PEK! CDICAL ROOM 
GENERAL LIBRARY 
UNIV. OF Mich. 


THEN ATIONAL ELEMENTARY 


RINCIP 


BULLETIN OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 
NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION 























FEBRUARY 1933 
Vol. XI, No. 3 














THE NATIONAL ELEMENTARY PRINCIPAL 
BULLETIN OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 


Published in October, December, February, April, and June by the Department 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 De- 
partment, to hold office, and to receive the Bulletin. 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; and Yearbook, $2. 





Entered as second-class 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 
n Section 1103, Act of October 3, 1917, authorized December 18, 1922. 





Executive and Editorial Offices, 1201 Sixteenth Street, Northwest, Washington, D. C., 
Eva G. Pinkston, Editor. 





OFFICERS OF THE DEPARTMENT 


1932-33 





President, Elizabeth McCormick, Timothy 
Howe School, Superior, Wisconsin 

First Vicepresident, Earl R. Laing, Burt 
School, Detroit, Michigan 


Fifth Vicepresident, Mason A. Stratton, 
Brighton Avenue School, Atlantic City, 
New Jersey 


Executive Committee 


M. Emma Brookes, Miles School, Cleve- 
land, Ohio 

A. B. Heacock, Los Feliz School, Los 
Angeles, California 

Herbert C. Hansen, 1045 N. Lockwood 
Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 

Cassie F. Roys, 2609 Bristol 
Omaha, Nebraska 


Second Vicepresident, Lillian M. Towne, 
Thomas Gardner District, Boston, Massa- 
chusetts 

Third Vicepresident, H. B. Norton, Robin- 
son School, Birmingham, Alabama 

Fourth Vicepresident, Margaret C. Mack- 
intosh, Public School 140, Brooklyn, New 
York 


Street, 


Executive Secretary, Eva G. Pinkston 
1201 Sixteenth Street, N. W., Washington, D. C. 





The contents of this Bulletin are listed in the Education Index. 





CONTENTS IN BRIEF 


Article: “A Daily Reminder,” p. 71-72 
Minneapolis Convention, p. 73-74 
With Local and State Groups, p. 75-76 
Article: “Technocrazy,” p. 77-79 


Twelfth and Thirteenth Yearbooks, p. 
80-82 


Editorial, p. 57 

Office of Education, p. 58 

N. E. A. Headquarters, p. 59 
Membership Chatter, p. 60-61 
Article: “Dividends,” p. 62-66 


Article: “The Elementary Principal in 
Arkansas,” p. 67-70 


Book Review, p. 83-84 





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EACHERS in general and prin- 

cipals in particular should be bet- 
ter informed about the financial aspects 
of education. The property tax, as the 
chief means of public revenue, has 
shown its inadequacy. Governmental 
activities of the future will have to be 
supported by a comprehensive program, 
including income, sales, severance, cor- 
poration, and other kinds of taxes. The 
distribution of funds to various func- 
tions is also under examination. 


There is a need for the distribution 
among teachers of facts about taxation, 
school costs, and finance. These same facts 
should be passed on to the general public. 
In local, state, and national groups teachers 
should discuss these matters, and take the 
steps necessary to guarantee a square deal 
to children. A principal who does not 
familiarize himself with the publications of 
the N. E. A. and the Office of Education is 
exhibiting shortsightedness not in keeping 
with the strategic position which he holds. 


Yet with all of our earnest effort 
along the lines outlined above, we 
should not forget that our primary func- 
tion is teaching. It is not desirable to 
have first-grade teachers standing be- 
fore their classes with Seligman’s Essays 
in Taxation in one hand and a primer 
in the other. It is not wise for princi- 
pals to become so involved in public fi- 
nance as to cause administrative ineffec- 
tiveness in their respective schools. 
Somewhere between, there is a golden 
mean. Let us be sure that we do our 
regular tasks efficiently. 


Spegs 


It came in a very plain envelope. 
Just this message: “I have retired from 
active service and cannot join the De- 
partment this year.” We read these 
lines through again and again—each 
time trying to visualize the sender. Yes 
—there we see a gray-haired woman at 
her desk, she rises slowly, glances for 
the last time about the office, and then 
passes from view. Or—an elderly man 
shuffles across our thoughts, closes the 
school door behind himself, shrugs a bit 
at the click of the lock, and steps out 
into oblivion. Whether men or women 
—the same tragic elements are present. 

Is this our much vaunted business 
efficiency? We yearn for something less 
business-like. Is this the eternal strug- 
gle between youth and age? We look 
forward to a better planned social or- 
der. Is this an expediency born of the 
depression? Then may society not for- 
get to make restitution at the earliest 
opportunity. 

Weare loathe to see the retired prin- 
cipal dropped from the rolls of our De- 
partment. We should regret it even 
more if he lost touch with the elemen- 
tary-school principalship. We invite 
him to give us the benefit of his rich ex- 
periences through articles in the year- 
books and this Bulletin. We urge local 
principals’ clubs to make a place for 
the retired principal in their activities. 
Retirement should not mean inactivity, 
atrophy, and oblivion for those who have 
served with us.—E. G. P. 57 

















S THE GREEKS went to Delphi 

for information, so modern Amer- 
icans come to Washington, D. C. At 
the federal “fount” adding machines 
substitute for inspirational Hellenic 
gases. Suppliants of Potomac sibyls sel- 
dom depart empty handed. Instead of 
cryptic answers in verse they receive 
neat statistical documents which many 
find quite as intriguing to a persevering 
intellect as were their Delphic precur- 
sors. 

However, those who have made their 
way to the Office of Education niche 
frequently return to ask us another. In 
our way we try to parallel the perform- 
ance of a sister service except that we 
report the educational weather. Sup- 
pose you were to ask the Office of Edu- 
cation, What is an elementary-school 
principal? Hiding behind the pages of 
Elementary School Principals: Some 
Data on Their Education, Experience, 
and Salaries (Walter S. Deffenbaugh, 
Leaflet No. 43), we answer in a deep, 
authoritative voice thus: 


Before us rise the shapes of ten typical 
principals. You may know them. Four are 
men. Six are women. These ten are well 
along the road of life. Not one is under 
thirty years of age. The eldest is a prin- 
cipal in a great city. She is sixty years old. 
Five have said farewell to fifty-five. These 
men and women have devoted most of their 
adult years to the education of young chil- 
dren. Half of them have taught or admin- 





DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR 


UL LULA ION 


istered schools for twenty-two years. In- 
deed, three have served thirty years or more. 

Three of them, probably the eldest, are 
principals in great cities. Three more are 
employed in cities ranging from the size of 
Goshen, Indiana, to El] Paso, Texas. One is 
head of a rural school, two are in villages, 
and one is in a city of about 5000 population. 

Only one of the six women is married. 
She is principal of a rural school. But three 
of the men are married. Among the men, 
the bachelor administers a rural school. He 
is a young chap on a small salary, a col- 
lege graduate, starting near the bottom of 
the educational ladder. 

Educationally the group is largely made 
up of college-made men and experience- 
made women. One of the men has had grad- 
uate work; two others have had three or 
more years of college. Only half of the 
women have had training beyond two years 
normal school. One woman principal has 
had only one year beyond high school. 

This group reveals a change that has come 
over public education. The elderly women 
principals belong to the period when the 
successful classroom teacher with a normal 
school certificate was advanced when posi- 
tions became open. The men, mostly young- 
er, belong to our later period, when prin- 
cipalship is recognized as a specialized ad- 
ministrative task and also the tryout grounds 
for future superintendents. 

Thus we answer. For further infor- 
mation deposit five cents with the Su- 
perintendent of Documents, Washing- 
ton, D. C., and ask for Leaflet No. 43. 

N. B.: For literary purposes statis- 
tical surgery has been avoided above. 
For quarters, tenths, and halves of prin- 


cipals see the leaflet—W. D. Boutwell. 





38 


THE BULLETIN 





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NATIONAL 








THREE-MINUTE glance at 

Headquarters! At the entrance 
we find ourselves facing a heroic-sized 
figure of Horace Mann. It is a replica 
of the statue in front of the State House 
in Boston. 

Let us start with the Secretary’s Of- 
fice. From here are sent hundreds of 
letters—words of praise and advice. No 
one can begin to measure this outpour- 
ing of new courage. Here also orig- 
inate the efforts which have enrolled 
over five thousand life members. 

Retracing our steps we enter the 
Business Office. On the counter we 
pick up a leaflet describing the exhibit 
to be held at Minneapolis. It was no 
small task to convince some 140 busi- 
ness groups that they should show their 
wares at the convention. 

Hurrying to the second floor we find 
the Department of Superintendence 
preparing for the convention at Minne- 
apolis. This preparation requires hun- 
dreds of letters and an ability to foresee 
and to prevent difficulties. Next we 
step into a room where we find the 
Membership Division. A quick inspec- 
tion of the labor-saving devices and the 
cost-clipping machinery convinces us 
that the records are efficiently cared 
for. Across the way we find our own 
executive secretary directing the many 
activities of elementary principals. 
Down the hall is the Division of Ac- 
counts where the books of the Associa- 


EDUCATION ASSOCIATION 


EAUQUARTENo 





tion are kept so as to win the unstinted 
praise of public accountants. Nearby 
the Field Division keeps up contacts 
with many lay associations. 

On the third floor we visit the Class- 
room Service Division. From here are 
sent many letters to individual teachers 
and local teachers’ associations. Next 
door the representative of the Deans of 
Women guides the program of this de- 
partment. On this floor is the Division 
of Publications which prepares The 
Journal and helps with all depart- 
mental publications. It sends clip sheets 
to newspapers, conducts radio programs, 
and directs American Education Week. 
This year, in connection with the lat- 
ter project, more than 220,000 pieces of 
literature were distributed. 

The fourth floor is occupied by the 
Research Division. Every month this 
unit answers hundreds of letters from 
members. Here are compiled the year- 
books of the Departments of Superin- 
tendence, Elementary School Princi- 
pals, and Classroom Teachers. Infor- 
mation is prepared for state teachers’ 
associations, particularly in connection 
with legislative programs. One of the 
present projects is the compilation of 
teachers’ salaries paid in 1932-33. 

As we reach the first floor we pause 
before Horace Mann’s statue to recall 
the words from his last address: “Be 
ashamed to die before you have won 
some victory for humanity.” 





FEBRUARY 1933 


59 








UPERINTENDENT David E. 
Weeglein of Baltimore has charac- 
terized the financial problem of some 
boards of education by telling this story: 
At a colored church vestry meeting 
the preacher said: “Bredren, we must 
do something to remedy de status quo.” 
“Brudder Smith,” asked a vestry- 
man, “What am de status quo?” 


“Dat, my brudder,” said the preach- 
er, “am de Latin foh de mess we’s in.” 


School finance is in a mess along with 
private management and the general 
government. Salaries have been slashed 
and services drastically reduced. Many 
of us feel so blue that we are almost 
ready to surrender. But we dare not! 
It is true that we’re in a mess, but the 
need is not for despair. The cry is for 
workers who will “fight it out on this 
line if it takes all summer.” More than 
ever before we need to band together so 
as “‘to save the pieces” and to commence 
the reconstruction. 


Our records show that many of our 
present members have been members 
continuously since they first joined. 
Why can’t we get thousands who have 
never joined? We can, if our folk out 
in the field will assume personal respon- 
sibility for interesting others in the ac- 
tivities of the Department. The suc- 
cess or failure of our group rests upon 
the shoulders of each individual. His 
membership is an investment. If he 
wants that investment to continue to 
enhance in value, then he must help 
build. He can do this by bringing or 
sending new members to join. The 
state chairmen have chosen their city 
and county chairmen well, but these fine 
people can’t take the whole load upon 





MEMBERSHIP CHATTER 


their shoulders. They must be supple- 
mented by you and other influential 
members. . nig Om 
We here at headquarters are just 
your clearing-house. We are your 
switchboard by which you may get sery- 
ice. The Department is not just an of- 
fice in Washington. Benefits to mem- 
bers come from contacts at the conven- 
tion. Better thinking comes from the 
conflicts of opinions in our publications. 
Clarification of thinking comes from 
preparation of articles for the year- 
books. Improvement of methods de- 
velops from imitating the successful 
practises described by others. The De- 
partment is a thinking, working, and 
(cooperating group of principals, not 
merely an office. Every principal of the 
country has been invited by the Edi- 
torial Committee to make a contribu- 
tion for the yearbook by writing on some 
particular phase of the subject chosen 
for each year. Each has his forte, maybe 
yours is not writing. Perhaps your con- 
tribution should be that of helping your 
city or county chairman to secure a 100 
percent membership in your locality. 


The principal as an active participant 
in a professional group is so ably stated 
in the Research Bulletin (p. 144), ““The 
Principal at Work on His Problems,” 
that I quote: 

¢ . “Ee Pees Tl 

Much of the growth in recent years of 
professional consciousness and solidarity has 
been due to educational organizations. These 
groups offer the individual educator count- 
less opportunities for unselfish contributions 
to the social welfare. Superintendent Frank 
Cody has stated this viewpoint, as follows: 
“The organizations most instrumental in 
the development of this growing conscious- 
ness and unselfish ideal of social service 





60 


THE_ BULLETIN 














- 





—_ ee 
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—— 





may be considered as the national, state, 
and local bodies with their great teacher 
membership. Roosevelt, that great Ameri- 
can leader and teacher, rightfully said that 
every person owes some of his time to the 
upbuilding of his profession. We go a step 
further and declare that every teacher owes 
it to himself and to his community to give 
not only a little of his time but a little of 
his money as well in the effort to advance 
the profession of teaching.” 


Many of the superintendents realiz- 
ing the worthwhileness of our organiza- 
tion are urging their principals to send 
in their dues now. Let me quote from 
the bulletin which Dr. Willis A. Sutton 
sent to his principals in Atlanta, 
Georgia, on January 12: 


I wish to call attention of the principals 
to their duty to affiliate with the Depart- 
ment of Elementary School Principals or 
the Department of Secondary School Prin- 
cipals. These departments of the National 
Education Association can never success- 
fully do their work without a large enrol- 
ment and interest on the part of the indi- 
vidual school principals. I trust you will 
find it convenient to join. The publications 
alone are worth the cost. 


I am glad to report that even in this 
terrible crisis of education our member- 
ship has not lagged behind as much as 
has been reported in other organiza- 
tions. Salaries have been cut, schools 
closed, and burdens increased, yet 3000 
of your principals have stayed faithful 
to the Department. You have sent in 
your memberships and by so doing you 
indicate you want the latest news, meth- 
ods, and ideas. You want to keep 
abreast of the times. But you want to 
do more than just get news, methods, 
and ideas at a time like this. You want 
to pool the strength of education against 
the policies of rabid politicians who have 
spent the schools’ money and now in 
order to balance budgets demand fur- 


ther salary cuts. This solid front can 
only be obtained by every member get- 
ting new members or persuading dila- 
tory members to send in their dues. 

This office has been instrumental in 
securing places on the state convention 
programs for twenty-seven of our state 
or city chairmen. This spring many 
more of these fine folk will tell the 
state assembly about our national or- 
ganization, for we have heard from 
thirty-three of the forty-eight states. 
The principals of this nation have un- 
told strength if they will organize, and 
to do this means a membership fee of 
only $3.00. It has been estimated that 
there are 25,000 elementary-school prin- 
cipals. Think of the great number of 
people that these folk influence! 


In the Citizens Conference on the 
Crisis in Education held in January, 
it was interesting to note that one 
of the Washington papers expressed 
surprise that “the educators of the 
group seemed to be aroused for they ac- 
tually got up and talked.” It is time 
that educators make themselves heard. 
Let elementary principals come to the 
front in mass formation. We can do 
this if each one will sense his duty and 
see that our membership is enlarged. 
You don’t have to give your acquaint- 
ance, your friend, or your neighbor a 
remittance blank. All he needs to do is 
to send his check for $3.00 to the De- 
partment of Elementary School Prin- 
cipals, 1201 Sixteenth Street, North- 
west, Washington, D. C. 

We are glad to announce that the 
following principals have accepted ap- 
pointments as enrolment chairmen: 
Tennessee—Alice Reilly, 225 Pasadena 

Place, Memphis. 
Wyoming—Margaret Chambers, 

Grant School, Casper. 





FEBRUARY 1933 


61 








DIVIDENDS 


Aaron Kline 
OW WELL we remember the 


arrogance of the business man dur- 
ing the late lamented period of prosper- 
ity! We school people were constantly 
urged to consider the efficiency of the 
business world. School graduates were 
criticized as unprepared and not what 
the efficient business man had a right to 
expect from the costly educational sys- 
tem. We were told how these efficient 
big business men had eliminated waste 
and cut the cost of production. 

In Chicago and other cities, within 
recent years it has been seriously pro- 
posed that business men be elected to 
the superintendency. The proponents 
of this plan argue that a business (note 
that a great school system was classed 
as a business) spending ninety million 
dollars a year should be headed by an 
efficient business executive rather than 
a professional man. 

The prosperous days are gone, and 
with them has gone some of the arro- 
gance of the “big and efficient” busi- 
ness man. The mask of efficiency has 
been stripped from business. The cloak 
of righteousness has fallen from its 
shoulders and its rottenness is exposed 
to public gaze. 

Ina recent article in School Manage- 
ment, Dr. John K. Norton calls at- 
tention to the fact that “the consump- 
tion of woolen and worsted fabrics in 
1927, in the United States amounted to 
approximately $600,000,000 as com- 
pared with a manufacturing capacity 
of $1,800,000,000.” In other words, 
this industry, in the prosperous year of 
1927, was 200 percent overbuilt! Busi- 
ness efficiency? If the schools had fol- 





lowed this example of the woolen and 
worsted fabric manufacturers, we 
would today have three seats for each 
child in our school systems! 

What about dividends? They are 
not common to the business world to- 
day. Most investors no longer discuss 
dividends. The efficient business world 
is suffering from a severe headache and 
would rather not have the subject of 
dividends mentioned. I shall respect 
their wishes so far as the business world 
is concerned. I wish, however, to give 
considerable space here to the dividends 
paid by public education. 

We educators have talked for a long 
time about the cost of public education. 
We have given comparative costs of 
luxuries, tobacco, cosmetics, and war, to 
convince the business world and finan- 
cial lords that the cost of education has 
not been excessive. The fact that the 
United States spent two billion for edu- 
cation and two billion for tobacco in 
1930, should convince anyone that pub- 
lic education is not too costly. But many 
of the barons of business are not im- 
pressed. 

Since the presentation of data on 
school costs is not entirely effective in 
holding the lines for public education, 
would it not be sensible to emphasize 
dividends? Investors are not so much 
interested in costs as they are in safety 
of investments and in returns. The pub- 
lic has invested in education. Was this 
a good investment? Has the invest- 
ment paid dividends? 

The idea of universal taxation to sup- 
port free public education was not uni- 
versally accepted in the United States 





62 


THE BULLETIN 





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until 1850. Horace Mann, Henry 
Barnard, and hosts of pioneer educators 
had to convince the American public 
that the success of a democratic form 
of government depended upon a liter- 
ate population. This idea was so firmly 
established that it has not been seriously 
challenged until very recently. 


From 1850 to 1890 the schools 
served to educate boys and girls for the 
professions and gave to all who came 
and endured, the ability to read and 
write a little. The schools functioned 
so effectively that in spite of the great 
American frontier that moved con- 
stantly westward and called for sturdy 
bodies rather than schooled minds, and 
in spite of the necessity of clearing the 
farms and draining the swamps, the 
United States compared favorably with 
other countries on the percent of literate 
people. As unsatisfactory as they were 
for our complex democratic civilization, 
the schools paid a greater dividend in 
the form of a Jiterate population than 
could have reasonably been expected 
from the amount invested. 


About 1890 Dr. Eliot of Harvard 
University, expressing the growing need 
of our people, demanded that public 
school curriculums be liberalized and 
expanded. We were in need of engi- 
neers, architects, scientists, and leaders 
in other fields. The schools responded 
to this demand. The sciences were 
added, more mathematics was added, 
and less classical work required in the 
courses. Preparation for varied fields 
of activity called for not one but many 
courses in our high schools and col- 
leges. The number of high-school 
courses quickly increased from one or 
two until today in our large high schools 
we have many courses. 

The public invested additional funds 


in this new idea. They were not lavish 
in their support, but every cent was 
made to count in a style characteristic 
of educational leaders. The prepara- 
tion of thousands of young people for 


the fields of science, engineering, and 


architectural work went forward so 
successfully that by the time of the out- 
break of the World War the United 
States had astounded the world with its 
great buildings, its bridges, and other 
engineering feats. Science and inven- 
tion had been given such an impetus 
that the world was astonished at al- 
most daily announcements of new dis- 
coveries. This work in science and in- 
vention continued during and after the 
War with such speed that we are now 
so far ahead mechanically and scien- 
tifically of what we are economically 
and morally, that new and undreamed 
of problems have arisen. 


Dr. Eliot suggested a new program 
for public education. Educational lead- 
ers responded and public education un- 
dertook the job. The people with faith 
in their public schools increased their 
investment. Public education, together 
with private research, paid such divi- 
dends in scientific discoveries that the 
entire civilized world has changed in a 
generation. Drudgery was lifted from 
the backs of men and placed upon pow- 
erful machines. In fact, invention has 
gone on until we have created a prob- 
lem of men or machines for labor. 


In an address at Springfield last year 
Dr. Rugg said, “There are enough blue 
prints for new machines, in addition to 
the machines already built, to produce 
all of the goods the world can use, in a 
twelve-hour week.”” We can safely chal- 
lenge any efficient business corporation 
any place in the world to show half as 
many dividends for such investments. 





FEBRUARY 1933 


63 








During the early history of this coun- 
try it was difficult to produce sufficient 
food to feed our people. New and pro- 
ductive land added yearly to the farm- 
ing area scarcely kept pace with the de- 
mands of a rapidly increasing popula- 
tion. Everywhere leaders were serious- 
ly concerned lest the day would come 
when our farms would not produce 
enough for our needs. Farmers were 
constantly urged to improve the qual- 
ity of both cereals and animals pro- 
duced on the farm. Public funds in 
every state were invested in schools of 
agriculture. Courses in agriculture 
were introduced in our high schools and 
by 1910 in many of our elementary 
schools. Educators everywhere accept- 
ed the problem of teaching a new gener- 
ation to produce more and better food. 


The public invested additional funds 
in their public schools for this purpose. 
Educators made the increased invest- 
ment count toward the solution of the 
problem. Again public education paid 
such a dividend that today the farmers 
of the United States, without any em- 
phasis on intensive farming, could feed 
half of the world. Indeed, they can 
and do produce so much that a large 
part of it is not gathered or sold be- 
cause of low prices. 


By 1915 medical science had made 
great strides in discovering the germs 
that cause children’s diseases and serums 
to immunize children against these dis- 
eases. Food chemists had discovered so 
much about proper foods and their rela- 
tion to health that the question of pre- 
ventive treatment of diseases came to 
the fore. Again it was necessary to go 
to the public schools to get this new 
knowledge across to the people. Educa- 
tors everywhere accepted this new task. 
The old-fashioned physiology with its 


emphasis on blood and bone changed to 
body care and health habits. 


The new germ theory as a cause of 
disease and its prevention by serum 
treatment became common knowledge 
in every American home. Teeth, eyes, 
and tonsils were examined and correc- 
tions made. Schoolhouses became cen- 
ters for medical and dental examina- 
tions, and for the immunizing of chil- 
dren against deadly diseases. Every 
schoolroom became a center for infor- 
mation about proper food and proper 
health habits. Teachers constantly 
checked with the children on the actual 
progress made in developing proper and 
regular health habits. Here again the 
schools paid in human life a dividend 
far beyond anything expected by the 
most optimistic proponents of this work. 
The average span of life was raised 
from the thirties to the fifties. Much 
of this increased span was due to the 
saving of children from diseases that 
had taken a heavy toll yearly. 


The mechanical age had put upon 
our city streets and country roads high- 
powered and high-speed automobiles. 
Human life, especially child life, was 
being sacrificed at an alarming rate. 
Laws regulating speed failed to halt 
the rapidly increasing number of deaths 
due to automobile accidents. Again a 
new job was handed to the American 
teachers. Officials everywhere appealed 
to the schools to teach safety education. 
Educators, accustomed to tackling new 
problems, accepted the challenge. 
Teachers went to work with a will. 
Schoolboy patrols appeared on our city 
streets. Slogans were written and 
learned by the children. Songs of safety 
sung just before noon and evening dis- 
missals fixed in the children’s minds the 
idea of carefulness. So well has the 





64 


THE BULLETIN 





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work been done that another dividend 
in human life has been paid to the pub- 
lic. This dividend is so great that a 
large part of the cost of public educa- 
tion could be paid out of wealth pro- 
duced during the lives of these thou- 
sands of children who would otherwise 
have been sacrificed to our carelessness 
in driving. In a survey of schools en- 
rolling 246,000 pupils it was found that 
accidents to children in homes were 
twice as many as accidents to children 
at schools and on the way to and from 
school. That is, children were twice as 
safe in school and on the way to and 
from school as in the home. 


When the industrial changes about 
1920 made child labor no longer prof- 
itable, the efficient business world 
turned thousands of young boys and 
girls into the streets. Industry and 
business wanted them no longer. Ma- 
chine production was cheaper and more 
efficient. What were these children to 
do? With no labor they would become 
a menace to society. The public school 
was asked again to protect society. 
Again the educators did not fail. They 
took these children cast out by an “effi- 
cient” business world. In droves they 
came—school buildings were too small 
to accommodate them. Courses of study 
were too narrow and too bookish to in- 
terest them but none were turned away. 
Industry was glad to help to raise the 
compulsory age to compel these chil- 
dren to go to school, so that they would 
not become a menace to society. Junior 
and senior high-school enrolments in- 
creased by leaps and bounds. One high 
school in Chicago now has nearly ten 
thousand pupils. This high school had 
a 10 percent increase in membership in 
1932-33. For this increase not a single 
additional teacher was assigned to the 


system. In many other cities there have 
been large increases in enrolment but 
not a proportionate increase in the num- 
ber of teachers. 

Educators were driven by increased 
enrolments to find new types of organi- 
zation. High schools were organized in 
three or four shifts with an extended 
day so that a building might accommo- 
date two or three times its normal ca- 
pacity. Courses of study were expanded 
to include hundreds of subjects of in- 
terest to these thousands of young men 
and young women rejected by a mechan- 
ized industry. Again public education 
paid, in useful citizenship and in pre- 
venting from lives of crime, many of 
America’s young men and young 
women. Crime has increased—no doubt 
—but what would the increase have 
been had the schools like the business 
world denied these young people a 
place? 

I am aware that in each of these 
fields that I have mentioned, the public 
schools had the cooperation of public- 
spirited citizens and of civic groups. 
However, if you would subtract the 
work done through public education in 
any or all of the cases cited the results 
would have been meager. 


We are in the present crisis not be- 
cause of the failure of public education. 
If the schools contributed at all as a 
cause it was because of the tremendous 
unexpected and unprepared-for success 
of public education. 


The way out is not to destroy or to 
handicap our public-school system, but 
rather to give it new problems to solve. 
For example, while we are so superior 
in our ability to produce goods of every 
kind, we are still in the “dark ages” in 
our ability to distribute these goods. 
Food rots on the farm while people 





FEBRUARY 1933 


65 








starve in the city only fifty miles away. 
Milk is two cents a quart in Wisconsin 
and eleven cents a quart in Chicago, 
only fifty miles away. Illinois is taxing 
itself millions of dollars to feed the 
cities’ unemployed with food bought at 
prices that give a profit to a few middle 
men, while farmers are selling the same 
food at less than one-third that price to 
pay the tax. This situation is idiotic and 
unworthy of educated people. A sane 
solution of this problem could be worked 
out in a very short time. The public 
schools could and would carry to every 
home information about the new plan 
and solicit the needed cooperation. In 
other words, public education can lead 
us out of this mess brought on by the 
utter failure of an efficient business 
world. The school is the only govern- 
mental function that has never failed. 
It is the only avenue of public invest- 
ment that has never failed to pay divi- 
dends. 

I have mentioned but a few of the 
many problems brought upon us by a 
machine age. However, public educa- 
tion can help to solve them all if given 
a free hand. We educators are too 
modest except in our own groups. We 
should tell the world less about cost 
and more about dividends. 

My plea is for an educational offen- 
sive. Tell our people what public edu- 
cation has achieved in every age of our 
national history. Make the public for- 
get the costs by focusing attention on 
the results. The enemies of public edu- 
cation are highly organized and have 
unlimited financial resources. We must 
not wait for further attacks. We must 
attack with redoubled force all along 
the line. 


(Mr. Kline is to be one of the speak 
ers at the Minneapolis meeting.) 





POLICIES 
FEW of the statements of policy 
of the recent Citizens Conference 
on the Crisis in Education follow: 


Education is a necessity not a luxury since 
the growth of the child cannot be halted or 
postponed during an economic emergency, 
Therefore, educational service should be ac- 
corded a high degree of priority in deter- 
mining the purposes and services which shall 
be supported by the states during a depres- 
sion. 

The major wastes in education should be 
eliminated through the abolition of control 
over, and interference with, education by 
politicians, of political appointments and 
of political corruption. 

Local governments and local school dis- 
tricts should be reorganized and consoli- 
dated. 

Administrative control of the schools must 
be centralized in the superintendent. 

State administrative organization of edu- 
cation must be reorganized through the 
creation of a non-political and professional 
agency for the administration of the edu- 
cational policies of the state, where such 
agency does not already exist. 

The state must assume the responsibility 
within its means of assuring adequate pub- 
lic education to all local communities, ir- 
respective of their financial condition. 

We especially urge law-making bodies 
to give priority to legislation which will 
alleviate conditions in communities now 
being required to make injurious curtail- 
ments in their school programs because of 
unusual burdens, inequitable tax systems, 
or faulty fiscal machinery. 

We urge Congress to provide for federal 
assistance through emergency loans for a 
limited period to such states as may make 
an adequate showing of their inability to 
maintain reasonable standards of support 
for public-school education. 

All governments, local, state, and national, 
should direct attention to the immediate 
reformation of the system of taxation. 


The above policies are taken from 
the report of proceedings, a fourteen- 
page bulletin which may be obtained 
for twenty-five cents from the American 
Council on Education, 744 Jackson 
Place, Washington, D. C. Principals 
should obtain the full report and make 
its contents available to citizens gen- 
erally. 





66 


THE BULLETIN 





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THE ELEMENTARY 


PRINCIPAL IN ARKANSAS 
C. M. Reinoehl and R. A. Cooper 


RKANSAS had 5118 school dis- 

tricts in 1920. In 1930 there were 
3475, a reduction of 1643 within the 
decade. Sixty-eight of the consolida- 
tions were made during the last two 
years of the period. The elimination 
of about 1600 small, inefficient school 
districts is ‘an outstanding achievement 
of recent years.” 


Status of the Principalship 

How have these rapid changes 
altered the status of the elementary- 
school principal? What effect has 
school district consolidation had upon 
his work? Data were obtained from 
the elementary-school principals in 
twenty representative consolidated coun- 
ties and twenty typical non-consolidated 
counties. A consolidated county was 
defined as one in which 60 percent of 
the white children were attending a 
school that offered standard elementary- 
and high-school advantages under the 
control of one school board, and that 
constituted a single unit for school pur- 
poses. A principal was defined as a per- 
son in charge of a school of at least two 
teachers besides himself. An elemen- 
tary school was taken to mean the six 
lower grades, although schools with 
higher grades were included, if the 
principal was in direct charge of the 
elementary work. 

Information was obtained for 1930 
for 116 principals, through the aid of 
Dr. Dawson, director of research and 
surveys, of the state department. No 
principals were included from the large 
city school systems. The study may be 


considered as representative of the prin- 
cipals in rural or village communities. 
In presenting a summary of the Arkan- 
sas study, reference has been made to 2 
New York study and a national report, 
both of which are listed at the end of 
this article. 


Sex—Of 116 Arkansas principals 
ninety-eight or 84 percent were men, 
thirteen or 11 percent were women, and 
five did not report. In the United States 
as a whole the ratios are 45 percent men 
and 55 percent women (1). 

A ge—The median age for the group 
of Arkansas principals was thirty-three 
years, or about two years lower than 
that for the United States as a whole. 
The range of ages in Arkansas is from 
twenty-one to sixty-eight years, show- 
ing that possibly a few of the “‘old-type” 
principals are still on the job. In con- 
solidated counties the median age of 
principals is thirty-two years and in non- 
consolidated counties it is thirty-eight. 
It is possible that the consolidated coun- 
ties offer more attractive positions to the 
younger and more aggressive principals. 


Training—Ninety-five of the 116 
principals reported on their college 
training. The median amount of college 
experience is four years. Ten percent 
have had less than two years. Of those 
with four years of preparation, one- 
fourth has been in professional subjects 
and three-fourths in academic subjects. 

Only forty-four, or 38 percent of all 
principals, attended college within the 
past two years. In consolidated coun- 
ties 40 percent attended college within 





FEBRUARY 1933 


67 








the past two years, while 34 percent of 
the principals in non-consolidated coun- 
ties had taken professional work within 
this period. 

Only 46 percent of all principals re- 
ported attendance at summer school the 
year preceding their reports. Approxi- 
mately one-half of these attended ten or 
more weeks. Consolidation appears to 
encourage summer-school attendance 
since 53 percent of the principals in 
consolidated counties contrasted with 
35 percent in non-consolidated coun- 
ties attended summer school. 


Certification—One hundred and 
eleven principals reported on type of 
certificates held. Twenty-three (21 
percent) held life certificates, thirty- 
nine (35 percent) have professional cer- 
tificates, while thirty-seven held county 
first-grade certificates. Arkansas, with 
56 percent of its elementary principals 
holding a professional or higher grade 
of certificate, is far behind New York 
state where 92 percent of the principals 
do as well (2). The professional or 
higher certificate is held by 50 percent 
of the principals in consolidated coun- 
ties and by 60 percent of those in non- 
consolidated counties. 

Contracts—The number of months 
in which principals are under contract 
varies from eight to twelve. There are 
practically no ten-months’ contracts. 
Out of every ten contracts there are ap- 
proximately three for eight months, 
four for nine months, and three for 
twelve months. 

Experience—One hundred and four 
principals reported on years of teaching 
experience. The range was from none 
to thirty-six years. The median for all 
principals in both types of counties was 
ten years. The median for the state of 
New York was 19.1 years, while for 





the United States as a whole it was 25.7 
years. The Arkansas principal has not 
one-half as much teaching experience 
as the principal in the United States as 
a whole. 

Grades taught—Of 105 principals 
replying to the type of work done sixty- 
seven reported high-school work only; 
thirteen both high-school and grade 
work ; and twenty-five elementary work 
only. The principal of an elementary 
school was usually a high-school princi- 
pal, teaching high-school subjects in 
three-fourths of the cases studied. Only 
one principal in four is free from high- 
school duties. 

Tenure—The tenure reported by the 
Arkansas principals was short. The 
‘range was from one to eighteen years, 
with the median for the state at 3.3 
years. That of New York state was 7.2 
years, and the median for the United 
States as a whole has been reported as 
6.9 years. 

Salaries—The range in the 1930 sal- 
aries for the elementary principal was 
from $680 to $3600 a year. The median 
was $1430. This amount was higher by 
$21 than the median for teaching prin- 
cipals in cities of 2500 to 5000 popula- 
tion in the United States (3). The Of- 
fice of Education reported a national 
median of $1382 for principals with 
elementary grades only, and $2038 for 
those with grades and high schools in 
communities under 2500 in population 
(4). The median salary for a principal 
in consolidated counties is $15 lower 
than the median salary for a principal 
in non-consolidated counties. Salary is 
not favored by consolidation. 

Length of term—With one excep- 
tion all schools included in this study 
had eight or nine months of school. 





68 


THE BULLETIN 














Se 





The nine months’ term was found in 
65 percent of the schools. There was 
no appreciable difference in the length 
of term in consolidated and non-con- 
solidated counties. 

Number of grades—Of 116 schools 
reporting only seven were without one 
or more years of work in grades be- 
yond the eighth. Sixty-eight percent of 
the schools were twelve-year schools. 
There were approximately four times 
as many elementary schools with eight 
grades as with six grades. Consoli- 
dation increased the number of years 
of high-school work offered. Seventy 
percent of the schools in consolidated 
counties and 63 percent of those in non- 
consolidated counties had four-year high 
schools. 

Enrolments—The number of pupils 
enrolled in the 116 schools under con- 
sideration varies greatly. The range is 
from 52 to 991 pupils. The average 
number of pupils in all grades was 257 ; 
in grades one to six it was 191. Schools 
in consolidated counties were slightly 
larger than schools in non-consolidated 
counties, but neither the average nor 
the median shows much difference. 

T eachers—The range in number of 
teachers to a school was from three to 
fifteen. The median was 5.3 teachers. 
The median for cities in the United 
States under 5000 population has been 
reported as 8.7 teachers. Schools with 
six grades have more teachers than 
schools with eight grades. The average 
of twenty-two schools with six grades is 
8.4 teachers, while the average of eighty- 
six schools with eight grades is 4.9 
teachers. Schools in consolidated coun- 
ties have more teachers than schools in 
non-consolidated counties. In schools 
of six grades the average numbers are 
9.9 and 6.6 teachers, and in schools of 


eight grades the average numbers are 
5.1 and 4.8 teachers respectively. 


Pupils per teacher—Theaverage 
number of pupils per teacher was 37.7 
in six-year schools and 31.8 in eight- 
year schools. There was no significant 
difference between consolidated and 
non-consolidated counties. 


Summary of Findings 

The typical rural Arkansas elemen- 
tary-school principal, within the limits 
of this study, is a man thirty-three years 
of age. He has had ten years of teach- 
ing experience, but only three and one- 
third years in his present position. He 
is essentially a high-school principal, 
teaching in the high school and having 
charge of the elementary grades in the 
same building. The chances are almost 
equally good for him to be under con- 
tract for eight, nine, or twelve months, 
with compensation at $1450. He holds 
a state first-grade or professional cer- 
tificate. He has earned enough college 
credit to have senior standing, lacking 
only one semester of graduation in the 
four - year college. Three - fourths of 
his college work has been in academic 
subjects. He tends to continue his col- 
lege work slowly, seeking some summer 
work, at least in alternate years. In two 
cases out of three he teaches a nine- 
months’ term in a school enrolling all 
twelve grades. His is a small school 
with only 257 pupils enrolled and with 
only five and one-half teachers. His 
school is organized on the traditional 
eight-four plan, each elementary teach- 
er having from thirty-two to thirty- 
eight pupils. 

If he teaches in a consolidated county 
rather than in a non-consolidated coun- 
ty, he will, in all probability, be a man 
younger by six years than the above 





FEBRUARY 1933 


69 








average; have two less years of teach- 
ing experience; attend summer school 
more frequently ; and teach for a shorter 
time in a school with more pupils and 
teachers, and more grades or years of 
school work provided. 


In contrast with principals in New 
York state and the United States as a 
whole, the Arkansas elementary-school 
principal is a man who holds a lower 
grade of certificate, who has taught only 
one-half as many years, and who has 
been only one-half as long in the same 
position. 


References 


(1) National Education Association, De- 
partment of Elementary School Prin- 
cipals. Fifth Yearbook. Washing- 
ton, D. C.: the Department, 1926. 
Chapter II, “The Status of the Ele- 
mentary School Principal,” by Roy A. 
Crouch, p. 207-76. 


(2) New York State Department. Status 
of the Elementary School Principal 
in New York State. Bulletin 926. 
Albany: University of the State of 
New York, 1929. 18 p. 


(3) National Education Association, Re- 
search Division. “Salaries in City 
School Systems in 1930-31.” Research 
Bulletin 9: 161-228; May, 1931. 


(4) U. S. Department of Interior, Office of 
Education. Status of Teachers and 
Principals Employed in Rural Schools 
of the United States. Bulletin 1932, 
No. 3. Washington, D. C.: Govern- 
ment Printing Office, 1932. p. 43. 


Our nation faces the acute respon- 
sibility of providing a right of way 
for the American child. In spite of 
our economic, social, and governmen- 
tal difficulties, our future citizens must 
be built up now. We may delay 
other problems but we cannot delay 
the day-to-day care and instruction 
of our children.—President Hoover. 





FIRE THRILL 


W* have borrowed the following 
story from the Chicago Princi- 


pals’ Club Reporter. It seems to us that 
this was a fire thrill, fire mill, or a fire 
spill—but not’a fire drill. Here goes: 


One of Chicago’s elementary schools js 
named for a great humorist so it is singu- 
larly appropriate that the melodrama re- 
lated here should have happened (as it 
really did) in that school. 


The boy who was both the victim and the 
hero was, in addition, the villain who slid 
down the bannisters with matches and a 
celluloid comb in his back pocket—but the 
fact that he was in active combustion was 
known only to the principal who ran down 
the corridor after him yelling for the boy 
to lie down and roll over (see First Aid 
Instructions). 


A level-headed teacher, who was out of 
her room for the moment (and that some- 
times happens with the levelest headed), ran 
to the nurse’s office. The doctor was also 
in and his new overcoat lay over a chair. 
The nurse, grasping the situation and the 
doctor’s overcoat at the same moment, at- 
tempted to throw the coat about the inflamed 
boy. Thereupon, the doctor went to the 
rescue of his coat and while one pulled east 
the other pulled west—with no marked ef- 
fect either on the coat or the boy. 


The commotion roused the kindergarten 
teachers. It is always easier for a kinder- 
garten teacher to show presence of mind in- 
asmuch as she has a partner who will handle 
the general hubbub while she devotes her- 
self to special emergencies. The aforesaid 
kindergarten teacher grabbed up a pail of 
sand and rushed to the boy of the burning 
deck—and threw the sand. Whatever can 
be said of relative motion should be used 
here to tell that the doctor and nurse re- 
ceived the sand face to face. 


Meanwhile the incandescent boy, despair- 
ing of any assistance, sat down in the wa- 
ter fountain—the scene ending in a burst of 
steam. 


Please address all protests to the 
Chicago Principals Club! 





7° 


THE BULLETIN 








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A DAILY REMINDER 
Robert H. Lane 


ODAY the elementary-school prin- 

cipalship is recognized in all mod- 
ern school systems as the most respon- 
sible position in our educational scheme 
in view of its unequaled opportunities 
for service and its comparative freedom 
from those limitations which are placed 
on teacher and superintendent alike. 
In the face of our economic depression 


+ and our uncertain future, it is well to 
, inquire what our most 


responsible 
school executive should believe about 
his job and to help him define his re- 
sponsibilities toward it. For the sake of 
convenience let us arrange our thoughts 
in somewhat dogmatic fashion as fol- 
lows: 


(1) The principal should realize 
that he is living in a changing world 
and because of the fact should be sensi- 
tive to its demands upon the schools. 
This is, of course, the Kilpatrick thesis, 
but it will bear repetition. Too many 
principals today are living back in the 
“gay nineties” and operating schools 
which are more than reminiscent of the 
dull “eighties.” Insistence on formal 
discipline, insistence on facts for their 
own sake rather than for their useful- 
ness, meticulous and ridiculous atten- 
tion to detail and worship of precedents, 
rules, forms and other devices — all 
these are signs of atrophied growth. 

(2) The principal should realize 
that he is educating his children for 
an uncertain future. If we knew ex- 
actly what the future held for the 
younger generation we could, of course, 
prepare definitely for it. Since we do 
not know what changes even the next 
five years will bring to us, our power to 


give specific training is limited. Will 
not the principal be giving his students 
the best preparation possible if he em- 
phasizes and magnifies health of body 
and mind, keenness of vision, open- 
mindedness, a restrained and reasoned 
judgment, common sense, a sense of 
humor and, above all, the ability and 
desire to lead a happy and successful 
group life? This is, of course, the 
Dewey thesis but one which is often 
given only lip-service. 

(3) The principal should have an 
educational philosophy and put it into 
daily practise. As a rule we tend to 
lean heavily on the thoughts and judg- 
ments of other people and so are blown 
about by every kind of doctrine. Let us 
have some kind of faith to tie to and 
make it a usable, useful, comforting, and 
supporting guide in our daily actions. 


(4) The principal should have a 
mind of hisown. Too many people lead 
second-hand lives and educators are 
peculiarly susceptible to propaganda. 
By all means, let us learn from books 
and people and from life’s experiences 
but not forget that all we receive is the 
raw material of thought and out of it 
must come something which is our own 
immediate and personal possession. A 
recent ponderous book on the principal’s 
job tells us that “in an unpublished 
master’s thesis ‘so and so’ found that 
children of grades three to six have a 
decided tendency to associate in recrea- 
tional activities consisting of games, 
sports, and club projects.” Shades of 
Tom Sawyer! Did we have to wait for 
an “unpublished master’s thesis” to find 
out that boys like to play baseball? 





FEBRUARY 1933 


71 








There is altogether too much of the 
current idea that we cannot have any 
educational belief until someone has 
made a “scientific” study of the sub- 
ject. 

(5) Having a mind of his own the 
principal should have the courage to 
express it. Saint Paul reminds us that 
there is a time for everything. One 
does not want to inflict his ideas upon 
the public at inopportune seasons but 
the fatal hour comes when a man must 
speak up or be forever disgraced before 
his God. Let us hope that when that 
time comes we will have courage to 
speak and words to express our convic- 
tions. 

(6) If the principal is given respon- 
sibility may he be worthy of the voca- 
tion whereunto he is called. If a de- 
cision is to be made, let him make it 
thoughtfully and after he has heard all 
sides of the case. Then let him have the 
intestinal fortitude to stand by his de- 
cision. The old games of “side-step- 
ping,” “passing the buck,” and hiding 
behind rules and precedents have no 
place in this changing world. 

(7) Finally, let the principal re- 
member that he is a citizen of no mean 
country. May he remember that while 
he is evolving a generation of fine hu- 
man beings in his school, they must be, 
as well, the finest Americans. Possibly 
this new generation may be given in 
school the lofty desire to recapture our 
country in adult life from Splitz, Vitale, 
Capone, et al., and make it again “Our 
America.” 


The list of members in the year- 
book is a2directory of leaders in ele- 
mentary education. If your name is 
to be printed this year membership 
dues should be received in Washing- 
ton, D. C., not later than March 10. 





DO YOU KNOW THAT— 


T THE first meeting of the Na- 

tional Teachers’ Association in 
1857 there were only forty-two per- 
sons present. Recent conventions have 
registered as many as 10,000 persons. 

The N. E. A. is broadcasting a series 
of radio programs every Sunday under 
the direction of Florence Hale, first 
vicepresident of the Association. These 
programs are sent out by the nation- 
wide NBC network at 6:30 p. m., East- 
ern Standard Time. Why not hold a 
teaparty every Sunday evening for your 
friends? 

The National Congress of Parents 
and Teachers had 1,393,454 members 
in 1932. The local parent-teacher or- 
ganization is one of the most important 
allies of every principal. 

The advertisements in The Journal 
of the National Education Association 
help the Association to produce this im- 
portant publication. Members should 
mention The Journal when writing to 
advertisers. 

The January issue of the Research 
Bulletin is for school board members. 
If you want to do a service for friends 
on boards of education present them 
with copies of this unique and practical 
document. 

The 1933 yearbook of our Depart- 
ment will contain a list of local and 
state principals’ organizations. Be sure 
that your local group is represented on 
this list by sending immediately the 
names of the officers. 

A word from you to the principal of 
the nearby school, who is not a member 
of the Department, will do more than 
many letters from Washington. Please 
do your bit—enlist one member by 


March 1. 





72 


THE BULLETIN 








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FORWARD TO MINNEAPOLIS! 


February 25 - March 2 


HE Department of Superintend- 

ence assembles in Minneapolis this 
month to discuss “New Frontiers for 
American Life.” Prominent leaders 
will be there to consider the current per- 
plexing social, economic, and educa- 
tional problems. A number of the de- 
partments, including the Department of 
Elementary School Principals, will pre- 
sent other vital programs. 


A Presidential Message 

A letter of vital interest to all mem- 
bers of the Department has just been 
received from President Elizabeth Mc- 
Cormick. Her challenge: “Forward 
to Minneapolis!” should make us will- 
ing to sacrifice, even more than we have 
done in the past few months, to reach 
the convention city. Our president 
writes : 


My Friends: 

I hope all of you are looking forward to 
spending February 25-March 2 in Minne- 
apolis. Everything possible has been done 
to make the meeting outstanding. We prom- 
ise that those in attendance will get their 
money’s worth. 

Our general theme this time is “Ele- 
mentary Education—Forward!” We are 
fortunate indeed in having on our pro- 
grams some of the most progressive people 
in American education. At our banquet we 
shall have the pleasure of hearing Dr. 
Charles H. Judd. At the regular sessions 
we shall hear the following: 

(1) Dr. Bess Goodykoontz, assistant com- 
missioner, federal Office of Educa- 
tion. 

(2) Dr. Frank Holt, registrar, University 
of Wisconsin. 

(3) Ross N. Young, principal, Marshall 
High School, Minneapolis. 

(+) Orville G. Pratt, superintendent, Spo- 
kane, Washington. 


(5) Helen B. Shove, principal, Minnehaha 
School, Minneapolis. 

(6) William C. Knoelk, assistant super- 
intendent, Milwaukee. 

(7) Julia Anderson, classroom teacher, 
Superior, Wisconsin, and president 
of the grade teachers’ club in that 
city. 

(8) Aaron Kline, 
School, Chicago. 

(9) Dr. Charles C. Weidemann, director 
of educational research, State Uni- 
versity, Lincoln, Nebraska. 

(10) John S. Thomas, principal, Clippert 
School, Detroit. 

Special music by the pupils of the Minne- 

apolis schools is being prepared for us. 

The Minneapolis principals are sparing 
no pains to make plans for the breakfasts 
on Monday and Tuesday mornings of con- 
vention week. These events and the Tues- 
day evening banquet will be greatly en- 
joyed and long remembered. 

The present depression has affected all. 
Let us forget the latest fashions in clothes 
and come determined to have a good time 
socially and a profitable professional expe- 
rience. Forward to Minneapolis! Please 
meet me at headquarters at the Nicollet 
Hotel any time after February 25. 

Elizabeth McCormick. 


principal, Pullman 


Outstanding Features 

President Milton C. Potter of the 
Department of Superintendence has 
prepared a program of rare excellence. 
The world-famous St. Olaf’s choir will 
sing at the opening vesper service. A 
feature of the Wednesday evening pro- 
gram will be the Minneapolis Symphony 
Orchestra. 

Among the speakers are: President 
Lotus D. Coffman of the University of 
Minnesota, Dr. Charles H. Mayo of 
Rochester, Minnesota, President Glenn 
Frank of the University of Wisconsin, 
President Robert M. Hutchins of the 





FEBRUARY 1933 


73 








University of Chicago, and Howard 
Scott of Technocracy fame. 

A highly valued feature of the con- 
vention is the annual exhibit of educa- 
tional equipment, books, and supplies. 
At no other time do principals have the 
opportunity to see such a varied and 
extensive display. Exhibits are in 
charge of persons competent to demon- 
strate their wares and to give assistance 
with school problems. Many superin- 
tendents spend hours in the exhibit se- 
lecting suitable equipment. Why should 
not principals be present to assist in 
this important work? 

Among the departments and allied 
organizations which will present pro- 
grams of interest to principals are the 
following: American Educational Re- 
search Association, Department of 
Rural Education, Department of Su- 
pervisors and Directors of Instruction. 


Take Special Notice 

Railroad tickets to Minneapolis may 
be obtained for one and one-half fares 
between February 19 and 27. These 
are good for thirty days in returning. 
To buy these tickets you should have 
an identification certificate which N. E. 
A. members may obtain from Secretary 
J. W. Crabtree, 1201 Sixteenth St., 
N. W., Washington, D. C. 


Many good, double, hotel rooms are 
available, but single rooms with bath 
are exhausted. For accommodations 
address C. H. Chadbourn, chairman, 
Hotel Committee, Hotel Vendome, 
Minneapolis. 

Headquarters for the Department of 
Elementary School Principals will be 
in the Nicollet Hotel. All principals 
should plan to visit there at least once 
during the convention to register and 
to meet the national officers. 





CHICAGO 
July 1-7 


HE seventy-first annual convention 
of the National Education Associa- 
tion will be held in Chicago, July 1-7, 
1933. The importance of this meeting 
as an activity of the organized profes- 
sion can scarcely be overestimated. 
President Joseph Rosier plans a con- 
vention program which will impress 
upon the people of the nation the im- 
perative need for the continued advance- 
ment of teaching and wider recognition 
for the leadership exercised by the edu- 
cators in all activities for the welfare 
of the nation. Departmental programs 
will advance similar themes. 


The geographical position of Chicago is 
convenient to thousands who were not able 
to attend the two most recent summer meet- 
ings of the Association. Excellent railroad 
connections at reduced rates, and modern 
highways for automobile travel will make 
the trip easy and economical. The lake- 
front hotels of Chicago have reserved their 
best rooms at reasonable price for those 
who attend the convention. Directly in front 
of these hotels and skirting the lake-shore 
will be open for visitors one of the most 
pretentious world fairs of modern times. 
Many teachers will appreciate the economy 
of attending the fair and the annual con- 
vention on the same visit to the city. 


Convention headquarters will be at 
the Stevens Hotel on Michigan Ave- 
nue between 7th and 8th Streets. 
Meetings of the representative assem- 
bly and other official groups will be in 
this hotel. Departmental meetings will 
be held at the Stevens, Blackstone, Con- 
gress, and Auditorium hotels. Many 
of the state headquarters will be at the 
Stevens. Watch The Journal for fur- 
ther details or address Secretary J. W. 
Crabtree, 1201 Sixteenth St., Washing- 
ton, D. C. 





74 


THE BULLETIN 








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WITH THE LOCAL AND STATE GROUPS 


VERY ISSUE of this Bulletin has 

provided several pages for reports 
on the activities of local and state 
groups. If your club is doing something 
interesting send the Editor a brief no- 
tice. Instruct the secretary of your or- 
ganization to send a letter every month 
or so to Washington. If any local group 
does not receive attention in these 
columns sometime during the year then 
the fault is not ours. 

Cincinnati principals have issued an 
attractive folder in which are listed the 
officers, committees, and dates of meet- 
ings. The general theme for the year 
is “The Principal ana His Job.” At 
the October meeting the presidents of 
various parent-teacher groups were the 
guests of honor. W. Q. Brown is chair- 
man of the curriculum committee, Essie 
Arey is chairman of the professional 
study committee, O. W. Renfrow is 
recording secretary, W. E. Hutchinson 
is corresponding secretary, and G. L. 
Miller is president. 

A copy of the program of the South- 
west Idaho Education Association has 
been received. At the meeting October 
28-29, 1932, the elementary-school 
principals had a section meeting. R. A. 
Pomeroy of Boise talked on the topic 
“The Principal as a Supervisor”; and 
G. H. Holsinger of Boise spoke on “The 
Principal as a Community Leader.” 
The main speaker was Dr. W. D. 
Armentrout of the Colorado State 
Teachers College. Round-table discus- 
sions included the following topics: 
playground control, uniform grading in 
upper classes, extracurriculum activi- 
ties, and building management. Very 
wisely, the general program of the state 


association included a number of promi- 
nent laymen. . 


The Des Moines Principals’ Club 
includes elementary and secondary 
school principals, supervisors, and mem- 
bers of the superintendent’s staff. At 
the September meeting the club heard 
a talk on the life of James Whitcomb 
Riley, in December a talk on world 
armament, and in January a discussion 
of Iowa school legislation. The Feb- 
Tuary topic is the Lytton Report on the 
Far Eastern situation, in March the 
topic is Soviet Russia, and in April Su- 
perintendent Studebaker is to discuss 
“The Schools and the Social Order.” 


The Fort Worth Principals’ and 
Viceprincipals’ Association has as the 
general theme for the year: “The Prin- 
cipal’s Part in the Construction and Ad- 
ministration of the Curriculum.” At 
the first meeting in October, J. A. Hill 
discussed the principal’s place in the 
present crisis and Cecil Parker pre- 
sented the principal’s part in curriculum 
construction. In November Dr. Fred 
C. Ayer spoke on the topic “The Prin- 
cipal’s Principles of Curriculum Con- 
struction.” Superintendent Green in De- 
cember handled the problem of school 
failures and their cost to the schools. 
Extracurriculum activities and their 
relationship to the curriculum were dis- 
cussed in January by Dr. T. H. Shelby. 
Future meetings include: February, 
“Literature of the Southwest and its 
Place in the Curriculum,” Dr. Rebecca 
Smith; March, a topic of interest to 
high-school principals; April, “Pupil 
Guidance and the Curriculum,” Nat 
Wilson; and May, a recreational pro- 
gram. The secretary of the association 





FEBRUARY 1933 


75 








is F. A. Ashmore, and the president, S. 
M. Calloway. 

The Principals’ Club of Concord, 
New Hampshire, met seven times dur- 
ing the past school year. Superintendent 
L. J. Rundlett spoke at several meet- 
ings on the history of education. The 
president was Annette Prescott, and the 
secretary, Regis E. Scully. 

The Principals’ Club of Jackson, 
Michigan, has been addressed by Eliza- 
beth McCricket recently on the topic, 
“The Basis of Promotion of Pupils.” 
The president of the group is Helen 
Horner, Bennett School, and the secre- 
tary is Mamie E. Jose, 301 Summit 
Avenue. 


The principals of Cleveland Heights, 
Ohio, report that they have enlisted 100 
percent in the national Department. 


The Principals’ Association of Flint, 
Michigan, has launched an active pro- 
gram. At the first meeting in October 
the speakers were Superintendent Le- 
land H. Lamb and Professor Raleigh 
Shorling of Ann Arbor. Dr. J. B. Ed- 
monson addressed the second meeting 
on the topic “Difficulties in Teaching 
the Public.” The third meeting con- 
sists of an outdoor recreation program. 
The secondary school administrators of 
Flint also have an organization whereby 
they discuss the topics unique in their 


field. 


George T. Macklin, supervising 
principal of the Bridgeville, Delaware, 
consolidated school district, sent a pro- 
gram of the Delaware State Education 
Association of which he is president. At 
the meetings last November there was 
no meeting or section exclusively for 
principals. The programs of the pri- 
mary-elementary department and the 
rural department should have been of 
considerable interest to grade principals. 





Margaret C. Mackintosh, fourth 
vicepresident of our Department, has 
written that the New York Principals’ 
Association is planning a study of juve- 
nile delinquency. 

Secretary Anne Wright of the Phila- 
delphia Principals’ Club reports that 
Dr. Henry Neumann of the Brooklyn 
Ethical Culture Society addressed the 
club at a luncheon on January 7. The 
title of his talk was ‘““The Pied Piper; 
Who Will Get the Children Today?” 
In this inspiring talk Dr. Neumann 
discussed the forces attempting to in- 
fluence the child today and warned 
teachers that they must compete with 
attractive and alluring opponents. In 
December 1932 the Professional Com- 
mittee of the Club issued a four-page 
bulletin: “Making the School Attrac- 
tive: Decorations and Displays.” The 
leaflet insists that making the school an 
attractive place is an important obliga- 
tion of every principal. The sugges- 
tions as to the use of display boards, 
blackboards, and other decorations are 
exceedingly practical. 

Laura E. Sheldon, secretary, Prin- 
cipals’ and Supervisors’ Club of Utica, 
New York, reports that the January 
meeting was given to a discussion of the 
relation between schools and the social 
agencies. Attention was given to the 
city welfare department, the associated 
charities, and the welfare activities of 
various religious denominations. Rep- 
resentatives of these welfare agencies 
were present at the meeting to explain 
their purposes and activities. The Feb- 
ruary meeting is to be a social affair, the 
March topic is “Leisure Time Activi- 
ties for Boys and Girls,” the May 
meeting will be a round-table discussion 
on professional problems, and in June 
a social meeting is scheduled. 





76 


THE BULLETIN 








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Due to certain rare scientific for- 
mulas this manuscript by Ichabod Crane 
has been made available for publication. 
Mr. Crane has returned from his mad 
ride to find himself, in the year 1950, 
surrounded by the marvels of techno- 
cracy. In his own way he tells of a visit 
toaschool that has been modified by the 
methods of science.—Editor. 


GREAT CHANGE has come 

over the world! Only yesterday 
I awoke with some paine of the collique. 
Or was my discomfort from a rap over 
the pate by the Headless Horseman? 
No matter now with such trifles, for 
my head is full of great and many busi- 
nesses which need be set in writing. 
Since the truth is sometimes useful to 
a gentleman I shall endeavor, with the 
aid of diverse notes, to set forth an ex- 
act account of my visit to a modern 
school. 


Only yesterday I ventured from my 
place of abode with Mr. Pelling, a fel- 
low boarder, who offered to direct me 
to the school. Since the distance was 
great he led me to a series of moving 
pathways upon which, with some dex- 
terity, one could step and be carried 
along at good speed and with no effort. 
The marvels of this invention so ab- 
sorbed my thoughts that I should have 
been borne beyond my destination but 
for the vigilance of Mr. Pelling. By 
furious efforts he contrived to extricate 
both of us from our strange conveyance, 
but more about this anon perhaps. 

There we stood by a large stone 
building with many windows, but with 
no visible doors. When I did inquire 


TECHNOCRAZY 
Ichabod Crane 


about how we should effect an entrance 
Mr. Pelling plucked my arm to indi- 
cate that I should follow him te one 
end of the structure. There I did see 
strange sights indeed! The wall of the 
building was pierced with many apper- 
tures into which the children disap- 
peared at clock-like intervals. Some of 
these children flew to school by the aid 
of wings attached to their backs. Others 
scampered in from box-kites which came 
spinning through the air like noisy birds 
and alighted in the level fields near the 
school. How the spectacle confounded 
me! 

Mr. Pelling showed some impatience 
at my gaping and seemed hurried to 
take his departure. I therefore followed 
him toward the building where, after 
indicating a door, he took suitable leave 
of me. I did contrive to enter and found 
myself in a small office. About the walls 
thereof were innumerable lights which 
flickered on and off, near each light 
were clock-like faces with bobbing 
hands, strange levers and knobs pro- 
jected at many angles, and there were 
also other contrivances quite beyond 
my comprehension. As the door closed 
behind me a gentleman, who had been 
busy about the aforementioned gadgets, 
turned and approached me. When he 
learned that I had been a schoolmaster 
he bade me welcome and thereupon be- 
gan an exposition which he had doubt- 
less given to others. 

He was the operator of the institu- 
tion or Juvenis Condicium E 12x 
(Juvenile Conditioner, Elementary, 
No. 12, bright pupils only!) There 
were no schoolmasters, only a half dozen 





FEBRUARY#i933 


77 











mechanicks in diverse points about the 
building to keep things in order. 
Through the use of self-regulating ma- 
chinery the school operated day and 
night. By scheduling the arrival of 
pupils at regular intervals 80,000 of 
them were handled every twenty-four 
hours. At my obvious amazement he ex- 
plained that children were now “con- 
ditioned,” a process more expeditious 
than the old obsolete practise of edu- 
cation. 

At this point the operator invited me 
to gaze into an intricate arrangement 
of mirrors whereby I might observe the 
mysterious process. I could see that the 
pupils upon entering the appertures 
placed themselves in seats which moved 
along continuously in rows. Shortly 
after starting, a small sound-proof cabi- 
net dropped over each pupil encasing 
him completely during his period of 
conditioning. By a simple device I was 
enabled to view the inside of one of 
these amazing cabinets! First a panel 
of light flickered and there immediately 
before each child was a reading lesson. 
Ghostly indicators designated the words 
in the lesson, a small box gave forth 
the sound of a voice pronouncing the 
words, and other devices wiggled the 
child’s toes to give him the necessary 
kinesthetic associations. Then the pupil 
repeated what he had seen, heard, and 
felt. Errors were discouraged by pins 
which sometimes stuck repeatedly and 
always with appropriate reactions. 
Pupils who were impervious to pins be- 
cause of neurologic patterns were either 
tickled or pinched for their mistakes. 

When I remonstrated on this the 
gentleman in charge showed me that 
only through violent physical reactions 
could the errors be recorded in the of- 
fice. Here the operator was able to 





check the deviations and to plot the 
wasted units of nervous energy. On 
subsequent visits adjustments were 
made in the machinery so that the error- 
producing child was handled with great- 
er ease. 

Suddenly my attention was distracted 
by a furious buzzing sound. The opera- 
tor peered quickly at a clock face, poised 
his hand hesitatingly over a lever 
marked “Laughing Gas,” then descend- 
ed upon one marked “Tear Gas.” Al- 
most immediately the buzzing stopped. 
The operator smiled with evident sat- 
isfaction. Then noticing my look of in- 
quiry explained that Pupil No. KZ7646 
had resisted his music lesson so ob- 
streperously that harsh measures had 
been necessary. I concluded that birches 
were now replaced by labor-saving con- 
trivances. 


Feeling a need for victuals I made 
inquiry whether eating was now an ob- 
solete art for children. The operator 
shifted my observation glass so I was 
enabled to see pupils who had advanced 
to the eating stage. There I saw a pupil, 
riding along in his cabinet taking food 
through a hose which hung down from 
above his head. As he was thus occu- 
pied soft music issuing from the small 
box gave opportunity to appreciate the 
intricacies of harmony. The combina- 
tion appealed to me strongly for in 
Sleepy Hollow I had often enjoyed 
meals in exchange for singing lessons. 

Growing somewhat weary and con- 
fused by all that I had seen I retired 
to a chair from whence I could observe 
the operator at his task. Soon he in- 
formed me that one of the brightest 
pupils was expected at any moment to 
visit the office. So anon the child ap- 
peared. After discussing at tedious 
length the nature of the child’s success 





78 


THE BULLETIN 








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the operator told him that as a special 
reward his dearest wish would be grant- 
ed. A perplexed look overspread the 
face of the young one so that the opera- 
tor repeated his promise. Yes—he 
might ask for something he greatly de- 
sired. The child swallowed with diffi- 
culty (I am sure I have made no error 
in his words!) and said: 

“May I have just ten minutes to my- 
self?” 

The operator fainted, crashed into 
some of the office furnishings, and in 
the resulting confusion I hastily de- 
parted. The evening papers reported 
that the operator had been discharged 
because one of his brightest charges had 
degenerated at least twenty years in his 
aspirations! Since some of the difficulty 
has been attributed to a queer stranger 
who was present in the school I have 
decided to remain in seclusion for a 
fortnight. 


For articles favorable to technoc- 
racy see “Technology Smashes the 
Price System,” HARPERS MAGA- 
ZINE 166: 129-42; January, 1933; 
an article prepared under the super- 
vision of Howard Scott. Also, “What 
is Technocracy?” NEW OUTLOOK 
161: 13-18; November, 1932, by W. W. 
Parrish. 

Dissenting opinions are to be found 
in “A Challenge to Technocracy,” 
NEW YORK TIMES MAGAZINE 
January 8, 1933, by Simeon Strunsky. 
Also, “Technocracy: Good Medicine 
or Bedtime Story?” NEW REPUB- 
LIC 73: 178-80; December 28, 1932, 
by George Soule. 

Books on the subject are THE A 
B C OF TECHNOCRACY by Frank 


Arkright, Harpers; WHAT IS TECH- 
NOCRACY? y Allen Raymond, 
McGraw-Hill; and TOWARD TECH- 


NOCRACY by Graham A. Laing, 
Angelus Press, Los Angeles. 


POEMS— 


BricKBATS AND BOUQUETS 
I have a large imposing house, 
That gives me joy to see, 
And it is built of brickbats that 
My foes have thrown at me. 


They thought that they would do me 
harm 
And tried to raise the deuce; 
I picked those bricks up every one 
And put them to my use. 


For they are hard and firm and tough 
And fired with loving care. 

The common brickbats that you find 
Will not with them compare. 


And so I built my house of them 
And have a nifty home, 

Complete with banquet halls and such, 
Surmounted with a dome. 


While in the corner of the lot, 
Symbolical of praise, 
There lies a mass of wilted flowers— 
My dearest friends’ bouquets. 
—A nonymous. 


To My Ararm Crock* 
Tinkle, tinkle, little bell ; 
How I wish you were in—well, 
Any place but where you are, 
China wouldn’t be too far. 


Now you wake me in the cold, 
But just you wait till I am old. 
Ah! Revenge will sure be mine. 
I'll set you then for half-past nine! 
*From the “Elementary English Review,” 
February, 1931, p. 36. 





FEBRUARY 1933 


79 











28 





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Reprinted with the permission of the publishers from “The Earth for Sam” by 
W. Maxwell Reed (Harcourt, Brace and Co., publishers; 


Karl Moseley, illustrator). 





80 


THE BULLETIN 





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ELEVISION, technocracy, and a 

thousand new concepts beat daily 
with machine-gun staccato upon our 
kaleidoscopic lives. Far-seeing educa- 
tors realize that a rudimentary educa- 
tion no longer meets the needs of chil- 
dren in this changing civilization. The 
demand is for richer and more vital 
school experiences under the supervision 
of principals who give more than lip- 
service to modern educational theories. 


The 1933 yearbook is a ringing chal- 
lenge to elementary-school principals to 
enrich education. Articles have been 
prepared by principals and teachers 
pointing out how classrooms and li- 
braries may be integrated. Librarians 
have contributed statements as to their 
viewpoints. Various leaders of national 
thought in the Office of Education and 
the American Library Association have 
given completeness to the volume. 

The Research Division of the Na- 
tional Education Association has pre- 
pared several vital articles. One sum- 
marizes the library facilities reported 
by several hundred members of the De- 
partment. Another article summarizes 
the help given by public libraries to or- 
ganized school libraries in one hundred 
large cities. A third article summarizes 
the views of thirty principals as to what 
books should be in the principal’s pro- 
fessional library. Another section sum- 
marizes research in the field of chil- 
dren’s reading interests. 

Perhaps the most fascinating chapter 
for many principals will be the articles 
on how the classroom and the library 
help each other. In one school was held 
a world cruise (in books!) with all of 


THE 1933 YEARBOOK 
Helen B. Shove 


the necessary exhibits and ballyhoo of 
the merchant marine. Other efforts to 
arouse interest in books led to plays and 
dramatizations. Procedures are briefly 
described but vivid enough so that they 
may be successfully imitated. 


The rural schools, so frequently neg- 
lected in yearbooks, have revealed them- 
selves in several articles. A librarian 
tells how her book truck scatters new 
hopes and aspirations through one rural 
area. Another writer shows some of 
the inadequacies of library services in 
several states. The place of the state in 
library work is also considered. Since 
volumes could be written on the need 
for library services in rural areas our 
yearbook chapter can be looked upon 
as only the opening shot of what might 
well be an American campaign. 

Principals who are particularly in- 
terested in measuring outcomes will 
want to read the articles on appraisal. 
While the yardstick has been applied 
with some persistency there is no arro- 
gance to stifle library informality. 

The Editorial Committee and the 
Department are sincerely grateful to all 
who have made this yearbook a reality. 
The demand for conserving depart- 
mental funds has made it impossible to 
print all of the articles which the Com- 
mittee might have wished to publish. 
Many of these articles duplicated one 
another and the Committee found it 
necessary to choose the most suitable 
ones. Members of the Department who 
receive the 1933 yearbook as a part of 
their membership may well look for- 
ward to April with anticipation. 





FEBRUARY 1933 


8! 











THE 1934 YEARBOOK 
John S. Thomas 


TENTATIVE OUTLINE for 

the 1934 yearbook of the Depart- 
ment of Elementary School Principals 
appeared in the December issue of the 
National Elementary Principal. Did 
you read it? If you didn’t, please look 
it up now. It will prove to be interest- 
ing reading, and no doubt you will want 
to participate actively in our project. 

The 1934 yearbook should provide 
just the opportunity for which many 
principals have been waiting. The pos- 
sibilities present in a yearbook that dis- 
cusses the relationships of the principal 
and aids to teaching, are quite extensive. 
It is the hope of the Editorial Commit- 
tee that the selection of this topic will 
encourage many principals to contribute 
articles. Principals who have not con- 
tributed to past yearbooks will find sub- 
jects suggested in the outline that are 
typical of their most successful activi- 
ties. When they do, they should begin 
immediately to collect notes and pre- 
pare outlines for the articles. The topic 
The Principal and Aids to Teaching 
should lead to many challenging manu- 
scripts. 

One aim of the yearbook will be to 
develop the supervisory relationships 
that the principal encounters as he di- 
rects and administers the various aids 
to teaching. Providing instructional 
materials and aids to teaching is a very 
definite part of the principal’s super- 
visory program. Facilitating the use of 
these materials and aids is probably an 
even more important activity of the 
principal. It is the hope of the Editorial 
Committee that most of the articles sub- 





mitted will treat, not so much with 
actual descriptions of aids to teaching, 
as they describe ways in which the va- 
rious aids are used effectively in schools 
or classrooms. 


Emphasis is placed deliberately on the 
use of the aids to bring out the possi- 
bilities for enriching the instructional 
program of the schools. Many of the 
aids to teaching included in the prelim- 
inary outline for the yearbook are of 
such a nature that no additional ex- 
penditure is required for equipment or 
supplies. Some articles will undoubted- 
ly suggest to many principals better uses 
for equipment available at the present 
time. 


Members of the Editorial Commit- 
tee stand ready to give any possible as- 
sistance in the preparation of your arti- 
cle. As soon as you have completed the 
outline for your contribution, won’t you 
send it along to the Committee? Early 
submission of an outline is frequently 
of great assistance not only to the Com- 
mittee, but also to the contributor. 

Your suggestions are wanted. If you 
can think of additional questions that 
might well be included in the tentative 
set-up for the 1934 yearbook, please 
send them at your earliest opportunity. 
Address communications to: Editorial 
Committee, Department of Elemen- 
tary School Principals, 1201 Sixteenth 
St., N. W., Washington, D. C., or com- 
municate with John S. Thomas, Chair- 
man of the 1934 yearbook, Clippert 
School, Detroit, Michigan; Helen B. 
Shove, 3116 Clinton Ave., Minneapolis, 
Minnesota; or Bess Clement, Eliza 


Clark School, Clarksdale, Mississippi. 





82 


THE BULLETIN 





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NE OF THE MOST important 

recent documents for all citizens is 
the report Recent Social Trends in the 
United States by the President’s Re- 
search Committee on Social Trends 
(1). The full report of two volumes 
totals 1568 pages. If two volumes are 
too foreboding, there is an excellent 
summary in the January (1933) issue 
of Survey Graphic. 


Professional Stimulants 

The Kappa Delta Pi lecture series 
adds another volume to those previously 
prepared by John Dewey, Dorothy Can- 
field Fisher, and William Lyon Phelps. 
This time Dr. William H. Kilpatrick 
summons the teaching profession to face 
“the stupendous task now looming be- 
fore us.” The title: Education and the 
Social Crisis (2). 

The first monograph of the Commis- 
sion on the Social Studies of the Amer- 
ican Historical Association has been is- 
sued under the title: 4 Charter for the 
Social Sciences in the Schools (3). As 
finally drafted by Charles A. Beard, 
the report embodies the viewpoints of a 
commission including Beard, Counts, 
Ford, Krey, Merriam, Bobbitt, Bode, 
and Harold Rugg. The document con- 
cludes that the supreme purpose of civic 
education is the creation of rich and 
many-sided personalities. 

The proceedings of the second annual 
assembly of the National Advisory 
Council on Radio in Education is now 
available (4). Those who plan radio 
programs will profit from the reports 
of the experiences of committees on 
economics, labor, and other subjects. 
Speakers dealt with the educational 
phases of broadcasting, the relation of 


MORE ABOUT BOOKS 


the radio to the community, and radio 
advertising. Florence Hale, vicepresi- 
dent of the National Education Asso- 
ciation, discussed the topic “Interpret- 
ing Education through Radio.” 


A new Research Bulletin of the Na- 
tional Education Association will warm 
the hearts of many perturbed principals 
(5). Its title, ““The School Board 
Member,” implies that it tells this im- 
portant layman what he is and what he 
is not. Of course, it is so very diplo- 
matic that you will want each member 
of your school board to have a copy. 


The cry for leadership in all phases 
of life today is heard on every hand. 
A partial answer, at least, is to be found 
in the 1933 yearbook of the Department 
of Superintendence (6). Under the 
title Educational Leadership; Progress 
and Possibilities it presents 544 chal- 
lenging pages. Readers of the Bulletin 
will greatly appreciate the recognition 
given by superintendents to the impor- 
tance of the principalship. 


Less Professional, Not Less Impor- 
tant 

If you are one who frequently ex- 
claims: “How I wish the days had 
forty-eight hours!”—try reading How 
To Live (7). The author urges regular 
hours for work and play. Particularly 
does he emphasize the importance of a 
hobby. 

Books of games are always welcome. 
One that is well-organized and help- 
fully indexed is Games and Game Lead- 
ership by Charles F. Smith (8). 

According to the Publishers’ W eekly 
some of the best sellers during the past 
December have been: Van Loon’s 





FEBRUARY 1933 


83 











Geography (9); Sherman; Fighting 
Prophet (10) ; Jehol, City of Emperors 
(11); The Last Adam (12); and Our 
Times (13). 


Publications Listed 


1. President’s Research Committee on So- 
cial Trends. Recent Social Trends in 
the United States. (Two volumes) 
New York: McGraw-Hill Book Co., 
1933. 1568 p. 

2. Kilpatrick, William H. Education and 
the Social Crisis. New York: Live- 
right, Inc., 1932. 90 p. 

3. Beard, Charles A. A Charter for the 
Social Sciences. New York: Charles 
Scribner’s Sons, 1932. 122 p. 

4. National Advisory Council on Radio 
in Education. Radio and Education, 
1932. Chicago: University of Chicago 
Press, 1932. 306 p. 

5. National Education Association, Re- 
search Division “The School Board 
Member.” Research Bulletin 11:1-40; 
January, 1933. Washington, D. C.: 
the Association. 

6. National Education Association, De- 
partment of Superintendence. Educa- 
tional Leadership; Progress and Possi- 
bilities. Eleventh Yearbook. Wash- 
ington, D. C.: the Department, 1933. 

7. Bennett, Arnold. How To Live. Garden 
City, L. I, N. Y.: Garden City Pub- 
lishing Co., 1929. 

8. Smith, Charles F. Games and Game 
Leadership. New York: Dodd, Mead, 
and Co., 1932. 658 p. 

9. Van Loon, Hendrik W. Geography; 
The Story of the World We Live In. 
New York: Simon & Schuster, 1932. 
525 p. 

10. Lewis, Lloyd. Sherman, Fighting Proph- 
et. New York: Harcourt, Brace & 
Co., 1932. 690 p. 

11. Hedin, Sven A. Jehol, City of Emper- 
ors. New York: E. P. Dutton & Co., 
1933. 278 p. 

12. Cozzens, James G. The Last Adam. 
New York: Harcourt, Brace & Co., 
1933. 301 p. 

13. Sullivan, Mark. Our Times; The War 
Begins, 1909-1914. Vol. 4. New York: 
Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1932. 





ANNOUNCEMENTS 


HE International Institute at 

Teachers College, Columbia Uni- 
versity, New York has announced a 
series of summer tours to Europe for 
professional people. These tours are 
conducted with the aid of official edu- 
cational authorities in England, France, 
and Germany. University credit will 
be given if participants complete the 
necessary credit. Interested parties are 
invited to write to the Secretary of Edu- 
cational Tours for further information, 


The School of Business of the Uni- 
versity of Chicago has announced a con- 
ference on business education on June 
29 and 30. Speakers include W. J. 
Bogan, superintendent of schools of 
Chicago; Charles Hubbard Judd, di- 
rector of the school of education; and 
outstanding educators in the field of 
business education. 


The Smith College School for Social 
Work at Northampton, Massachusetts 
announces a summer program which 
emphasizes the psychiatric aspects of 
pupil personnel work. Opportunities 
for informal conferences of students and 
faculty are promised. Principals who 
are interested in mental hygiene are in- 
vited to write for further information. 


Please remind your friends who do 
not receive this issue of the Bulletin 
that their dues have not been paid for 
1932-33. It is important that these 
inactive members should send their 
renewals to Washington not later 
than March 10 if names are to be 

rinted in the yearbook. Checks ~~ 
a dated as late as March 15 and will 
not be cashed until after the date 
specified. The help of active mem- 
bers in enlisting others is greatly ap- 


preciated by the officers. 





84 


THE BULLETIN 





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WITH THE AUTHORS— 


William Dow Boutwell (p. 58) is chief of the Editorial Division, federal 
Office of Education. He has had extensive newspaper experience and at one time 
was assistant director of school service of the National Geographic Society. As 
editor of School Life Mr. Boutwell has been largely responsible for the recent 
improvements in the form of this official journal of the federal Office of Education. 


Aaron Kline (p. 62) is principal of Pullman Public School in Chicago. He 
has been a member for three years of the Editorial Committee of our Depart- 
ment. He was chairman of the Committee in 1932 when it produced the yearbook, 
The Principal and His Community. For several years he has been the aggressive 
leader of the principals’ finance committee in Chicago which has done so much 
to win justice for Chicago’s teachers. At present, Mr. Kline is president of: the 


Chicago Principals’ Club. 


C. M. Reinoehl (p. 67) is professor of school administration at the Uni- 
versity of Arkansas. He has had wide experience in teacher training, rural edu- 
cation, and school administration. R. A. Cooper is principal of the senior high 


school in Fayetteville. 


Robert H. Lane (p. 71) is assistant superintendent of schools in Los Angeles, 
California. He is thoroughly familiar with the duties of the elementary-school 
principal and is author of 4 Workbook for Principals and Supervisors. His con- 
tribution in this issue of the Bulletin is direct, practical, and challenging. 


Ichabod Crane (p. 77) is “a credulous schoolmaster and a typical yokel,” 
according to the Standard Dictionary. He was the schoolmaster of Sleepy Hol- 
low, who disappeared, without a trace, when pursued by what he believed to be 
the Headless Horseman. If the article in this issue provokes a laugh and leads 
you to read again Irving’s delightful tale, then it has served its purpose. 





If you are going to pay school teachers you have got to get the 
money to pay them, and that money now is going to be sought for from 
a dozen sources. And so we must take an aggressive attitude for the 
schools if we are going to see our children through. This is not a matter 
of passing resolutions. It is a matter of fighting.—Secretary of Interior 
Ray Lyman Wilbur, in closing the Citizens Conference on the Crisis in 


Education, January 1933.