

We give thanks for the grains and vegetables and fruits prepared for us. 

We give thanks for the rain that falls and the sun that shines down 
upon us. j 

And we give thanks for the growing trees and flowers about us. 

We thank God for the mountains that tower above us and for the rocks 
that give us shelter and give us beauty. 

We give thanks for the sky above us and the earth below us and the 
birds that fly between earth and sky. 

We give thanks for the cloth to make sails and the wood to make boats 
to sail on the waters. 


Chorus: Thanks to Thee, O God, we give, 
For the food by which we live. 
May we eat our bread with joy, 
And our strength for good employ. 


~ 


Child: We give thanks for the little streams that flow. 
We give thanks for the tide that rises and lets us go out in our boats. 
We give thanks for the sea with fishes in it. 
We give thanks for the warm clothes and beds and houses to live in. 
We give thanks for schools to learn in. 
We give thanks for the beauty and love all around us. 
We give thanks for all the things that the Lord has set upon the earth. 


Chorus: ‘Thanks to ‘Thee, O God, we give, 
For the food by which we live. 
May we eat our bread with joy, 
And our strength for good employ. 


*This Hymn of Thanksgiving was a composite production prepared for use in the 
Thanksgiving Assembly by Grade III. The teacher asked the pupils what they 
thought should go into our hymn of thanksgiving. The following shows the 
finished hymn which the children arranged from their original suggestions. 





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THE EXTRACURRICULUM PROGRAM IN A SMALL 
GOMMUNITY 


By EMERSON GUY GREENAWALT 
Supervising Principal, Susquehanna, Pennsylvania 


SCHOOL administrator who would introduce an extensive program 

of extracurriculum activities in a small community of limited finances 
and conservative ideas must possess courage, tact, and a wealth of imagina- 
tion. ‘The very fact that the community is conservative indicates that the 
citizens, at least the leaders, cling to old traditions and practises. There- 
fore, the innovator at once places himself in a position for criticism. This 
requires courage, but that his courage may not turn out to be foolhardiness, 
he also needs tact. He dare not resent the criticism and censure of his 
would-be opponents. He must regard them as his future supporters. ‘They 
are his prospects. ‘Io them he must sell his program. ‘This will necessitate 
that he draw generously on his store of imagination. 

‘lwo factors are involved: First, the administrator must have a pro- 
gram—one that he can justify in the face of sound educational philosophy 
and practise; second, he must be determined, in the very striking language 
of baseball, to “ put it across.” His program must be vital, in order to 
grip the imagination of the children; that is, it must tend to come in contact 
with, and draw out, the aptitudes, capacities, and inclinations of the 
pupils. No greater avenue of approach into the homes of the parents 
exists than through the interest and enthusiasm of the children. His 
personality must be large enough to arrest the attention and arouse the 
interest of the teachers; for since the finances of the district are limited, 
the teachers must assist, individually and collectively, in carrying out the 
executive’s plans. Consequently, he must be sincere in his purpose, whole- 
hearted in his interest, and perfectly willing and able to assist the teachers 
whenever the need arises. At times he must do more than direct the teachers 
in their efforts; he must even train the children. He ought to have enough 
skill and imagination to place himself in dramatic situations, for instance, 
present a sample bit of acting for the inspiration and guidance of the young 
people who are to be trained. ' 

Seven years ago the author of this article undertook the development of* 
a program of extracurriculum activities in a small Pennsylvania German 
community of twenty-five hundred people. The initial attempt included 
an operetta, a school play, and a May Day festival. A partime teacher of 
music trained the students for the operetta. The administrator himself 
coached the boys and girls in the play and directed the health games and 
dances for the festival. 

The director’s part'in arranging for the May Day exercises consisted 
largely in encouraging each teacher to properly train the pupils in his own 
individual group, and then to organize and coordinate the entire production. 
The element of competition inspired the teacher and his pupils to do their 
very best, so that the first May Day festival of the public schools of this 


[103] 











104 NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION 


community was a success. ‘The May Day festival, or pageant, has ever 
since been an annual affair in the district, and it has become quite popular 
with the people of the community, as is evidenced by the fact that two 
thousand persons attend each year to see their children, six hundred in num- 
ber, take part in the pageant staged on the diamond and green of the local 
ball park. 

The pageant is two hours of entertainment to the people who attend; 
it is six weeks, or two months, of rehearsing for the classroom teacher; but 
for the children themselves it is life. “hey live for it from one year’s end 
to the other. It is a colorful and eventful day in their experience. 

As they sit on the greensward viewing the total pageant—with its story, 
its action, its picturesque dress, the evident enjoyment of its participants, 
and its wonderful beauty—it creates imagination. 

It inspires in them a greater delicacy of taste. It teaches them to play 
and dance together in harmony. It gives grace to their bodily movements. 
It produces confidence, and takes selfconsciousness away from them. In 
brief, the pupils in the pageant learn to be at ease in the company of their 
fellows and in the eyes of the public. To say that the annual pageant 
means better health is not sufficient argument to convince the community. 
Games on the playground may be counted on for that, so far as the people 
can see. These various other factors must be pointed out by the administra- 
tor; directed play must be emphasized—directed play with a definite pur- 
pose, an ultimate goal, such as a public exhibition. This the children will 
appreciate. It will vitalize their work; their interest will become genuine. 
The results will then be assured, for they will convince their parents. 

The teacher, too, needs to see that the training of his pupils for the 
pageant may, and should, become a part of his health program. ‘There is a 
place in his calisthenics and directed play for the folk dance. It will afford 
a delightful variation to the regular routine. Children love music. In the 
classroom they are taught to sing and to appreciate beautiful folk songs. 
Why should they not care to play in time to these attractive airs on the 
playground ? 

Once the teacher considers pageant material a means of health training 
on the playgrounds, or in the gymnasium periods, he will not only find the 
burden of playground duties considerably lighter, because the children 
naturally like to express themselves through dances and group games; but 
also that, if they are allowed a margin of freedom, they will express them- 
selves in such a manner that he may even improve upon the material of- 
fered by the author of the manuscript. It is scarcely too much to be ex- 
pected that the teachers and pupils in cooperation, and to music, may become 
authors of games and dances for their own pageants, as a part of their 
playground activities. Thus, pageantry on the playground may discover and 
train creative spirit. 

Since the pageant starts training pupils in the first grade, and through 
successive stages advancing in degree of difficulty from grade to grade, it 
becomes the basic extracurriculum activity of the school. Its product con- 











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ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 105 


tributes towards the success not only of athletic sports, but of the operetta, 
the play, and insofar as poise, grace, and selfpossession are concerned, in 
debate, in declamations, and in oratorical contests. Besides, the preparatory 
work in getting the pageant ready, in the field of physical education, a 
correlated program of health exercises, and of directed games and dances 
should be carried out on the playground and, lacking gymnasium facilities 
for inclement weather, in the school corridors. 

Furthermore, public school performances tend to establish a more vital 
contact between the people of the community and their schools. Excellence 
in this department creates public interest by arousing in parents and tax- 
payers in general a consciousness of personal ownership. Their schools and 
their children are entertaining. ‘he talent represents their own blood 
and their own relationship. The training is due to teachers and facilities 
furnished by their own taxes and their own initiative. That which was 
but an innovation only a few years since, now becomes an essential part of 
firmly established local customs and traditions. 

The most stubborn objector to extracurriculum activities will attend a 
parent-teacher association meeting, or a transfer or commencement exer- 
cise, provided his own child is to participate in the program. Likewise, he 
will patronize a play if his child is an actor. Visiting day at school will 
always be well-attended if the children present some form of special enter- 
tainment. Parents like to know that their children are able to do things— 
that they excel in certain fields of interesting endeavor. 

The more that the school administrator can show that the extracurriculum 
activities correlate closely with the regular work of the classroom, the 
quicker he can sell his idea to the public. As with the pageant and its 
connection to the health work of the school, so the annual school play 
should be of such a literary character that it could be, at least partly, re- 
hearsed in the English class, as a feature of the daily lesson plan. For the 
other part, it should afford additional English training to those who possess 
mental ability above the average of the class. 

School dramatics should never be thought of as a vehicle for discovering 
professional dramatic talent in a community, and developing professional 
dramatic skill in one or two selected students. They should endeavor to 
cultivate in the students in general a higher dramatic appreciation—to 
render the individual more competent in the selection of the type of plays 
which are to entertain him during his leisure moments. They should teach 
impersonation of character and interpretation of thought and feeling to a 
selected few who will, perhaps, be called upon to act in, or to direct, home- 
talent or school plays. The entire program of school dramatics should have 
as its underlying philosophy a conscious effort to raise the community’s 
level of dramatic appreciation. 

The civic club, the chamber of commerce, the church, and all local, 
school, or religious organizations will have need of people who are trained 
to serve as officers, entertainers, and public speakers. The extracurriculum 
program of a school system tends to increase efficiency in these capacities. 











106 NATIONAL EpUCATION ASSOCIATION 








Public speaking alone is a large contributing factor. It not only trains 
children to appear in public to interpret selections of prose or poetry, or 
to discuss problems of interest and importance in a clear and convincing 
tone of voice, but it induces the audience to listen to and appreciate public 
speaking. Great good is derived by all from hearing speakers practise 
correct pronounciation and enunciation in English expression. 

During the past year 37 percent of the high-school students in the small 
community used as an example took part in a declamation contest to select 
a school representative for the county contest. More than five percent 
competed in the local eliminations of the international oratorical contest; 
40 percent sang in the mixed chorus at the first annual musicale. In plays 
and the operetta 55 percent appeared on the stage. ‘These activities were all 
elective, and the dramatic casts were selected by trial. School athletics include 
football, baseball, track, and tennis. Approximately 45 percent of the 
student body engaged in these activities. 

A very important activity under process of development is the homeroom 
program. Its importance lies in the fact that it trains for a worthy use of 
leisure time, both people to entertain and people to be entertained. ‘The 
performer and the auditor are given an opportunity to show preference in 
the matter of selecting their own amusements and entertainment. ‘The 
entertainer prepares and presents a number in competition with his class- 
mates. Then, in turn, the audience votes on the most popular one. ‘The 
one receiving the most votes is given before the whole student body at the 
general chapel exercises. 

The homeroom program of a literary nature is varied with a business 
program. Here again a social good is rendered in teaching the students 
of the group to conduct their business activities in an orderly and proper 
fashion ; that is, to plan social functions and to keep records of their business 
transactions. ‘The teacher should act as guide and director. ‘The home- 
room activities of his pupils should be regarded in the light of a laboratory 
experiment in social science. Data from controled situations should be ob- 
tained, evaluated, and classified. 

The school library and the school bank are two. outstanding phases of 
extracurriculum work, and both are closely allied to the regular program. 
Here again, the purpose is not especially and primarily to train librarians or 
bankers; but, in the:case of the library, to offer abundant opportunity to the 
student to improve his reading ability, and to gain a better appreciation 
of literature for use in leisure time; and, in the case of the bank, to guide 
the pupils so that they carry on their finances in a systematic and business- 
like manner. 

The extracurriculum program of a small community will grow with 
the years—grow in importance and efficiency. As it broadens in influence, 
deepens in interest, and increases in vision, the scholastic attainments in 
high school and college, and in life itself, of the pupils trained under this 
program, all other things being equal, will prove superior. 











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THE BOY SCOUT JAMBOREE 


J. Kay WHITE 
Principal, West Division School, Des Plaines, Illinois 


NM OST of my readers know of the Boy Scout organization in their 

own home town.’ You probably know that this organization is one 
of the best means of training the young lads of today for better citizens in 
a community. There are over 800,000 boys in the United States at the 
present time who are members of this great international movement. ‘There 
are over two million scattered over the entire world. 

Several years ago Sir Robert Baden-Powell said that for the cost of a 
single dreadnaught the Boy Scout movement could do more for the future 
of world peace than the greatest navies ever accomplished. Scouting is a 
real brotherhood with a bond of common ideals and common interests. From 
this situation, the Boy Scout Jamboree of 1929 was made possible. ‘This 
Jamboree was spoken of as the ‘“‘ Coming of Age Jamboree,” signifying the 
celebration of the twenty-first birthday of the Boy Scout movement, and 
the whole occasion was a tribute to Sir Robert Baden-Powell, the Chief 
Scout of the World. 

Twenty-one years ago Sir Robert Baden-Powell, of London, took a small 
group camping with him on Brownsea Island and following that began 
to write Scouting for Boys. These articles were published as quickly as 
written in weekly instalments in one of London’s illustrated magazines. 
Sir Robert’s intention was to offer the program to existing organizations 
without any strings attached. This he did, but such interest was shown 
immediately throughout England that groups calling themselves Boy Scouts 
were organized independently, and an association to promote it became 
absolutely necessary. There is no man living today who commends the 
affections of the boys of the world as does Sir Robert Baden-Powell. 
Through his persistent work among boys, he has developed that feeling of 
brotherhood, which has spread to nearly every corner of the globe. When 
the Chief Scout issued the little magazine, Scouting for Boys, and established 
the troops of Boy Scouts and later the Girl Guides, no one could have fore- 
told all that was to spring from that tiny seed. 

Some there were who saw the germ of militarism in his pioneer move- 
ment, but they were wrong. At Geneva, Locarno, and the Hague, men are 
still seeking by words to permanently destroy the specter of war. Yet, in 
1929, at the Boy Scout Jamboree at Arrowe Park, boys white, black, brown, 
and yellow, and of rival nations and innumerable creeds were assembled as 
brothers. There seemed to be a popular feeling among the people and the 
press that this Jamboree was the most important event of the year in rele- 
gating world wars to the background. One English editorial writer said: 

The great Boy Scout Jamboree is the most significant sign of an inward and 
spiritual grace I can remember. It is the sign of the growing amity of the nations 
and an omen of coming peace and brotherhood built upon the solid rock of an 
enlightened understanding. It is a magnificent symbol of the spirit of the age. 

*How Scouting came to America is told in Handbook for Boys, official manual 


of the Boy Scouts of America. 
[107] 











108 NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION 





It is impossible to describe the numerous incidents of the Jamboree. 
Scouts were registered from forty-two nations. ‘Lhe British delegation in 
addition included representatives from thirty-seven colonies. There was a 
total of 55,000 Scouts from the various nations. The United States was 
well represented with nearly 1500 Scouts. 

The camp at Arrowe Park was a stretch of pasture, lawns, gardens, and 
woods, about four miles long and about three miles at the widest point. 
It is one of the most beautiful country estates of England. Here is a report 
of the camp as I have gathered it: 


From the wrought iron gate of which the principal design is crossed arrows, 
from which the estate takes its name, a beautiful avenue leads up to the hall, a big 
old-fashioned, fairly low building surrounded by an English garden and a park 
magnificently kept. To the right is a wooded glade down which I went. Suddenly, 
I was at the edge of the forest, where stretching before me as far as the eye could 
see was an immense meadow crossed by avenues and dotted with small thickets 
and ponds, a magnificent sight and a splendid panorama. I followed the glade to 
the west, then to the north, and came upon the lake hidden in the trees, with the 
sides fringed with primrose, and all sorts of wild flowers. It is here on a piece of 
ground of over 450 acres that the largest boys’ camp that has even been seen arose. 


There were English Scouts from all parts of the world. Some proclaimed 
their locality by the skins of snakes around their hats, others by leopard 
tails, and still others by the Lancashire rose. Then came the Scouts of 
Ireland, followed by the hardy boys from bonny Scotland. ‘The one, sing- 
ing the glories of the green, and the other playing a lively tune on the 
bagpipes. 

The Hungarians were there with their big packs and steady step. With 
snappy uniforms the French Scouts filed into camp, singing the Marseillaise 
and greeting every one with a hearty grin. 

In the nearby harbor of Liverpool ships unloaded their laughing throngs. 
The Scouts of the world were coming to England, the birthplace of the 
Boy Scout program. Some had to travel overseas for seven weeks in order 
to get there; others were able to mount their bicycles and ride to the gath- 
ering in an hour. Some had to travel half-way around the world to be 
present ; some came by aeroplane, while others had.only a few miles to walk. 
So they came night and day—scouts from everywhere. Every known race 
was represented in the great multitude. The sturdy blonds of Sweden and 
the darker Indiar “couts alike paid homage to the great Chief Scout. 

There were lads from India; Scouts from Australia, eager to teach 
the arts of camping as practised in their country; Scouts from Siam, bril- 
liantly outfitted i+ heir beautiful suits; Scouts from Japan, coming from 
a far country to give world brotherhood a helping hand and to make 
friends with Occidental boys; Scouts from Iraq and Esthonia, China, 
Greece, Iceland, and Chile. They all came to celebrate the twenty-first 
birthday of Scouting and to honor its founder, Sir Robert Baden-Powell. 

Boys rushed from their half-peeled potatoes to greet brother Scouts from 
other lands. Fingers and hands, as well as tongues, were used to conve) 
hearty messages to‘one another. Barriers of language, as well as religion and 


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ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 109 





color, were pushed aside. Every one greeted everyone else with a firm 
scout grip and a joyful smile. For two days previous to the opening of the 
Jamboree this continual humdrum was kept up and when the sun had 
finally set on that wonderful camp, instead of a peaceful forest, there were 
thousands of tents warmed by cheerful campfires and laughter of tired, 
but happy boys. 

On the great fields ot the park there had been erected a long circular 
grandstand for visitors, of whom there were more than 350,000 during the 
Jamboree. 

On the afternoon of July 31st, upon the arrival of H. R. H., and the Duke 
of Connaught, the Royal Standard was flung to the breeze, the British 
national anthem was played, and thus opened the Third International 
Jamboree. On the raising of the flag and the playing of the anthem, the 
Chief Scout sounded a note on the Kudu horn, which called the first scouts 
from their beds at Brownsea Island in 1907. Colorful in appearance and 
with precise execution of commands, the American contingent marched 
before the Royal Box waving silk American flags. It was one of the most 
inspirational sights I have ever witnessed. Following the American con- 
tingent which was first in line, came the Boy Scouts of all the world in 
one tremendous parade which took about two hours to pass the Royal Box, 
marching 24 abreast. 

The American contingent made an inspiring spectacle in their lumber- 
jackets, red neckerchiefs, and khaki uniforms. It was said by many specta- 
tors that the Boy Scouts of America were certainly the most distinctive in 
appearance of the entire assemblage. 

After the parade came the introduction and speeches by the higher scout 
officials. Thousands of interested spectators were present for the official 
opening and the Scouts were kept busy entertaining their guests afternoon 
and evening. 

Here are a few words taken from the speech in the greetings from the 
Chief Scout: 

I want you to remember that this is an occasion that will never come again for 
any of us. Let us therefore make the highest use of the short time that we shall 
be here together. Let us start at once to make friendships with our brother Scouts 
from other lands. Let us—every man and boy among us—determine to keep our 
promise and Scout Law more fully than we have ever done before, in every detail 
during every day and every moment of our time together. The best way of proving 
that the Scout Spirit is in you will be by making friends with Scouts from other 
countries. The main and great object of this camp is that you should meet your 
brother Scouts of different nations and make friends with th: Do not forget this 


and do not waste time in starting to do it. Thus will the Scout Spirit abound and 
bring forth its fruit of Goodwill and Friendship. 


The American Scouts made a vast number of friends with other Scouts 
of the world. The greater number of friends being made with the English 
and Scotch camps, probably due to the closeness of camps and the English 
language. The American Scouts were very alert and never hesitated in 
mixing with those of other nations, regardless of color or race. They tried 








110 NATIONAL EpuCATION ASSOCIATION 





to fulfill the duties of the Scout Laws and demonstrate the idea of true } 
Americanism. 

In these days when so much is heard in criticism of youth, the fact that 
such an immense gathering is only possible because of the selfdiscipline of : 
the boys themselves, is noteworthy. That this great gathering was in the 
interests of fellowship and goodwill, rather than in the spirit of athletic com- ) 
petition, is also worthy of more than passing mention. | 

At no time during the Jamboree was there any thing carried on in a | 
competitive method. It was the desire of the International Jamboree Com- 
mittee for the Scouts of all nations to demonstrate their ability of Scouting ) 
as it was carried on in their own country. Through this idea, Scouts learned | 
to improve their own methods by seeing others perform. | 

The Jamboree objectives of the American Scouts were as follows: (1) to | 
observe the methods and programs of Scouts of other nations, (2) to dis- 
play as nearly as possible the normal troop and patrol activities of the Boy | 
Scouts of America, (3) to stimulate, through preparation for the reports | 
of the Jamboree, a wider interest in Scouting according to the best approved 
methods, and with the highest type of leadership, (4) to foster the spirit 
of brotherhood and friendliness among the boys of the world. 

Besides the speeches of Sir Baden-Powell, H. R. H., the Duke of Con- 
naught, the scouts had the privilege of hearing a message read from His 
Majesty, The King. The King was recovering from an operation and was 
confined to his bed during the Jamboree. His Royal Highness, the Prince 
of Wales, visited the camp of every nation represented, talking with the 
boys. He made many friends among the American contingent. 

During the first week of the Jamboree the Scouts visited the various 
camps, taking articles to exchange with other Scouts. On the first Sunday 
the Protestant boys went to the Arena and listened to His Grace, the 
Archbishop of Canterbury. Thousands of Scouts sang the hymn, “ All 
Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name.” As the crescendo notes of “ Crown Him, 
Crown Him,” rose, one wondered just what the millions of public thought 
of this great hymn of praise coming over the radio. For the Catholic Scouts 
His Eminence, Cardinal Bourne, delivered a sermon. During the con- 
clusion of the sermons there was a torrential downpour of rain, but the 
youth of the world pausing for a moment to put on their ponchos, continued 
quietly to the conclusion of the services. 

The second week was devoted to the explaining of exhibits, which various 
troops had on display, the demonstrating of games, pageantry, and various | 
stunts for entertainment. The last three days were used for sightseeing by 
motor coach and train through interesting points of England. The second | 
Sunday service was again held at the Arena in which al) the boys took 
part by using the printed programs made for the special event. 

There was rain during every day of the Jamboree. For six weeks or 
more, previous to the opening of the Jamboree, England had suffered from 
a drouth, but from the opening day until the last there was a downpour of 
rain. Soon the camp was known as the “ Mudboree.” ‘The passageways, 

















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ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 111 





trod underfoot by thousands of scouts and daily visitors, became seas of 
mud, and it was folly to walk out of camp without high boots. Even with 
all of the torture of mud and water the camp spirit improved rapidly. 
Instead of walking about bemoaning the terrible state of affairs, scouts 
tried to be cheerful, keeping in mind the eighth Scout Law. There were 
many sunny hours amid all of the darkness and as soon as the sun appeared 
the Scouts ran out with their kodaks and began “ shooting” interesting 
pictures. 

It is a remarkable fact that notwithstanding the almost daily rain there 
was little sickness among the scouts, particularly the American scouts. The 
English Committee had made ample hospital arrangements with more 
than one hundred beds; there was also an operating room, dental depart- 
ment, dispensary—every facility and convenience of a modern hospital. 

The scouts leaders were of the best type of manhood representing each 
nation. Scouters of this type meant much to a group of boys. It was a 
privilege to talk and to mingle with such men as Sir Robert Baden-Powell, 
the Duke of Connaught, the Prince of Wales, Ambassador Charles G. 
Dawes, Daniel Carter Beard, James FE. West, and various other men of 
high rank. 

A world celebration of boys and the coming together of over 55,000 of 
them from about seventy different lands is unique in more senses than one. 
The pages of history can be searched without finding a parallel. Not the 
least striking thing about this great gathering, however, is the fact that 
it was in the nature of a tribute from the boys of the world to one man. 
In this day of instantaneous communication, when news of exploits flies 
around the world in a few seconds, heroes are made in a day and are 
forgotten as soon. Sir Robert Baden-Powell has held his place in the 
affection and esteem of the boys of the world for two decades. One of the 
memorable things that the Scouts representing the Boy Scouts of America 
looked forward to, was the privilege of paying Sir Robert their personal 
and joint tribute for bringing to them the game of scouting. 

During the last week of the Jamboree, Sir Robert Baden-Powell had 
conferred upon him the degree of LL.D. by Liverpool University. Also, 
Sir Robert was created Lord Robert Baden-Powell by King George in 
honor of his great service to boys. 

On the closing day of the Jamboree, the American Scouts demonstrated 
the “ Scouting Activities in America” with a pageant, consisting of the 
coming of Columbus, the Red Man, early explorers, adventures and woods- 
men, and the bringing of Scouting to America. Through the whole pageant 
Uncle Dan Beard acted as one symbolic of early American life. As the 
American boys were marching off the field in a spontaneous demonstration 
two European leaders cried out, “ That was the most Scoutlike display I 
have seen in the Arena during the Jamboree.” 

The Jamboree created a real brotherhood of boys and Scouting has become 
one of the truly great agencies for world peace. Scouting has shown us how 
to apply the Golden Rule to our daily life. Religious leaders have called 











112 NATIONAL EpucaTION ASSOCIATION 











Scouting “ religion in action.” Finer service can no man perform than to 
guide and inspire the boys of the world as Lord Robert Baden-Powell has 
done. 

The last day of the Jamboree was probably enjoyed more than any other, 
because it was the only day in which it did not rain, and this was the great 
farewell meeting of the Scouts. After they had marched to the Arena for 
the farewell march, the Scouts were assembled 24 abreast in which no two 
scouts were standing together from the same country. Each row of Scouts 
then locking arms and keeping in step passed before the reviewing stand. 
Assembling in the center of the field in the form of a large wheel, the 
scout leaders forming the hub, the whole group buried the hatchet as a 
symbol of the burying of all discords and enmity among the nations. ‘Then 
Sir Robert handed to each of the leaders of the various delegations a little 
golden arrow to symbolize the goodwill of Scouts to each other, and said 
in parting: 

From all corners of the earth you have journeyed to this great gathering of 
World Fellowship and Brotherhood. Today I send you from Arrowe to all the 
world bearing my symbol of Peace and Fellowship, each one of you my ambassador, 
bearing my message of love and friendship on the wings of sacrifice and service 
to the ends of the earth. 

From now on the Scout symbol of Peace is a golden arrow. From Northlands, 
Southlands, Westlands, and Eastlands you came at the call of my horn to this great 


gathering. Today I send you back to your homelands across the seas as my 
ambassadors of Peace among the nations of the world. I bid you farewell. 





HE ASSEMBLY is the meeting place of the room or group 

of rooms, or more often, of the school, to aid in guiding school 
opinion, and to provide for wholesome enjoyment through worth- 
while entertainment. While opinion at times may be intelligently 
formed as a result of direct instruction by pupils, teachers, or the 
principal, it is more often formed by an interesting presentation 
of the successful achievements of the school. It is necessary for the 
school as a whole to establish ways that the school does things 
and to point out ways that the school does not tolerate. These 
ways of doing things are largely in the field of behavior and are 
probably most effectively secured by the approval and disapproval 
of the group.—Dr. F. K. Fretwell. 























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THE PERSONALITY OF THE TEACHER AN IMPORTANT 
FACTOR IN MORAL EDUCATION 


Lucite HAZARD 
Principal, Eugene Field School, Rock Island, Illinois 


HE most important single force at the disposal of the school for the 

upbuilding of character is undoubtedly the character of the teacher. 
The teacher is the foundation of the success of any course of character edu- 
cation. Conduct is contagious. ‘‘ Nobleness inkindles nobleness.” ‘Through 
reading the biographies of noble lives, one’s conduct may to a considerable 
extent be influenced, but the scope of the influence is much greater when 
life comes into direct contact with life. In that way one sees good deeds 
concretely and appreciates their values. What we admire in others we 
desire to possess ourselves. The desire to do likewise soon follows. ‘The 
environment of the child influences him, his classmates influence him, but 
the predominating influence is that of the teacher. Few positions have as 
great opportunities for doing good as the teacher and for this reason he 
should have an impressive personality. 

The first schools grew up around great personalities. The spirit and 
method of a person, rather than a place, formed the school. The banks of 
the Ilissus and the Agorce were the locations of Socrates’ schools. The 
exact location of the schools of Plato, Aristotle, Alcium, and Abelard, 
Froebel, Pestalozzi, and Horace Mann are not what is remembered. Jesus, 
the world’s greatest teacher, staked the future of His kingdom upon the 
influence of His life upon those who journeyed with Him in His School. 
So strong was His conviction of the influence of the teacher, He neither 
committed anything to writing Himself nor selected ones to carry on His 
work who were able writers. 

Arnold at Rugby is one of the best examples of what the school can 
accomplish in the way of character education. He was a gerfius in that 
line. His most significant contribution to the theory of moral education 
was not his methods, devices, and institutions; but the demonstration of 
the fact that every human being is born, not with an illimitable number 
of possibilities, which the environment may bring out, but rather the fact 
that every human being is born with a very considerable number of poten- 
tialities for both good and evil, and that it is in the power of the teacher 
to develop them. One of his pupils writes of him: 

I am sure that I do not exaggerate my feelings when I say that I felt a love and 
reverence for him as one of quite awful greatness and goodness, for whom I well 
remember, that I used to think I would gladly lay down my life.... I used to 
believe that I too had a work to do for him in the school, and did, for his sake, 
labor to raise the tone of the set I lived in. His teaching and example—his un- 
wearied zeal in creating moral thoughtfulness in every boy with whom he came in 
personal contact gave the Rugby boys this character. 

Helen Keller and Miss Sullivan are a fine example of the effect of the 
personality of the teacher on the pupil. Helen Keller says: 


[113] 











114 NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION 








It was my teacher's genius, her quick sympathy, her loving tact which made the 
first years of my education so beautiful. ... I feel that her being is inseparable 
from my own and that the footsteps of my life are in hers. All the best of me 
belongs to her—there is not a talent or an inspiration or a joy in me that has not 
been awakened by her loving touch. 

A woman who had worked for forty years with prisoners was asked, 
“ Don’t you find your work depressing?” “ No, not all the preachers in 
the land could teach me spiritually what these convicts have, or give me 
such a faith in the ultimate destiny of the human soul.” 

If this is the reward of a life spent with life’s failures, what might 
be the reward to those who work with unspoiled children? 

Bishop Huntington said: 

Today’s simple dealing with a raw or refractory pupil takes its insensible color- 
ing from the moral climate you have all along been breathing. Celestial opportuni- 
ties avail us nothing unless we ourselves have been educated up to their level. If an 
angel comes to converse with us on the mountain top, he must find our tent already 
pitched in that upper air. There is a touching plea in the loyal ardor with which the 
young are ready to look to their guides. In children there is a natural instinct and 
passion for impersonating all ideal excellence in some superior being and for living 
in intense devotion to a heroic presence. It is the privilege of every teacher to 
occupy that place. If his pupils love him, he stands for their ideal of a heroic nature. 
Long after his lessons are forgotten, he remains a teaching power. 


Children remember teachers for what they are and not for what they 
teach. Anyone appearing day after day will teach more by example than 
by precept. ‘he teacher may not know just how or when to teach the 
most impressive moral lessons but if he is living the well-rounded moral 
life, his pupils cannot escape his helpful influence. ‘The character of the 
teacher is “caught, rather than taught.” The teacher is in a very large 
sense the course of study himself and really the only course that all his 
pupils will take and understand. Just as there is an atmosphere upon 
which health and life of body depend, so there must be an atmosphere for 
the soul, determined by thoughts. ‘The teacher must see that the moral 
atmosphere is kept pure, stimulating, and uplifting. A teacher with selfish, 
unloving thoughts exhales a poison far more deadly than impure air, for 
the latter poisons only the body, the former, the soul. In reality there is 
no human excellence which is not useful for the teacher. No good quality 
can be thought of which he can afford to drop. He should be inspired 
by a love of righteousness and a desire to see it prevail in the world. He 
should have the ability to get the pupil’s point of view and should find time 
for personal participation in the interests and life of the pupils. Each pupil 
has his personal problems, ambitions, and needs. Personal interest wins 
confidence. It bridges the gulf between the “ you” and the “I” with the 
“we.” -The best moral results are attained through companionship. It is 
what the teacher is that fashions the lives, shapes the character, and de- 
termines the ideals of the children. A real teacher, like the Great Teacher, 
undertakes his task that children “ may have life and have it more 
abundantly.” 














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THE ELIMINATION OF REPEATING 


L. H. Dix 
Former Principal, Schools No. 1 and 11, Woodbridge, New Jersey 


T IS possible that no reader of this paper believes in the repeating of 

grades as an educational device of any value. Again it is possible that 
many who would not attempt to defend repeating are nevertheless con- 
vinced that it can not be avoided in practise. At the risk of boring the first 
group and in order to increase the discontent of the second I should like 
briefly to review some of the reasons which have persuaded many principals 
to reject altogether from their educational philosophy, and as far as possi- 
ble from their practise, the failing and repeating of grades by pupils who 
do not achieve standard subjectmatter requirements. 

While we may need no convincing on this score the existing almost 
unanimous reliance upon this device surely indicates that someone needs 
convincing. And the fact that practise is so overwhelmingly against us 
puts the burden of proof squarely on those who would meet the difficulty 
in some other way. If a recall of the arguments against the method will 
provide ammunition for anyone who is trying to get support for his effort 
to get rid of it, it will be worth doing. 

The argument may be based upon three statements growing out of 
modern pedagogy which will probably be acceptable to thoughtful students 
of education: 

1. Education is guidance of development of individuals to secure the 
utmost in effective personal and social living. 

2. Modern educational ideals insist upon that peculiar opportunity 
and treatment essential to each pupil for his fullest personal and social 
development. 

3. The general order of final importance (possibly not the strategic 
order) in social outcomes is (1) ideals, (2) attitudes, (3) appreciations, 
(4) habits, (5) skills, (6) knowledges. 

If these three statements be granted our question then becomes, does 
repeating tend to promote or defeat the pupil’s maximum development ? 
That is to say, when benefit and harm in repeating are balanced is there 
ever a residue of benefit? The anti-repeaters for the reasons to be given, 
say emphatically, no. 

Repeating is resorted to almost entirely to correct lacks in arbitrary pre- 
scriptions in knowledges, and to some extent, skills. It is occasionally 
intended, I hasten to add, to correct attitudes, as for instance when a 
teacher says to you, 

Oh, I know you think Walter is a wonder because he managed to do pretty well 
in the achievement tests and is a good ball player and can wind the School Council 
around his finger, but he has sat in my room all the term and never done a tap of 
work, and it goes against my grain to promote him! 

Granting for the moment that repeating does sometimes cure gaps in 
knowledge and skill, let us look at the other side of the picture. The 
following indictment may be drawn fairly, repeating, 


[115] 











116 NATIONAL EpUCATION ASSOCIATION 








1. Creates a sense of failure by emphasizing the pupil’s failure over his success, 
2. Stamps in the habit of failure by efforts “to make him like it,” i.e., accept it as 
fair. 

3. Shames the pupil before his social group and so isolates him. (Is not social 
isolation a breeder of criminal attitudes?) 

Penalizes him for the failure of the school to meet his needs, and so 

Destroys his confidence in educational agencies, and finally 

Drives him out of school 

If he stays, delays him in getting where he can succeed. 


“ 


From the point of view of the school insofar as school interests and 
pupil interests can be thought of separately, repeating, 


1. Makes classification a competitive game for the pupil to beat, wasting energy 
which should go into real educational effort. 

Wastes major part of time in repeating what has already been acquired. 

Creates habits of boredom, loafing, and mischief, which undermine class morale. 

Increases social, chronological, and physiological age differences in groups. 

Increases teacher’s load of individual instruction and disciplinary activity. 

Increases administrative labor on the non-constructive side. 

Increases cost. 


Pay te py 


Please note where all this damage cuts into the scale of our third basic 
statement given above. For the sake of curing a few defects at the less 
important end of our list we unfailingly hurt the best side of the child’s 
personality, sometimes to a devastating extent. We tend to distort the 
whole purpose and activity of pupil and school as cooperating elements in 
the educational process. Add to that the claim made by many that only 
occasionally does repeating actually do the very thing it sets out to do. 
As one views the unlovely features of this cherished device, he is tempted 
to ask with the precocious nine-year-old, observing the turmoil occasioned 
by the arrival and adjustment of his infant sister, ‘“‘ What good is the 
thing anyhow? ” 

To that question there seems to be just one answer. It is a device for 
administering a case-hardened yearly or semester-grade system, based upon 
arbitrarily set subjectmatter standards, which standards tend to hang over 
from the days of faculty psychology and a highly selected school attendance. 
‘The standards are beginning to crack in spite of the tendency of standardized 
achievement tests to delay the process, when they are misused. We are 
beginning the long process of evolving new and flexible standards more 
adapted to modern educational theories. 

The chief difficulties in the way of ridding ourselves of repeating seem 
to lie in the fixed yearly grade. Here and there an ardent anti-repeater 
advocates passing the children along according to chronological age (with 
varied curriculum content) without attacking the yearly grade system. 
In my opinion, the difficulties which persist in this proposal would dis- 
appear if we could get away from this system. To those who are not lost 
in veneration of this traditional classification scheme I issue an invitation 
to examine with me two alternative proposals for regrouping pupils in the 
elementary school. I do not claim to have originated either of these plans. 








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ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 117 





They have been more or less in the air and both tend to suggest themselves 
as one speculates on the possibility of getting away from the existing 
scheme. I merely offer a possible interpretation of them based upon my 
experience of the needs. 

A. The chronological age group—Opinion would vary as to what to in- 
clude in a group. The suggestion here is a span of two years of actual age, 
with an accepted meaning for a stated age, and beginning age determined 
by our findings as to proper objectives at each age and for each group, 
subjectmatter to be thrown into units of activity according to type or at 
most three or four main subjects, such as English, science, social science, 
numbers. Grouping within the large groups is to be variable, flexible, and 
temporary to conform to individual needs, abilities, and type of unit being 
worked in. Individual pupils are to take such parts as they are able to 
carry on. The teachers of the whole group are to work as a committee re- 
sponsible for the experience of the group, with some informal specialization 
and team-work for large-group activities. This sounds like a pure project 
type of curriculum. While it would encourage a tendency toward the 
adaptability of the project idea it does not demand the breaking up of large 
subjectmatter divisions. But emphasis would tend to fall upon dividing and 
organizing according to the demands of the job in hand. It is not claimed 
that such a plan would be easy or even possible for teachers and principals 
who are permanently wedded to traditional rituals of teaching methods. 
It seems an idea worth working over in one’s mind, suggested here in 
bare outline purposely, for active organizers would come out with great 
differences of detail. 

B. The achievement group—lIn this case one would have as many grades 
as he had classes in his school, at least up to twenty-five or thirty for a 
six-year school. A grade would be described for office purposes at any 
rate, by its grade score median in some important subject or subject group. 
Since reading is the core of our work and correlates well with intelligence, 
it would perhaps be wise to classify according to Reading Grade Scores, 
on a standard reading test, although there is no reason why a local test 
properly constructed could not be used. One would then have such grades 
as 1.2, 1.3, 1.5, 1.8, 2.6, 3.9, 4.0, and so on, with differences in a large 
school of not more than say, two or three months. Each group would 
start frankly where it was and go on as far as it could during the term 
or year, with reclassifications once or twice a year. I would suggest four 
times a year if I were not afraid that the idea of possible transfers of 
twenty or thirty percent would bring on widespread shuddering. It would 
seem desirable to me to be able to transfer individual pupils rather freely 
without red tape at any time, a thing impossible with the record system 
in my own state. Nothing in the main idea, however, would prevent a 
child staying with one teacher throughout the year. 

One thing we lack for such a plan which seems necessary is the recast- 
ing of our curriculum into relatively short units of work, either within 
or cutting across subjectmatter fields, with each unit evaluated in grade- 











118 NATIONAL EpuUCATION ASSOCIATION 





es 


score terms. The teacher would have a library of such units, suited to the 
abilities of his class and rich, varied, and plentiful enough to offer him 
a rather wide choice at any given time. The unit idea in courses of study is 
growing fast and this is the type of material that we seem destined to put 
in the teacher’s hands. He, of course, will be helping to construct new 
units as he goes along. 

It may be argued that an achievement basis of any sort will throw to- 
gether pupils differing widely in everything but achievement. It will do 
that of course if we worship the grade score as we do the present grade. 
If enough variation were allowed to permit grouping over-age pupils to- 
gether and young pupils together, we would still have groups vastly more 
homogeneous, from the point of view of their needs, than we have at 
present. What is more important, we would know just where each group 
was and give its members materials and work at which they could succeed. 
No one would fail or repeat old work. We would not get rid of retarda- 
tion or individual adjustment by any classification scheme, but we could 
set a maximum age for elementary school and send pupils to the junior 
high school at that age, to be given programs suited to their abilities at 
that time. Nothing in this plan would prevent grouping together of classes 
for any purpose or the cooperation of teachers as in the previous plan. 

‘Not the least interesting feature of these two suggestions is the fact that 
either of them would require an active and open-minded staff to run them. 
The school in either case would be a growing organism, studying its pro- 
cedures, testing its results, and perhaps on the defensive at first. No school 
ever gets into such a state without making progress. If I may be allowed 
to prophesy, no other kind of a school will be tolerated a few years from now. 


HEN an elementary school pupil is not promoted at the end 

of a year, and is required to spend an extra year in school, 
it costs the city about $84.25. It is as if for every thousand 
pupils thus retarded we had to run one more complete elementary 
school, with all the added expense of teachers, supplies, and service. 
In the high schools the cost is correspondingly greater. Retardation 
is thus a very serious economic problem, and for financial reasons 
alone it is advisable to take stock of ourselves from time to time. 
But, from the pupil’s standpoint the matter is even more important. | 
Of course, there is an added burden to the parents. But beyond 
this is the fact that a pupil-year of retardation is after all one whole | 
precious year of human life, with all its imponderable possibilities 
for achievement or discouragement, for good or ill. If there are ways 
in which we can improve our procedures and methods, and thus 
reduce retardation, we should try to find them.’’—Statistical Bul- 
letin No. 7, Chicago Public Schools, May 28, 1929. 

















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MORE ABOUT SALARIES AND SUPERVISION 


FRANK W. HuBBARD 
Assistant Director of Research, National Education Association 


HE elementary school principal is the pivotal person in a progressive 

school system. Around him revolve major, administrative, and super- 
visory problems. A superintendent who magnifies his principals can clip 
the dividends in morale among his whole professional staff. 

Here and there cities are realizing that the salaries and services of princi- 
pals are closely associated.’ It is futile to pay low salaries to poorly pre- 
pared persons and then demand a high level of supervisory performance. 
It is unfair to pay a clerk’s salary to highly competent persons. Nor is 
this practise economically sound, for ability gravitates to cities where it 
receives adequate recognition and recompense. 

In the Seventh Yearbook the Committee on Standards and Training dis- 
cussed the importance of paying principals an adequate salary.’ It will not 
be profitable to repeat these arguments at this point. Instead we shall 
assume that progressive school systems want to pay an adequate wage. ‘The 
problem facing many schoolboards is how to do this with a limited budget. 
This article merely suggests one approach to this latter problem. 

A common situation—Salary schedules for principals vary widely from 
community to community. Many schedules recognize experience as of pri- 
mary importance. In other cases professional preparation is emphasized. 
Various differences and likenesses in practise might be cited. However, 
we shall now focus our attention upon the practise of paying principals 
salaries in terms of four or five school size groups. Table 1 illustrates the 





point under consideration. 


TABLE 1—A SALARY SCHEDULE BASED PARTLY ON SCHOOL S1zE* 





Salary each year 





‘ School 
Class size ee 
1 2 3 4 5 6 > 
I Over 500 3000 3100 3200 3300 3400 3500 3600 
II 300-500 2700 2800 2900 3000 3100 3200 3300 
Ill 200-300 2400 2500 2600 2700 2800 2900 3000 
IV 100-200 2100 2200 2300 2400 2500 2600 2700 
bf 50-100 1800 1900 2000 2100 2200 2300 2400 





‘See “ Salaries, Service, and Supervision” by Frank W. Hubbard in the July 1929 
Bulletin of the Department, p. 549. 

*See pages 468-95 of the Seventh Yearbook, Department of Elementary School 
Principals, National Education Association. 1928. 

*An actual salary schedule from a city of approximately 100,000 population. 
Similar schedules could be cited from a number of relatively large cities. 


[119] 











120 NATIONAL EpUCATION ASSOCIATION 





It will be noted in Table 1 that there are salary levels based upon rather 
small and minutely drawn school size groups. Note the fact that five 
groups are used and the school differences are relatively small. Particular 
attention is called to the $300 difference between each of the Classes I, I], 
III, IV, and V. 

Some hypothetical considerations—It Table 1 illustrated an unusual situa- 
tion there would be little point to this article. But copies of schedules sent 
to the Research Division indicate that the condition is common enough to 
deserve further comment.’ 

After examining Table 1 we might be inclined to ask several questions, 
Can we justify paying Principal A $2100 for a school enroling 180 pupils 
while Principal B receives $2400 for supervising 205 children? Is it A’s 
fault that his school is slightly smaller? Will this difference in school 
enrolment have any appreciable effect upon the quality of A’s supervision? 

Someone may insist that it is necessary to make some grouping. Let us 
say on the basis of differences of 300 pupils between school size groups. 
Then does Principal A deserve one-half as much salary as Principal B if 
the school enrolments are 300 and 600 respectively? Or is this difference 
worth $500 a year? Are there any real differences in ability required to 
manage schools of the various sizes after they enrol 500 or more pupils? 

If the absurdity of the finely drawn classifications are not obvious from 
the above, we may approach the question from another angle: Are children 
in the small schools entitled to the same high type of supervisory skill as 
pupils in large schools? Do people of superior ability remain as principals 
of small schools when there are opportunities for higher salaries in the 
larger units of the same school system? 

One solution—The first suggestion might be to reduce the number of 
small classifications from five to three. These changes might bring about 
the result shown in Table 2. 


TABLE 2—ProposeD REVISION OF A SALARY SCHEDULE” 


Salary each vear 





Class School = ==! 
size 
I 2 3 4 5 6 - 
I Over 500 3000 3100 3200 3300 3400 3500 3600 
II 200-500 2700 2800 2900 3000 3100 3200 3300 
III Under 200 2400 2500 2600 2700 2800 2900 3000 


Obviously, ‘Table 2 does not completely solve the difficulty. Undoubtedly, 
it has eliminated some of the absurdities brought about by the minute divi- 


* Every two years the Research Division makes a survey of salaries in city school 
systems. These data are summarized in “Salary Scales in City School Systems, 
1928-29” Research Bulletin, May, 1929. Detailed tabulations may be purchased 
at a nominal cost. 

*See Table 1 above. 








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ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 121 





sions of Table 1. Chief among the objections which can be raised is that 
we have retained many of the small school units. Table 2 under these 
conditions would cost more than the schedule of Table 1 and might therefore 
be impossible in terms of the available funds. 

Another solution—Progressive theory would say: eliminate the pseudo- 
principalships from many of the small school units. Instead, form the city 
into supervisory units under skilled supervising principals. Give each super- 
vising principal approximately the same number of children and thereby 
eliminate this school size as a factor in salary scheduling. Let differences in 
salaries be based upon training, experience, and such evidences of merit as 
can be measured or estimated with reasonable accuracy. 

Let us apply the above suggestions to a specific situation so as to indicate 
the possibility of improving both salaries and supervision. Melno is a city 
of approximately 80,000 population.’ There are 9 teaching and 11 super- 
vising principals in charge of approximately 8000 elementary pupils. ‘The 
approximate range of salaries from $2150 to $3150 per year.’ The esti- 
mated total outlay for principals’ salaries is $51,600 per year. 

It should be practical over a period of several years to place the 20 small 
schools into 10 (or fewer) supervising units each containing from 800 to 
1000 pupils. This arrangement could be made by uniting one or two small 
schools into a larger unit for supervisory purposes. A fulltime trained clerk 
would be assigned to each supervising principal. In the small subordinate 
schools a head-teacher would be designated to handle the minor clerical 
and administrative problems. Such persons should be paid $100 a year in 
addition to their regular salaries as teachers. The approximate cost of the 
new arrangement is shown in Table 3. 


TABLE 3—EsTIMATED Cost OF THE REORGANIZED SUPERVISORY PROGRAM IN MELNO 





Salaries 

District Principals Clerks Head-teachers Total 
salaries 

A $3200 $1000 $100 $4300 
B 3200 1000 100 4300 
¢ 3200 1000 100 4300 
D 3200 1000 100 4300 
E 3200 1000 100 4300 
F 3200 1000 100 4300 
G 3200 1000 100 4300 
I 3200 1000 100 4300 
I 3200 1000 100 4300 
J 3200 1000 100 4300 
Totals | $32,000 $10,000 $1,000 $43,000 


| 
| 


* The city name is fictitious, but the figures used are correct in round numbers. 

“Based on Special Salary Tabulation II-A, Research Division, May, 1929, p. 17 
and 19. 

*This does not include approximately $1000 spent each year for partime clerks 
in elementary schools. 











122 NATIONAL EpUCATION ASSOCIATION 





The possibilities of attracting persons of high calibre by a schedule such 
as Table 3 stands in startling contrast to existing conditions in Melno, 
Here we have the chance to place trained supervisors over approximately 
1000 children under conditions favorable to a genuine educational program. 
Clerks are provided in every district which is not true at the present time. 
Probably of least significance is the saving of over $8000 in overhead costs, 

Salaries and supervision—Superintendents are insisting that their princi- 
pals assume a position of supervisory leadership. To meet this demand 
many competent principals are seeking to equip themselves by professional 
study and research. Other persons bent on advancing to the superintendency 
or other higher salaries are showing a sincere desire to remain in their 
chosen field—the elementary school principalship. But all such groups recog- 
nize that adjustments must be made in many existing salary schedules if 
compensation is to balance the required supervisory technics. 

How can these changes be brought about? Obviously, it is impossible for 
many communities to place a supervising principal in each small school 
unit. This article suggests that one possible solution is through reorganiza- 
tion and consolidation for supervisory purposes. 

The problem calls for much calm and deliberate thinking by groups 
of principals and superintendents. The facts are available, let principals 
marshal them; when the facts are assembled, let superintendents view them, 
and when the facts are accepted, let both groups act cooperatively upon 
them in the best interests of children. 


ENROLMENT NEWS 


HERMAN RiITOw 
National Chairman, Fort Sheridan, Illinois 


The paid up enrolment for the school year 1929-30, up to and including 
January 15, was 3703. This is a gain of 216 over the corresponding enrol- 
ment last year. There is but one way to account for this increase; that is 
the state and local enrolment chairmen are working hard and are succeed- 
ing in their efforts. Last year an increase of less than 200 about January 1 
resulted in a total increase for the school year of more than double that 
amount. We have, therefore, every reason to hope that our enrolment this 
year will be very near 6000. Let us keep up the good work. The National 
Chairman takes this opportunity to thank the members of the committee 
for their splendid work. 

The list of State Enrolment Chairmen for 1930 is as follows: 
dlabama—J. D. Williams, Avondale School, Birmingham, Alabama 
drizona—No State Chairman 
Arkansas—J. A. Day, Peabody School, Fort Smith, Arkansas 
California—A. J. Hamilton, University Elementary School, Berkeley, California 
Colorado—Mrs. Margaret Mendenhall Smith, Ebert School, Denver, Colorado 
Connecticut—Florence E. Smith, Seymour School, West Hartford, Connecticut 
Delaware—Elva M. Dugan, P. S. No. 3, 2104 Jefferson St., Wilmington, Delaware 
District of Columbia—Lou E. Ballenger, 1801 Sixteenth St., N. W., Washington, D. C. 

















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ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 123 





Florida—Olga D. Benson, 1oso S. W. Sixth St., Miami, Florida 

Georgia—Maude A. Rhodes, Whitefoord School, Atlanta, Georgia 

Idaho—No State Chairman 

Illinois—Cecelia B. Schimek, Mason School, Chicago, Illinois 

Indiana—Celia Galvin, No. 3 School, 23 N. Rural St., Indianapolis, Indiana 

lowa—Earl E. Bovee, 1620 S. Palmetto St., Sioux City, Iowa 

Kansas—Mrs. Mary J. Singer, 341 N. Topeka Ave., Ingalls School, Wichita, Kansas 

Kentucky—Roy J. Bell, Salisbury School, Louisville, Kentucky 

Louisiana—L. S. Rugg, West End Grammar School, Alexandria, Louisiana 

Maine—Helen M. King, Clifford School, Portland, Maine 

Maryland—L. Adele Talbott, Prin., School No. 69, Oakford and Grenada, Balti- 
more, Maryland 

Massachusetts—Julia A. Sheehan, Hunnewell School, Wellesley, Massachusetts 

Michigan—Earl R. Laing, Burt School, 20710 Pilgrim Ave., Detroit, Michigan 

Minnesota—Helen J. Mather, Hiawatha School, Minneapolis, Minnesota 

Mississippi—Bess Clement, Public Schools, Meridian, Mississippi 

Missouri—Isabel Tucker, 5122 Ridge Ave., St. Louis, Missouri 

Montana—No State Chairman 

Nebraska—Cassie F. Roys, Walnut Hill School, Omaha, Nebraska 

Nevada—K. O. Knudson, Prin., Las Vegas Elementary School, Las Vegas, Nevada 

New Hampshire—No State Chairman 

New Jersey—James R. Floyd, Jefferson School, Plainfield, New Jersey 

New Mexico—Stella Kiker, Longfellow School, Raton, New Mexico 

New York—Nathaniel G. West, Prin., Andrews School No. 9, Rochester, New York 

North Carolina—E. T. McSwain, David Caldwell School, Greensboro, North 
Carolina 

North Dakota—Mrs. Sadie A. Walker, 730 Ninth St., North, Fargo, North Dakota 

Ohio—Belle Torrey Scott, Fulton School, Columbus, Ohio 

Oklahoma—B. E. Koonce, R. E. Lee School, Tulsa, Oklahoma 

Oregon—Carl S. Zook, Route 2. Milwaukie, Oregon 

Pennsylvania—Roland T. MacLaren, George Washington School, Williamsport, 
Pennsylvania 

Rhode Island—Henry W. Robinson, 27 Clarke St., Newport, Rhode Island 

South Carolina—George D. Grice, Julian Mitchell School, Charleston, South 

Carolina 

South Dakota—No State Chairman 

Tennessee—W. O. Hornadan, Bedar Hill School, Chattanooga, Tennessee 

Texas—James T. Whittlesey, 317 S. Marsalis Ave., Dallas, Texas 

Utah—Joseph B. Driggs, Hamilton School, Salt Lake City, Utah 

Vermont—May I. Donnelly, Lawrence Barnes School, Burlington, Vermont 

Virginia—Forbes H. Norris, Robert E. Lee School, Richmond, Virginia 

Washington—Lester L. Reeves, West Queen Ann School, Seattle, Washington 

West Virginia—No State Chairman 

Wisconsin—Elizabeth McCormick, Howe School, Superior, Wisconsin 

Wyoming—No State Chairman 

Porto Rico—Isolina del Toro, Asst. Supvr. of Schools, Baldorioty de Castro School, 
San Juan, Porto Rico 

Virgin Islands—Amadeo I. Francis, Prin., Fredericksted Public School, St. Croix, 
Virgin Islands 





THE PRINCIPAL AND SUPERVISION 


A preliminary announcement by the Editorial Committee of its plans, 
outlines, and suggestions for the 1931 Yearbook of the Department of Ele- 
mentary School Principals. 


Supervision is the theme of the 1931 Yearbook of the Department of Ele- 
mentary School Principals. ‘This is a problem upon which progressive prin- 
cipals are centering much of their time and energy. The time has come 
for a survey and an evaluation of progress written by principals themselves, 
Let members of the Department join with the Editorial Committee in a 
comprehensive statement of creative and practical supervisory procedures. 

General suggestions to contributors—Chapters on supervision are solicited 
from elementary school principals. Other school workers may submit manu- 
scripts but applications of practises and principles should be made from the 
angle of the school head. 

Authors are asked to be specific. No one should apologize for the prin- 
cipal’s place in supervision, nor explain why the principal should be con- 
sidered a supervisor. Take these facts for granted. Devote your chapter 
to telling HOW a principal can supervise. Show WHAT happens under 
supervision. Explain the USE of specific supervisory technics. Tell WHY 
one technic is used now and another activity at another time. Describe results 
as shown in both teacher and pupil progress. 

Remember that teachers’ meetings, rating scales, standard tests, confer- 
ences, and similar devices are means not ends. Ask yourself what the super- 
visory technics are supposed to accomplish. What do teachers think of your 
work? By what criteria do you judge the effectiveness of procedures? 
Can you offer objective evidence on the value of a supervisory program? 

Where can you get help?—Discussions in local professional clubs are 
frequently most helpful. Individual and group experiments have brought 
out valuable supervisory procedures. All such activities will be stimulated 
by the following publications: 

1. National Education Association, Division of Research. “The Principal as a 
Supervisor.” Research Bulletin 7 : 277-348; November, 1929. $.25. 

2. National Education Association, Department of Superintendence. The 1930 
Yearbook on supervision may be obtained in February, 1930, by sending $2 to 
1201 Sixteenth St., N. W., Washington, D. C. 

The above sources contain rich bibliographies on many phases of super- 
vision. ‘The principal who is pursuing a particular problem will be able to 
find the most recent developments in his field. 

Since manuscripts are not due until November 1, 1930, many principals 
will avail themselves of the opportunities of summer schools. Experiments 
initiated NOW can be written up for professional classes and later sub- 
mitted to the Editorial Committee. 

A preliminary outline of the Yearbook is given on the next page of this 
bulletin. Principals should write upon problems which may be classified 
under the main topics of this outline. 


[124] 








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ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 125 





PRELIMINARY OUTLINE OF THE 1931 YEARBOOK 


THE PRINCIPAL AND SUPERVISION 


I. General chapters. 
1. Supervision by subjects. 2. Supervision by grades. 3. Research and 
supervision. 4. Ete. 


Il. Administrative phases of supervision. 

1. Relationship of superintendent and principal. 2. Relationship of special 
supervisor and principal. 3. How building management influences super- 
vision. 4. Efficient use of supplies and equipment. 5. Records and instruc- 
tion. 6. Ete. 


II]. Influencing the teacher. 
1. Morale Building. 2. Teachers meetings. 3. Individual conferences. 
4. Classroom visits. 5. Professional courses. 6. Supervisory rating and 
self-rating. 7. Demonstration lessons. 8. What do teachers think of 
supervision? 9. Ete. 


IV. Adjusting and guiding pupils. 
1. Case studies. 2. Use of standard tests. 3. Individual instruction. 
4. Placement procedures. 5. Promotion schemes. 6. Pupil report cards. 
7. Conferences with pupils. 8. Ete. 


V. Re-vitalizing the curriculum. 

1. Selecting textbooks. 2. The principal on city-wide (or county) com- 
mittees. 3. Experiments with instructional materials. 4. Using the new- 
type examinations. 5. Curriculum committees within a single school. 
6. How pupils shape the curriculum. 7. The community and the course 
of study. 8. Ete. 


» a 


VI. Developing the principal for and through supervision. 

1. Getting more training in summer schools. 2. How principals’ clubs 
help with supervision. 3. Professional reading of the principal. 4. The 
principal as an author. 5. Professional study prior to conferences and 
teachers meetings. 6. Etc. 


VII. Evaluating the principal’s supervisory program. 

1. What objective evidence shows the value of supervision? 2. What case 
studies indicate that supervision produces unique results? 3. Rating 
schemes devised by local principals’ clubs. 4. Some commercial rating 
cards. 5. What basic criteria can be used in judging the principal’s 
supervisory program? 6. Ete. 


Letters of inquiry may be sent to the Editorial Committee, Department 
of Elementary School Principals, 1201 Sixteenth St., N. W., Washington, 
D. C., or directly to the individual committee members: Earl R. Laing 
(Chairman), Burt School, Detroit, Michigan; Isabel Tucker, Shenandoah 
School, Saint Louis, Missouri; and Arthur S. Gist, State Teachers College, 
San Francisco, California. 











THE ATLANTIC CITY MEETING 
DUCATION in the Spirit of Life is the convention theme selected 
by President Frank Cody for the sixtieth meeting of the Department 
of Superintendence of the National Education Association, at Atlantic City, 
New Jersey, February 22-27, 1930. Headquarters, registration, general 
sessions, and exhibits will be held in the Atlantic City convention hall lo- 
cated on the Boardwalk. 


‘THE DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 


General sessions—The Department of Elementary School Principals 
will have two general sessions on Monday and Wednesday afternoons at 
2p. M. Music will be furnished by the National High School Orchestra. 
The general theme for discussion is the Principal’s Part in Formulating and 
Organizing a Program of Elementary Education in the Spirit of Life. 
The program in full will be found on another page of the Bulletin. 

Breakfast meetings—There will be breakfast meetings on Monday and 
Tuesday mornings at the Hotel Jefferson, Kentucky Avenue, near Beach, 
at 7.30 A. M. Price $1. Miss Mary F. Willey, Pennsylvania Avenue 
School, Atlantic City, will be in charge. ‘These breakfasts furnish the 
opportunity for principals from all sections of the country to become 
acquainted. Committee chairmen will present brief reports. Every ele- 
mentary school principal is invited to be present. 

Department dinner—The dinner of the Department will be held ‘Tues- 
day evening, February 25, in the American Room, Hotel Breakers. Wil- 
liam J. Cooper, United States Commissioner of Education, will be the 
chief speaker. The subject for his address will be, The Professional Oppor- 
tunity of the Principal. Music by the National High School Orchestra. 
As the Department was organized at Atlantic City eight years ago the dinner 
will be in the nature of a birthday party. Price per place $3.50. ‘Tickets 
should be bought on Monday. Mr. Mason A. Stratton, Brighton Avenue 
School, Atlantic City, is in charge of dinner arrangements. 

Hotel reservations—For hotel reservations, application should be made 
at once to Mr. A. H. Skein, Secretary of the Hotel Committee, Atlantic 
City, New Jersey. State clearly the type of accommodations desired and the 
date of your arrival. Be sure to give name and address of persons who 
will share your room. Act now. Principals should begin at once to make 
their plans to attend this great meeting. 

Headquarters—The social and business headquarters of the Department 
will be at the Convention Hall. Through the courtesy of the Crane Com- 
pany, Chicago, Illinois, we will have the use of a suite of rooms in that 
building. These rooms will be open Saturday, February 22, and Sunday, 
February 23, from 3 to 5 Pp. M., and on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, 
and Thursday from 10 A. M. until 10 p. M. Telephone, stenographer, 
information, and a place to meet your friends. 

Afternoon tea—New Jersey principals will serve tea at the headquarters 
in the Crane Exhibit Building on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday after- 


[126] 











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ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 127 





noons. Miss Alberta M. Johnson, Richmond Avenue School, is in charge 
of the hospitality committee. New Jersey principals extend a most cordial 
invitation to all elementary school principals to be their guests at these 


afternoon teas. 

Appreciation of hospitality—Cordial thanks are extended to Mr. James R. 
Floyd, General Chairman, to local chairmen, to the principals of the At- 
lantic City schools, to the New Jersey Department of Elementary School 
Principals, and to all organizations and individuals that have given of 
their best efforts in our behalf, for the delightful hospitality and the 
efficient management that will make the Atlantic City meeting of our De- 
partment a notable success. 
Hersert C. HANSEN, 
President, Department of Elementary School Principals. 


ATLANTIC City PROGRAM 


The Principal’s Part in Formulating and Organizing a Program of 
Elementary Education in the Spirit of Life 


First SESSION 
Monbay AFTERNOON, FEBRUARY 24, 2 P. M. 

Music 

String Group, National High School Orchestra 
GREETINGS 

Frank Cody, President, Department of Superintendence, Superintendent of 

Schools, Detroit, Michigan 

THE OFFICE PRINCIPAL 

B. R. Buckingham, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 
THE COMMON PURPOSES OF TEACHERS, PRINCIPALS, AND SUPERVISORS 

Julia L. Hahn, Director of Primary Grades, San Francisco, California 
THE SALARY OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 

J. R. McGaughy, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York City 
DiscUssION 

John J. Loftus, Principal, Public School 80, Brooklyn, New York 

George I. Brinkerhoff, Principal, Webster School, Newark, New Jersey 


SECOND SESSION 
WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON, FEBRUARY 26, 2 P. M. 
Music 
National High School Orchestra 
THE EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP OF THE PRINCIPAL 
E. Ruth Pyrtle, President, National Education Association, Principal, Bancroft 
School, Lincoln, Nebraska 
PUTTING THE “ PURR”’ IN SUPERVISION 
James R. Floyd, Principal, Jefferson School, Plainfield, New Jersey 
DiversE NATURE OF THE PRINCIPAL’S WorK 
Ellwood P. Cubberley, Stanford University, California 
THE PURPOSE AND PLAN OF THE DEPARTMENT YEARBOOK 
Earl R. Laing, Chairman, Editorial Committee, Principal, Burt School, Detroit, 
Michigan 
REPORT OF SALARY COMMITTEE 
Warren A. Roe, Principal, Belmont Avenue School, Newark, New Jersey 
Business MEETING