PERIODICAL ROOM OCT 2-5 1936 GENERAL LIBRARY The NATIONAL ELEMENTARY RINCIPAL BULLETIN OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPALS NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION ee <2 SORRY T CAPITOL FROM NEW i SUPREME re, COURT BUILDING October 1935 Vol. XV, No. 1 THE NATIONAL ELEMENTARY PRINCIPAL BULLETIN OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPALS Published in October, December, February Elementary Schoo! Principals of the National April, June, and July, by the Department of ducation Association of the United States. The payment of $3 active membership dues entitles a member to attend all meetings of the Department, to hold office, and to receive the Bulletin. is for a year's subscription to the Bulletin. copies, 25 cents; and Yearbook, $2. Two dollars of each membership fee Subscription to nonmembers is $3 per year; single Entered as second-class matter November 20, 1922, at the postoffice at Washington, D. C., under Act of August 24,1912. Acceptance for roe) special rate of postage provided for in Section 1103, Act of October 3, 1917, authorized ecember 18, 1922. Executive and Editorial Offices, 1201 Sixteenth Street, Northwest, Washington, D. C., Eva G. Pinkston, Editor. OFFICERS OF THE DEPARTMENT, 1935-36 Presiaent, Harley W. Lyon, Longfellow- Cleveland Schools, Pasadena, Calif. First Vicepresident, M. Emma Brookes, Miles- Cranwood Schools, Cleveland, Ohio Second Vicepresident, Ira M. Kline, Green- burgh No. 8 Schools, White Plains, N. Y. Third Vicepresident, Edythe J. Brown, Kaley- Marquette Schools, South Bend, Ind. Fourth Vicepresident, Irvin A. Wilscn, 437 S. Stone Ave., La Grange, IIl. Fifth Vicepresident, Mrs. Margaret M. Smith, Ebert School, Denver, Colo. Executive Committee Mrs. Edith B. Joynes, Washington-Gate- wood Schools, Norfolk, Va. Cassie F. Roys, 2609 Bristol St., Omaha, Nebr. Earl R. Laing, Burt School, Detroit, Mich. Mason A. Stratton, Brighton School, Atlantic City, N. J. Avenue Life Membership Division, Herbert C. Han- sen, Director, 1045 N. Lockwood Ave., Chi- cago, Ill. Executive Secretary, Eva G. Pinkston, 1201 Sixteenth St., N. W., Washington, D. C. See space below for Committees as they are appointed thruout the year. International Relations Committee Edythe J. Brown, Chairman Kaley-Marquette Schools South Bend, Ind. Emery Brolliar 2188 Third Street Sacramento, Calif. Mrs. A. R. Wilson 202 S. Dillard Street Durham, N. C. J. F. Kelly 1134 N. Clinton Dallas, Texas Ethel M. Gardner 816-A S. 21st Street Milwaukee, Wis. The contents of this Bulletin are listed in the Educaticn Index. The picture appearing on the cover is the Nation’s Capitol as seen thru the columns of the new Supreme Court Building. THE NATIONAL ELEMENTARY ~ RNR eaiinE “a ~ aw ate - tha, ich. nue an- 201 irt RAR oT The National Elementary Principal Volume XV, No. 1 October, 1935 Report of Denver Convention This issue of the bulletin is devoted primarily to the report of the summer convention, Denver, Colorado, June 30-July 5. Contents Greetings and a Message—Lyon 4 N.E.A. Headquarters—Morgan. . 6 Greetings from N.E.A. Pr ldieedSenuclvon 7 Panel Discussion 8 Our Welcome to Denver— Pelee 20 ~Elementary-School Program Versus Social Change —Bland...... myer: Mer ee Music Sasenstthtien tld Bee 23 Thoughtless Danny—Picard................... 25 What a Teacher Expects of a Principal—Stover... 26 The Place of the Moving Picture in a Building Ac- tivity—Herrington ea. hoor Os pipeatinette ee 1936 Yearbook . 29 Implications of Progressive Sducuiion—Stodderd. . American Education Week—Hanna 34 Report of the Denver Meeting—Wilson . . 38 Starting the Membership Year—Pinkston 40 Creative Rhythms in Modern Education—Perrine. 42 A School Service Patrol for Girls—Botkin 45 School Excursions—Gruver . 47 -A Second-Grade Experimental Plan—Newell 49 Pendulum Swinging Back—Crabtree AT Notes and Comments.............. 53 RE ee ee pee 2 ere 55 Reports of Committees....................... 56 Financial Statement and Secretary’s Report. . FACTS “OUR American Schools” radio program will be broadcast in two fifteen- minute periods each week from October thru June. (a) Problems of Ameri- can Education— Wednesday, 7:30 p. m. EST—Under the direction of headquarters staff. (b) Classroom Prob- lems—Saturday, 11 a. m. EST—Under the direction of Miss Florence Hale. AND. AT the Department of Superintendence meeting in St. Louis, February 22-27, 1936, the Depart- ment of Elementary School Principals will hold two afternoon programs, Feb- ruary 24 and 25. Our De- partment breakfast will be Monday, February 24. On Tuesday evening, February 25, our banquet will be held at the Statler Hotel in the Adams Room. EVENTS AMERICAN Education Week is to be observed No- vember 11-17. Send to N. E. A., 1201 Sixteenth Street, Washington, D. C., for materials and hand- book. © THE St. Louis Elementary School Principals _ will sponsor our Tuesday after- noon program, February 25. Watch for further de- tails in the December bulle- tin. PORTLAND, Oregon, will be our host for the 1936 summer meeting. PRINCIPAL, OCTOBER, 1935 GREETINGS AND A MESSAGE HARLEY W. LYON Principal, Longfellow-Cleveland Schools Pasadena, California ee of the Department of Elementary School Principals, at the Denver convention, elected me as president for the year 1935-36. I ac- cepted this responsibility with full real- ization that a president of such an or- ganization can be of service only as there is complete cooperation between himself and members of the group. Therefore, to all officers of the De- partment, to all members, and to every elementary-school principal of the United States of America, I express greetings and the hope that each will do his part in helping to make our De- partment of the greatest possible serv- ice thruout the year. While in Denver a friend said that he believed the Department of Elemen- tary School Principals must, during this year, move forward substantially or it would automatically drop back in that same manner. I do not agree that one of these two things must happen. It is possible that we may continue on the same high plane of membership and service that has been set in past years. However, in order that there may be no possibility of reduction in membership or in service, I appeal to every princi- pal in our nation to join the Depart- ment and to make use of the service which it offers to its members. We seem to be emerging from some of the difficulties in which industry, finance, and education have been in- volved during the past few years. I am impressed with the appropriateness at this time of a paragraph written by our beloved Dr. Crabtree. He said: “Let HARLEY W. LYON every elementary principal become a member of his own department. This is the time to make the profession strong — as a whole and in its departments. It is not enough to be a member yourself. Be an agent for building up the most powerful force for civilization in the world.” Elementary schools are very close to their communities for ‘“build- ing for civilization.” Two or three years ago, I made a study in which the problem was to dis- cover whether or not there is value, from the standpoint of the child, in contacts between the school and home. The problem was to try to find out the truth about this matter of school and home contacts. The questions were: What is the relationship between THE NATIONAL ELEMENTARY ot OB Lee epee - a 3 is ng is lf. st SS OT EN et MARIS. school and home contacts made in the interest of the child and the success of the child in school? Are the children whose parents contact the school more or less successful than those whose parents do not visit school? Do chil- dren whose parents are member of the P.T.A. do better school work and are they better citizens (school) than those whose parents are not P.T.A. mem- bers? To these and other questions we hoped to find answers. Obviously, in order to make a study of such a thing as school and home con- tacts, we first had to have available records of such contacts. Blanks were devised for obtaining such records and distributed to the principal, assistant principal, teachers, secretary, school nurse, school doctors, dental hygienist, cafeteria manager, and a home con- tacts committee. An attendance card was used for keeping records of attend- ance at P.T.A. and other school meet- ings. It is realized that not every contact with the school made by a parent in the interest of his child was recorded. However, nearly 5000 contacts were recorded during the year and it is my belief that the number was sufficient to have produced fairly reliable results. As these reports of contacts were received at the school office, they were trans- ferred to individual record cards which had been prepared for all pupils. At the end of the school year totals were counted and recorded. This being a study of relationships, it was also necessary to have definite records concerning the success of pupils in school. Teachers’ marks were used as the only available criteria. Near the end of the school year, each teacher was asked to mark, on an entirely im- personal basis, every pupil in her room. The marks were on health, citizenship, scholarship, leadership, and probabil- ity of future success. These marks were transferred to the pupils’ individ- ual record cards. Definite statements were given for guidance in this mark- ing. The following conclusions were drawn from the results of the study: 1. Pupils whose parents were members of the parent-teacher association had more con- tacts between school and home made in their interest than did pupils whose parents were not members of the P.T.A. 2. Approximately 85 percent of all contacts between school and home were made by mothers of pupils in school. Fathers made 15 percent of all contacts. 3. Pupils whose parents were members of the parent-teacher association received higher marks indicating success in school than did pupils whose parents were not members of the P.T.A. 4. On all items marked (health, citizen- ship, scholarship, leadership, and probability of future success) pupils whose parents were members of the parent-teacher association re- ceived higher average marks than did pupils whose parents were not members of the P.T.A. 5. There was found to be a positive corre- lation between numbers of contacts between school and home made by parents in the in- terest of the child and success in school as indicated by teachers’ marks. My message, then, to the principals of the elementary schools of this coun- try, is—join your national Department of Elementary School Principals and keep in mind the importance of work- ing in close cooperation with your com- munities. If every principal would become a working member of his pro- fessional organizations and bring the parents of the pupils in his school to make understanding contacts with the school, there would be developed within one year a strong force for civilization in the world. PRINCIPAL, OCTOBER, 1935 NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION HEADQUARTERS The Technic of Building a Com- munity.—What am I doing and what more can I do to make my community better? This question emphasizes a phase of school work which deeply con- cerns every teacher and school officer. The school exists to improve mankind. Some teachers may feel that they have performed their duties when they have taught well the various subjects of the curriculum. But this is not enough. The school is set up for the improve- ment of life. This means that everyone associated with the school must be a constant student of life as a whole, that he must look about him, note the way people live; how they manage their health; how they get along in their home life; the intellectual, artistic, and civic interests or lack of interests which they exhibit; the institutions in the community that build up life or tear it down; the attitudes that are helpful and those that are harmful; whether there is a wholesome or a destructive public sentiment. For example, is there community pride? Do people keep their homes painted, their streets and alleys clean? Does the community honor the gang- ster? Does it elevate vice to the level of social graces? These are all matters which can be discussed in school. Many children come from homes which have no attitudes at all on these matters, or which have wrong attitudes. If order and taste and law are to sur- vive at all it will be because young peo- ple are taught the difference between right and wrong and are encouraged to make their influence count on the right side. The attitudes which children assume among themselves are pedagogical forces of great power. The wise prin- cipal knows how to liberate these atti- tudes. He is in close touch with parents and leaders in the community. He can do much to encourage them to give leadership. He can encourage the more influential students to exert influence with their associates. But there is much more that a prin- cipal can do than merely to safeguard a community against the evil forces that threaten the life of its people. He can build up new forces. He can be out- spoken in favor of a more aggressive library service. He can lead in the movement to have a system of play- grounds and recreation administered under the board of education using all the resources of the schools. He can encourage gardening and community beautification. He can study and encourage others to study the principles of community planning. He can capitalize the natu- ral interest which children have in their own future by asking them what kind of a community they would like to live in, and by leading them to suggest ways in which the community could be made better and even to suggest the part which they themselves can have. This task is not difficult. It does not mean giving up any of the good things that schools have been doing. It merely means that everyone in the school, both children and teachers, shall think of himself constantly as a community builder—Joy EtmMer Morcan, Edi- tor, Journal of the National Education Association. THE NATIONAL ELEMENTARY as Greetings from the President of our Parent & s pe: Organization o a. i ity | A MESSAGE TO ELEMENTARY PRINCIPALS 7. relation of the work of the elementary grades to the success of the ty | whole school program is obvious. Likewise the place of the elementary- school principal in the school system is pivotal. It is no small task to direct vA pupil growth thru subjectmatter learning and socializing experiences; to nd revise the course of study in the light of changing needs and in accordance ye with the best in educational practise and research; to lay the foundations ys | for later success on the secondary and collegiate levels; to secure the co- te | operation of home and community; and to answer the increasing calls for ~ | new services precipitated by the times. i As you look at your problems together, exchange experiences, develop ot of your publications and yearbooks, sharpen your thinking, raise the stand- os ards for your group, enlarge your professional contacts, and strive to realize ly your objectives, you are helping to push forward the enlarged program of th the National Education Association for this year. of | The growth of your Department and the projects you are sponsoring ty § reflect credit upon your efforts. We hope your present endeavors will be suc- i- | cessful beyond your highest expectations for them. Remember we are rely- nm O«@* ing upon you to make this a year of upturn for the nation’s children.— AGNEs SAMUELSON, President, National Education Association, _ | Se enede: y | PRINCIPAL, OCTOBER, 1935 7 ne re PANEL DISCUSSION—JULY 1, 1935 THE ENVIRONMENT AND ITS RELATION TO THE SCHOOL 4 lie elementary-school principal today is an expert in many lines. There are a number of subjects that are in the field of elementary principals. There are a number of subjects that occupy much of the time of the elementary principal and are not in the order that the citizen thinks of in the ordinary line. Should school people be interested in the instructional program offered children thru outdoor advertisements, newspapers, and periodicals newsstands? How can the individual needs of children be most nearly served in the face of forced economies, such as oversized classes, wornout textbooks, inadequate equipment, and ancient buildings? What can educators do to impress the average community with the paramount importance of its parental responsibility? PaNEL—S. D. Shankland, Executive Secretary, Department of Superintendence, National Education Association, Washington, D. C., Leader Mrs. Lois Coffey Mossman, Associate Professor of Education, Teachers Col lege, Columbia University, New York, N. Y. Harley W. Lyon, Principal, Longfellow-Cleveland Schools, Pasadena, Calif. E. E. Oberholtzer, Superintendent of Schools, Houston, Texas William G. Carr, Director, Research Division, National Education Association, Washington, D. C. Mrs. Edith B. Joynes, Principal, Washington-Gatewood Schools, Norfolk, Va. Paul R. Hanna, Associate Professor of Education, Stanford University, Calif. Walter D. Cocking, State Commissioner of Education, Nashville, Tenn. Irvin A. Wilson, Principal, Delano School, Chicago, Ill. Ben G. Graham, Superintendent of Schools, Pittsburgh, Pa. Mabel E. Simpson, President, New York State Teachers Association, Roches- ter, N. Y. Questions for Discussion The following questions for discussion were submitted to Chairman Shankland prior to the meeting, by members of the panel. Mimeographed copies of these questions were given to the audience at the beginning of this session: How best may teachers and principals make favorable contacts with the home ?—Mossman What are the educational implications of the increasing decentralization of the home ?— Graham What can the principal and teacher do to cultivate friendly personal relationships with the child to gain his confidence and to understand his feelings and attitudes toward his problems ?- Joynes What factors can the school develop which will help influence for good the personality of the child ?—Carr What is the place of guidance in the elementary school ?—Lyon To what extent is child development a resultant of the non-school environment, particularly economic and social, and what can the school contribute to improvement of these non-school educative influences ?—Hanna What are the educational implications of the neighborhood store ?—Cocking What shall the school do about radio and motion pictures ?—Wilson What is the relation of the Junior Red Cross, FERA activities, clubs, and other similar agencies to the school ?—Simpson 8 THE NATIONAL ELEMENTARY SSE OWES R GE Lai 5 LA 2 are ‘here cipal ould thru 1 the nies, cient | the nce, Col- hes- land hese man e P— 1 the f the larly hool ilar PTL ICT IT Seated from left to right: Mabel E. Simpson, Ben G. Graham, Irvin A. Wilson, W. D. Cocking, S. D. Shankland, Chairman, Paul R. Hanna, Mrs. Edith B. Joynes, William G. Carr, Harley W. Lyon, Mrs. Lois Coffey Mossman. Discussion The meeting was called to order at two o’clock by President M. Emma Brookes. Miss Brookes: Our program this afternoon is especially fine for we have as our leader, Mr. S. D. Shankland, who is an expert in solving school problems. CHAIRMAN SHANKLAND: The panel today will be 90 minutes long. I suppose that its members feel about the way an umpire, Tim Hurst, felt when he was asked what was done about a closed decision. You divide them and either they are or they aren’t. A panel is to thrash out disagreements. In order to get started I will ask Dr. Lois Coffey Mossman to discuss how best may teachers and principals make favorable contacts with the home. Dr. Mossman: This is a question which has many implications. The teacher to get favorable contacts should visit in the home. Some principals ask that the teacher visit every home during the year. There is an old saying that every man’s home is his castle. A teacher should keep this in mind. If the teacher comes into the home uninvited, the parents may think she is intruding. In many instances this appears. When a teacher comes the child is sent to the door while the mother takes off an apron, tries to make herself look presentable, dusts off a chair—all this causing embarrassment. With, most of you in mind I am going to say what you probably will not accept —that the teacher should not visit in the home unless invited. Then you will say that Mrs. Mossman does not like to have teachers visit in the home. How then should we make the contacts? I believe that the teacher who is able to do well with children in their environment must be one who is a participant in community life. Thru that participating she will get the contacts that will make the parents want her to visit in the homes. This will mean the furthering of a better relation- ship and a better understanding. So my answer to your question is that a teacher should be a participant in community life, thereby gaining that contact thru home connection. CHAIRMAN SHANKLAND: Another question about the home will be discussed by Dr. Graham. PRINCIPAL, OCTOBER,,. 1935 Q BEN G. GRAHAM: The most important implication in regard to the home is that we have to take a larger responsibility in the training of character and citizenship. Agrarian economy has developed now into industrial economy. Will Durant f t says in the agrarian economy that some of us employed as children there was the | greatest guidance. The boy at six years of age could help his parents by running | & errands, and by the time he was twelve he could work with his father, and at the | age of seventeen could do as much as his father and oftentimes more. At the same time the daughter was helping her mother, and at seventeen she married. The work of the school was closely connected with that of the home. The family was seated around the table with the mother and father helping the children with their school work. There was a closer moral and spiritual guidance. These times there is not a close relationship with parents. That life was not the same as life now in the city. City children at an early age experience the clamor of the street cars, the noise of the automobile, and the airplane overhead. There is also the effect of the cinema, the presentday literature, and the kinds of things we see in the papers. There are larger responsibilities that we must take in the schools if the moral and spiritual guidance is to be given to these children. CHAIRMAN SHANKLAND: May I ask Mis. Joynes to speak on the relationships to gain the confidence of the child. Mrs. EpiTH B. Joynes: I believe the situation is absolutely a failure if it does not stimulate honorable attitudes and desires. It must be a result of friendship formed between pupil and the teacher and also the principal. In order to understand the home life you must have an understanding of the pupil’s background, and you must see that the parents know something about the school policies, and the principles of teaching. Very often the attitude in the school reflects the attitude at home. You want to be absolutely sure that you have established the right attitude with the home. It is absolutely necessary to have individual contacts at the present time, because everything is done in collective interests, and unless we can establish individual contacts I am quite sure we will not succeed in any of our collective enterprises. Only thru education can we overcome the feeling of individualism without co- operation. The teacher in order to develop friendship must have a great deal of sympathy, understanding, and patience. I feel if possible the principal should know each one of the children. But that is only possible when your school is not so large. At least you must have an inter- est with children. In the new curriculum the teacher organizes the work and at the same time she gives the child opportunity to cooperate and both may give whatever they are able to give. In that way the teacher is going to be more interested in the child and can find out in what he is interested. I am quite sure we are going to develop the right kind of attitude. I feel that developing the right kind of attitude is more important than what is given in any textbook. In order to develop that attitude, it is necessary for a teacher to have a happy outlook on life. She should be cheerful. 10 THE NATIONAL ELEMENTARY LR LN RE TE OT en - ¥ ; that At this time, Mr. Chairman, I wish to have a poem read by Miss Edythe Brown ship. of South Bend, Indiana. urant Miss EpyTHE Brown: This poem was written by a child, Phyllis McGinley: is the ANINg LAMENT OF A NORMAL CHILD it the same I was strolling past a schoolhouse, when I spied a sobbing lad. Th His little face was sorrowful and pale. ea “Come, tell me why you weep,” I said, “and why you seem so sad.” } was § And thus the urchin lisped his tragic tale: their | The school where I go is a modern school there | With numerous modern graces ae te And there they cling to the modern rule Of “Cherish the Problem Cases.” noise : From nine to three I develop Me ema I dance when I’m feeling dancy. : I everywhere lay on with a creaking crayon The colors that suit my fancy. 10ral : But when the commoner tasks are done, i Deserted, ignored I stand. ships f For the rest have complexes, every one; i Or a hyperactive gland. Oh, how can I ever be reconciled does ' To my hatefully normal station? ship Why wasn’t I trained for a problem child With an interesting fixation? the I dread the sound of the morning bell. the The iron has entered my soul. the I’m a square little peg who fits too well ee : In a square little hole. 4 For seven years in Mortimer Sears lave = Has the Oedipus angle flourished; tive And Jessamine Gray she cheats at play will Because she is undernourished. The teachers beam on Frederick Knipe With scientific gratitude, co- § For Fred, they claim, is a perfect type 1 of Of the antisocial attitude. And Cuthbert Jones has his temper riled - In a way professors mention. ‘hat But I am a perfectly normal child, ter- So I don’t get the least attention. . The others jeer as they pass me by. me They titter without forbearance. hey “He’s perfectly normal,” they shrilly cry, the “With perfectly normal parents.” ~ For I learn to read with a normal speed, oO P I answer when I’m commanded. Infected antrums don’t give me tantrums t is I don’t even write left-handed. slice I build with blocks when they give me blocks When it’s busy hour, I labor. RY PRINCIPAL, OCTOBER, 1935 11 And I seldom delight in landing socks On the ear of my little neighbor. So here, by luckier lads reviled, I sit on the steps alone. Why couldn’t I be a Problem Child With a case to call my own? Why wasn’t I born a Problem Child With a complex of my own? CHAIRMAN SHANKLAND: Dr. Carr, will you talk on the subject—What factors can the school develop which will help influence for good the personality of the child? Wi1aM G. Carr: I want to take up two points. How much of the program of the elementary schools is put over by increasing personal competition? We say a well-rounded personality is to be developed by people who do a job they like. In how many schools is the playground just a place to put the children? Some feel it is just as important as the classroom. I believe the elementary schools of this country are better than any taxpayer or parent believes they are. I am well aware as you are of the progress which elementary education has made in the past ten years. The immediate need for doing as well as we know is in a cut and dry ready- made pattern. How many elementary principals know of the eight-year program in Birmingham, and the eight-year program of development in Pittsburgh, and about the mental hygiene study carried on in Evansville, Indiana? How many schools can you name where you know of any programs that are directed toward the development of children in the schools? CHAIRMAN SHANKLAND: Mr. Lyon is interested in guidance and will talk on the subject—What is the place of guidance in the elementary school? Harvey W. Lyon: One’s first reaction to this question—What is the place of guidance in the elementary school—might be that there is no connection be- tween it and the general topic under discussion, The environment and its relation to the school. When we realize, however, that guidance is concerned with every phase of the child’s life, we see that it is closely related to his environment and, therefore, also to the environment of the school. Guidance, in its applications from kindergarten thru college and beyond, has so many phases and variations in practise that it will be well for our considera tions to begin with a definition. The following brief statement seems to me to establish a basis for discussion. ; Guidance in the elementary school is a service directed toward helping the child to make better choices of action in a continuously changing and expanding field of activity. It is admitted that this statement is general, but it does focus upon one idea—the making of better choices. It is also admitted that the defini- tion could be applied to all guidance. This discussion should emphasize its appli- cation to the elementary school. Among those who are taking positions of leadership in thinking and writing about guidance, there seem to be two rather distinct groups. There are those who 12 THE NATIONAL ELEMENTARY SANE ES SIM 8 PL RIO LF AY LINE TS IO NOI IE SEINE is — ie oe ek ae ae tors the n of say like. ome uyer hich idy- ram and any yard - on e of tion the also has era- 2 to the ling cus ini- pli- ting who RY think the best way to achieve wholesome personality adjustments and wholesome living, the making of better choices, on the part of the child, is to surround him with the best possible environmental influences. Condition him while young with good reactions and he will not depart from them. The other group views life as an unpredictable emergence and hence they contend that conditioning will not take care of the individual’s adjustments in a changing world. Their belief is that work should be done on the development of “insight” on the part of the child. Time is indeed limited this afternoon and I shall therefore make but one state- ment at this time concerning these two beliefs. Probably in the early years of the elementary school there should be much conditioning and less development of “insight,” but later we must increase the individual’s dependence upon his ability o “‘take in” the whole of a situation, to evaluate its elements, and to make a wise decision. The place of guidance in the elementary school could be called the place of the teacher, for in most schools the classroom teacher will be the one who must and should carry out any program attempted under that name. Guidance in any school presupposes adequate records, not only records of marks attained in “subjects,” but also records of behavior, of health conditions, of attitudes, of native ability, and of physical condition. Only in the light of such records which are cumulative can a teacher hope to be effective in guiding the growth of the child. May I recommend as an important part of such a record, a journal record of growth of individual pupils. I have said that in the elementary school the classroom teacher is the important factor in a guidance program. Of course, much help can be obtained by having available the school physician, the school nurse, the psychiatrist or mental hygien- ist (for psychiatric examinations of emotional reactions), the clinical psychologist (tester), and the social case worker or visiting teacher. There are many problems in guidance—perhaps the greatest of all is that of the teacher herself. Teachers have fears—they face uncertainties. In the present world it is exceedingly difficult, if not impossible, to provide backgrounds for wholesome conditioning. If a teacher is not, herself, a well-adjusted individual, she can scarcely guide in the adjustment of others. What is true of teachers is also true of principals. Both teachers and principals need to study themselves. The place of guidance in the elementary school is possible at the head of the list of all of the needs of the school. Principals thru use of guidance programs can without doubt improve the mental hygiene of the boys and girls of their schools and thereby make more desirable the relationship between the school and its environment. CHAIRMAN SHANKLAND: Dr. Hanna, will you not talk further on the subject of the child and his environment? PauL R. Hanna: We, in education, are prone to treat our organized efforts in the classroom as the exclusive learning situation in which a child lives. Yet all of us know how great a factor the non-school environment is in shaping the lives of our young citizens. We may have the finest curriculum for the improvement of the minds, bodies, and spirits of our pupils, but our efforts are so easily canceled in the home, gang, and community. We strive to build bodily health in school, PRINCIPAL, OCTOBER, 1935 . 13 yet if the home is poverty-stricken, the child is undernourished. The pupils from the homes of 20,000 Americans on relief last year, with an average annual family income of $350, and the children from the homes of the industrial and office workers of this country where the average family income was $850, (by no stretch of fad or fancy) could be said to live in an environment which was not fit for decent physical growth. Furthermore, these homes of over half our popula- tion were harassed by insecurity. This brings in its wake all the emotional fear and hatred that is so detrimental to a healthy mind set which we consider essen- tial to good classroom learning. The influence for good or evil of the social eco- nomic world on the child is so clear that most of us are conscious of the rela- tionships. In the interests of these children we serve in education, we must extend our efforts to produce the best kind of social economic environment so that these children will not be gnarled in body, mind, and spirit, at a tender age. Take an analogy. Suppose members of the medical profession in dealing with the health of a community were so irrational as to treat an epidemic of malaria only when it reared its ugly head in the doctor’s office or hospital. By the time the patient has contracted such a disease, it is generally too late. Fortunately for us as lay citizens, the medical profession does not confine its practise to the four walls of the clinic but goes out into the community to eliminate or modify conditions which give rise to the disease. We consider it one of the obligations of that great profession to show us how to clean up our festering pools in the humane task of preventing devastating disease. Does it not seem reasonable that we in education have somewhat a similar task in the interests of the full and all-round development of the children in our charge? If the non-school educative influences are working contrary and defeat- ing our formal efforts in school then it is our obligation as a profession to con- stantly focus the attention of the public on such social action as will improve these non-school influences. To fail to do so would place us in the category with that doctor who would refuse to call public attention to the impure swimming beach which was spreading a dangerous germ. How can we in education fulfil such a function? That is a long story and might be reserved for further discussion. The point I want to make is this: Our pupils live in a world full of physical, social, and spirit contradictions which to a large degree defeat many of our goals for pupil growth. We must see what these negative factors are, and then as a profession strive to call them to the attention of the American citizens in whose hands lie the power to change the negative, and to construct a society that will work harmoniously toward the goals which we hold. CHAIRMAN SHANKLAND: What are your feelings, Dr. Cocking, concerning the educational implications of the neighborhood store? Wa ter D. Cocxtnc: I think I have the most interesting topic. I am going to talk about the country store. I would like to direct your attention to two hypotheses. First, I believe the character of the schools in any community is what the community permits. If the 14 THE NATIONAL ELEMENTARY al to ce of fc Pp from imily office y no 5 not yula- fear ssen- eco- rela- our hese e an alth yhen ‘ient lay is of ions reat task ilar our eat - on- ove vith ing fil ion. cal, vals sa ose will the to the the community permits a good one we will have one, if it does not, we will not have one. Second, I would like to propose this, that the country store is the most demo- cratic of American institutions. I am thinking of that American institution with its stove, its cracker boxes, its individuals, its tobacco; and there in that environ- ment the individuals of the community gather in the true form we hear so much about these days. There around that stove, sitting on cracker boxes, they discuss and settle all the problems of living. A democratic institution, I hate to say the best, because I believe if we are ever to have a democracy worthy of the name we must continue this idea. I would like simply to say that we must educate to have something to use providing an educational opportunity for the child in the community. We should become members of the neighborhood or country store. The type of school depends on the public opinion of the community. I should say then that the elementary-school principal, the superintendent of schools, the members of the board of education, the preacher, the lawyer, and all interested in public education, should have a part in the discussion at the country store. We should see that proper decisions are made concerning public education. We must have a part in the country store so that we can help thru our influence in public opinion. If we do not use this institution, this country store, we may expect that the type of public school in that community will not be what we would have it. CHAIRMAN SHANKLAND: Mr. Wilson will speak on, What shall the school do about radio and motion pictures? Irvin A. Witson: I think you will all agree that two of the most powerful and valuable, and at the same time, most dangerous, educational agencies are the radio and the movie. Someone recently said in speaking about the movies, “There is always a movie just around the corner to which you may send your child, but you never know how far you have sent your child from home when you send him to the movies.” Serious problems face American educators and social workers today in the proper development and culture of these two popular agencies. This is a serious problem because these two are controlled by private capital for private gain. What can the school do about it? The local school has a serious problem in trying to utilize either of these because of the lack of material. Their problem is the prob- lem of proper selection of programs which is yery difficult—to separate the wheat from the chaff which we have before us. We can make use of the radio and movie to a limited extent but neither of them will come into its own until the school people take interest and express judg- ments openly and without fear upon the. programs presented to you. Definitely abolish the use of block programs. These are necessary if these two agencies are to be made available for proper use in the school, and educators everywhere from coast to coast must take a more active interest in these two. We have no real censorship of the movies today. We have no real censorship of the type of children’s programs that come over the radio. These must come be- fore we can embark upon a large program of the two. PRINCIPAL, OCTOBER, 1935 15 I suggest a national committee of educators, social workers in every class in | every state and community, to pass upon the type of programs that come out, | with mass protest against those that are not fit for our children. We must organ- © ize our thinking and our acting into something that will have an effect on these | two powerful factors that have come into our existence. CHAIRMAN SHANKLAND: Miss Simpson, what do you think should be the — relation of various agencies to the school? MaseEL E, Simpson: The Junior Red Cross as a youth movement contributes well-being to youth everywhere. It was organized during the war in the United States and Canada, and has very rapidly spread thruout the world. The program offered to the schools is modern and progressive, stressing educa- tion thru action. Its activities are local, national, and international in character. Its aims are to build good health habits, to develop altruistic tenderness in chil- dren, to give practise in good citizenship, and to promote international goodwill. Its presentday philosophy is very good, causing school people to seek practical ways of making learning purposeful to children. The Junior Red Cross program is formulated upon this principle. Its activities give social incentive and new social outlets for learning experiences in school. The school and home activities of the children are directed toward remedial and relief services. There is also the service rendered to crippled and under- privileged children, war veterans, and shut-ins. The classes in art, manual train- ing, and home economics contribute work to such purposes and give increased satisfaction and enjoyment in learning. Such a program is a sharing in real experiences and far more productive of worthy learning than memorizing facts without meaning. There are garden projects, the beautifying of the school grounds, projects in canning, first aid, life saving, nutrition, and health. These help the children to feel that they are a part of life about them. There was a garden project in Rochester which was initiated and developed by 250 Junior Red Cross members in the elementary schools. This group of children also beautified the school grounds. Their program created widespread interest thruout the city. With the help of the garden clubs and the commissioner of parks these children were able to borrow the necessary tools and materials with which to work. By means of the money contributed voluntarily for service in which children wish to share, great good has been accomplished. In a town in a midwestern state, some children raised and sold 60 dozen chickens, 73 pigs, and 14 calves. Enough money was raised to employ two teachers as a result of these efforts. After the hurricane in Florida when 40 schools were devastated, 20 schools were refurnished and reequipped. This organization has created international goodwill. This has been developed to some extent by the correspondence carried on by American children with those in other countries. It brings about a new meaning of English, reading, geography, and history. Japan is the most active in promoting international correspondence, as it cor- 16 THE NATIONAL ELEMENTARY yut an- ese the ites ted ca- er. ril- ill. cal eo Pe B d ¥. cia AEC. r an a) Stas. ~ OD a ees aD responds with 39 out of 51 countries. The United States is second, corresponding with 36 countries. The Junior Red Cross program is thoroly sound educationally. Its test is that it fosters attitudes of goodwill and thoughtfulness. Its proof—8,000,000 school children in 28,435 schools of our nation are now participating. Here is a powerful force for good that school administrators and teachers may well encourage. Dr. Mossman: I am a long way from home but I am sure it will do no harm to read a report. In my home city last fall the superintendent suggested that home visits be conducted. As a result of this a certain teacher handed in this report. In a first-grade room of 26—1B boys and girls—the teacher called at 25 of the homes, the 26th child having gone East. The attitude of all the parents was very gracious and lovely. With the exception of a few, all were in good circumstances. She was thinking of those special conditions where a few were poor but very happy. She found it was a very helpful thing to make the calls just before vacation as she could make it more impressive to have the children keep up their reading during the summer. The little ones forget so much during the summer. All were very appreciative. These calls were unannounced. I do believe in the idea that the teacher should go when invited. I make a plea for more interaction between parents and teachers. The parents already have learned to know each other as they are in the same kind of community enterprise. Now we can meet some of them if we wish. I did that when I was teaching but I believe I could have done better if I could have established an acquaintance by parents coming into the school. Dr. GRAHAM: Some teachers could not have entered into the community ac- tivities. Dr. Mossman: If she could not have entered into the community activities she has the acquaintance of the parents who know best what they are talking about if she pursues a method of conversation and I think she will find a better relationship even tho she cannot participate in the community. I again want to insist that development of personality calls for respect of per- sonality. Every person born in this world has a right to develop self-respect and having respect from others. Then if I may add regarding reports and grades that we are some day going to do away with grades and promotion system, and we are going to turn the boys and girls into growing individuals where the teacher and children may sit down and talk things over. Dr. GRAHAM: We have all had the experience that the parents we should like to meet do not have community activities. Dr. MossMAN: How can we show the parents we would like for them to par- ticipate in the community activities? Dr. GRAHAM: Invite the parents thru the children. Dr. Cock1nc: I would like to add to what Mrs. Mossman has said. I have in mind an elementary school in the southern part of the country where it was unusual for the parents to come to the school. The teacher investigated and be- fore the year was over found out that a particular need was the lack of bathing facilities in the home. They arranged that the showers in the school might be used PRINCIPAL, OCTOBER, 1935 17 for community bathing. I saw a line one-half block long of mothers with babies | waiting to bathe. Dr. Mossman: We must work out a way to get the parents in the school and the school in the community. Dr. Cock1nc: I wonder how Dr. Hanna would react to this? Do you feel it is impossible in those homes where the economic status is low to provide children with educational facilities as it would where the status is high? Dr. Hanna: It is up to us to bring to the attention of the public the difficulty when we have such diverse conditions. Dr. Mossman: Dr. Cocking, you mentioned about the country store. In the church we had the ladies aid, sewing bees, etc. Now the movies and the radio are coming in. In your talk I see a lack of these. Do you see any way to get group discussion after those agencies have passed? Dr. Cockinc: I have a notion that the very conditions which you describe offer an excellent opportunity and a tremendous challenge for the schools. I know of no institution which is as well prepared to take the place of the institutions that are passing from us, as the elementary school. I think we could do a real service thru our elementary schools. I am sure the drug store seems to be the congregating point now. Mrs. Joynes: I have a neighborhood store in mind that offered a simple prize such as a gun. The teacher went to that storekeeper and told him about the reac- tion of these guns on the children and he said he had not thought about that before and was very willing to cooperate. Dr. Mossman: I am asking Mr. Wilson what we can do about the block sell- ing of the movies. Mrs. August Belmont was the head of an organization to in vestigate that, but I believe she has given up that position now. So what can the schools do? Mr. WItson: I think.the question of block selling of films is a question of nationwide importance. So far we have not had enough people interested to meet this problem. The problem of box office receipts has been more powerful than the effect of public opinion. The only way you can block this is to cut down the receipts of the movie houses, and the only way you can do this is to get the N.E.A. as a nucleus, and I believe we can solve it in one year, but we cannot do it with our gloves on. Dr. CockINnc: In so many communities there is only one movie and the people go to it as they go to church or to school. It is something to do and a change from what they are doing, and they are not going to stay away because somebody thinks there should be a better program. Mr. WIitson: The movie producers are not going to stand out against public opinion when they are sure that public opinion is against them. Movie producers will follow public opinion. Dr. Hanna: Dr. Graham suggested that in the transcending from agrarian economy to industrial economy the school had new responsibilities. I would like to ask what are some of these new activities the school had to take on? How much of our time is given to the basic question? Is it primarily a curriculum job? Most 18 THE NATIONAL ELEMENTARY ibies and it is lren ulty the are oup ‘ibe 1OW ons eal the ize ac- at le su dine ae aay $d...) Se SGILET tees is of us will consider it but not do much about it. I would like to hear some more comment about it. Dr. Mossman: Before this ends, I would like to mention something about the radio. Mr. Harold Baker of New York one day listened to the radio for fifteen minutes, which time included two murders, three in the making, a woman being accused of murder but who denied it, saying she had been living with this man without being married. When Mr. Baker finished, he wrote a letter to the parents but before he sent it, he found out what children had listened to the program. Many of the children had their own private radios in their room. In this letter he asked whose responsibility was this. Mr. Witson: It differs greatly in reaching the parents in congested districts. Dr. Hanna: It has to do with the general curriculum of elementary schools in this day and age. Are the children who sit in our schools giving most of their time and attention to study of cultures that have been? I think H. G. Wells is partly right, altho he makes the most devastating attack on education that has been made, that the school is more responsible for social lagging than any other group. The school teacher insists on keeping the children’s minds on the past. We have to do some real organizing in our curriculum. From audience: Do you think, Miss Simpson, it is fair to ask children to con- tribute to relief? Miss Stmpson: Children are never asked, it is always voluntary. From audience: Should teachers take social security? Dr. HANNA: Teachers must be sensitized to these social problems. (CHAIRMAN SHANKLAND: I am sorry that this discussion cannot continue but I am a man of my word and I said it would last only two hours. Our time is up. M. Emma Brookes: I want to thank Mr. Shankland and members of the panel and also Miss Eva G. Pinkston, executive secretary of the Department, who helped to plan this program and make it the splendid success which it has been. CHAIRMAN SHANKLAND: We are delighted if we have been able to be of any service to this audience and to the principals of the United States. I want to thank most sincerely all the members of the panel for their part on this program. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBER INJURED Mrs. Edith B. Joynes, new member of the Executive Committee of the D.E.S.P. and principal of the Washington-Gatewood Schools, Norfolk, Virginia, suffered a fracture of the left hip when she was knocked or pushed down by a would-be purse snatcher. At Memorial Hospital, where Mrs. Joynes was taken after suffering the injury, it is said that she is resting as comfortably as can be expected. H. W. Ansell, thirty-year-old mechanic, is in jail charged with aggravated assault and attempted robbery in connection with the incident. As we go to press, word comes that Mrs. Joynes is doing nicely. PRINCIPAL, OCTOBER, 1935 19 OUR WELCOME TO DENVER R. H. PALMER Assistant Superintendent of Schools Denver, Colorado : IS an honor and a pleasure to wel- come you to Denver. We are glad to have you and it is a special pleasure to greet you here in the sectional meet- ing of the elementary-school principals. I shall take advantage at this time to speak briefly of the elementary- school principalship. In Denver we have attempted to dignify the elementary- school principalship by increasing the size of the unit to be administered and supervised by one principal. As you know, the size of the unit in junior and senior high schools is much larger than in the elementary field. In 1924 we had 61 elementary-school principals and 61 elementary schools. Today we have 41 elementary-school principals and 61 elementary schools. We require the same qualifications for elementary- school principals as we do for high- school principals. All of the principals are supervising principals. It is true that in three of the smaller units the principals teach half days, while in the other 38 schools the principals have no regular teaching duties. We have re- lieved the principals of clerical work by having clerks in most of the elementary schools. We have made a change too in the teaching personnel, in that teachers in the elementary schools are now re- quired to have the same qualifications as those in the secondary field. Here I wish to quote from School Management magazine of April 1935. It is among the reports of the meeting of the Department of Superintendence at Atlantic City of February 1935. I see no grounds upon which it can be argued that the high-school teacher’s respon- sibility is greater than that of the elementary- school teacher. The elementary field cannot be considered inferior; and it is only our tardy recognition of the significance of the child per- sonality that explains our complacency with regard to the qualifications of the elementary- school teacher. We must cease to regard the elementary field as a door mat over which people are to enter the high-school field. From my personal experience, it is harder to get people who are qualified for elementary- school positions than it is to secure such peo- ple for high-school positions. If there is an oversupply, it is in the field of high-school teaching. I make no distinction in importance between these two fields—A. L. Threlkeld, Superintendent of Schools, Denver, Colorado. With a superintendent with a view- point such as that quoted above, you can see that it is much easier for us to carry on in a great way. THE N.E.A. PRESIDENT SAYS: You should place special emphasis on the direction of pupil growth. This involves the development of the child into a well-rounded individual and a useful citizen of his school and his community. You will aid him in realizing these objectives and all of your teachers will participate in this under- taking. To be worthy of the high privilege of helping teachers and pupils to suc- ceed and to be equal to the responsibilities involved—that is the goal which prompts membership in the Department of Elementary Principals —AGNEs SAMUELSON. 20 THE NATIONAL ELEMENTARY 1. SmENe ‘ELEBINI RT OE ol | * che ROSE BLAND Principal, Buena Vista School Colorado Springs, Colorado HERE is no aim in elementary edu- cation which needs to be kept in the foreground more today than the one that the present living of children is to be broadened and bettered. In April of this year eight million children under sixteen years of age were on the relief rolls. There must be few elementary schools in our lands which do not have some of these children in their enrolment. Because of these exist- ing adverse conditions it becomes ob- ligatory upon the public schools to de- velop in the children as far as possible right and wholesome attitudes toward one another, toward their community, and toward a broader social realm, in order that their lives may not become warped and twisted and headed in a direction which will be inimical to their personal welfare and the welfare of our nation as well. The development of right attitudes cannot be postponed be- cause it is generally agreed that the most fundamental attitudes are formed in childhood. The school should make a strong at- tempt to furnish a place of brightness and happiness for every child who crosses its threshold. It is possible to absorb brightness. There are ways oi having the brightness of the school carry over into the homes. All touches upon the human side of life are invaluable because of the emo- tional effect. Children who are happy during their school hours and who feel they have real friends are not likely to develop a feeling of inferiority and the belief that everyone is against them. Elementary-School Program Versus Social Change Such feelings, if developed, are certain to be worked out in ways detrimental to society. The competitive system of business used in the past has shown by its results the futility of the doctrine of everyone for himself regardless of the effects of his so-called progress upon others. The school, as well as business, needs now to stress the spirit of the ideal democ- racy, cooperation for the good of all. The idea of cooperation implies effort by everyone concerned and contribu- tions up to the limit of one’s abilities. The school has a hard problem when it begins to think how it may use its wits to overcome the idea of how to get something for nothing which is coming to no small number of the elementary- school children either consciously or unconsciously. What can be the ulti- mate effect upon children of going to the teacher or the principal and saying, “T want a pair of shoes,” or, “I need a new dress,” and getting what is asked for without any other effort than the asking? I often wonder what the dis- cussion about the matter is in the home. I have received countless notes, as no doubt you have, saying “If the school does not get clothing for my children, they cannot go to school.” I have no question about the need for the cloth- ing or the inability in most cases for the parents to supply it, but I am deeply concerned about the attitude toward self-respect and honest labor which is being engendered in the minds of the children. A school society needs leadership, with the idea of leadership always coupled with service. In the elementary school today I believe there should be PRINCIPAL, OCTOBER, 1935 21 much more service by children and much less dictatorship in the part played by principals and teachers. In schools which have had experience with safety patrols there is forceful evidence that the boys and girls chosen for duty have assumed their duties gladly and performed them efficiently. The work on the playgrounds affords as good a field for leadership as patrol duty does. The same is true of auditorium work, lunch duty, and many types of class- room work. Children need to get a view of co- operative living as it extends to the ends of the earth. Everywhere at pres- ent the spirit of nationalism is growing stronger. Our problem in the schools is to find ways to combat it. Young children who attend the elementary school get ideas there which influence them tremen- dously in later life even tho uncon- sciously. Our geography curriculum af- fords a wonderfully fine opportunity to teach the interdependence of nations. Our country is not living unto itself alone, but every day every community owes its advance in progress to ideas and materials furnished in part by the other nations. The elementary school which today has life itself as its objective must sit up and take notice of the radio and of all activities and influences in the com- munity which play a part in making school children better or worse. The school is a part of the community. The workers in the school need to accept their responsibility of joining with other organizations which are interested in the welfare of youth and together stir up public opinion strongly enough to combat any harmful influence and to foster any activity which will strengthen right living. Great is the breadth of the program which faces us when we accept the definition that “education is living ~ into better things.” WHAT COUNTED MOST What Counted Most is the title of a recent book which should be the prize possession of every teacher and educa- tor in the country. It is the epic story of the life of J. W. Crabtree, the genial and beloved man who, for eighteen years, was sec- retary of the N.E.A. In his own inim- itable, simple style, he narrates in- cidents abounding with sympathy, dis- couragement, kindness, and love. Reading of the joys and sorrows of his experiences as a country school teacher, one can readily understand his bond of sympathy for, and appreciation of, the rural school teacher, when he wrote them in later years as “Your friend, J. W. Crabtree.” Copies may be obtained from the University Publishing Company, New York, N. Y. Price $2. NOTED EDUCATOR WITH NATIONAL YOUTH WORK Miss Cornelia Adair, principal, Franklin School, Richmond, Virginia, and a life member of the Department, also a past president of the N.E.A., has been selected as director of the Rich- mond out-of-school youth program to be organized under the National Youth Administration. Miss Adair will also be in charge of the emergency educa- tion program in Richmond. Superin- tendent Binford has allowed Miss Adair to have a leave of absence for a year to do this work. 22 THE NATIONAL ELEMENTARY cept ving e of rize 1Ca- of ved seC- im- in- dis- . of 001 his ion he Dur the ew jas ee hi ee ee MUSIC APPRECIATION—ITS CONTRIBUTION TO LEISURE-TIME INTERESTS NELLIE V. LIND Principal, Stedman-Albion Schools Denver, Colorado It is hard to discover a better method of education than that which experience of so many ages has evolved; and this may be summed up as consisting in gymnastics for the body and music for the soul.—Edgar Allan Poe. N this little statement Edgar Allan Poe has touched upon two vital factors in the art of training for leisure time. We must teach our boys and girls to do these things which are satisfying and at the same time wholesome and of such quality as to make for real joy in accomplishment. In other words we should stress activities of intrinsic value if they be of lasting interest to the par- ticipant. Growth in right habits of thinking, attitudes, and appreciations, should be kept paramount. If music, and an appreciation of things musical be worthwhile leisure- time activities, they must meet one or both of the demands set up by our poet. What is the school’s job in bringing about for boys and girls such a mind- set toward music appreciation? There can be no effective education for leisure time without effective teaching. Some- one has said: “Effective teaching means teaching done in the spirit of adven- ture, a process of arousing and building up interests in the field of thought, imagination, and creative action on high levels. Effective teaching means making it possible to live a rich life even during school hours. It means en- hancing of lifetime desire for even more growth in appreciation and skills, more adventure in ways which spell self- realization, and at the same time are socially desirable.” Perhaps it might be well to recall to mind that the very beginnings of music appreciation emanated from the en- deavor to prepare audiences to better appreciate and enjoy the symphony, to listen with more understanding and in- terest to pure music, and generally to create enjoyment for the listener, when otherwise he would obtain but little. This study was, of course, instigated in a period when music was available only to the few and was therefore, an enviable luxury. Later the idea was promulgated as a general study of music appreciation for music students, not only preparation for listening, but for the cultivation of powers of interpretation. This study was largely for adults, was extremely technical, and left the student little in the way of active participation. With the popularizing of musical in- struments and the coming of sound- producing machines, music was made accessible to the general public. No longer need one patronize the most ex- pensive opera house or the exclusive symphony halls of the large cities. Music centers over the entire world now make the most of opportunities to present to their audiences some of the best in programs. Music education is an entity now developed and with it, better educational procedure and study. Art and music have gained a place in the cultural heritage of all children of all ages. With this consequential revo- lution of the control of music “came the widespread opportunity for partici- PRINCIPAL, OCTOBER, 1935 23 pation in the intellectual, esthetic, and spiritual enjoyment made possible from such study.” Great progress has been made in dis- seminating the cultural subjects, but we cannot as yet claim the title of being a musical nation. If America is to become truly musically-minded, it must become so thru educating all peo- ple to know, and appreciate, and, in turn, to desire good music. The school must set the pace. In this day of radio, civic orchestra and municipal band op- portunities, we can choose to hear the best if we will. When the public in gen- eral knows, understands, and appreci- ates, it will desire and demand good music from more sources. A progressive course of study for the ele- mentary school provides for the teaching of all four phases of music deemed necessary to good foundation in this subject: (1) inter- pretative singing, (2) music reading, (3) music writing, and (4) music appreciation. In every group of learners whether of adults or children, you will find three types: (1) those who create, or will create; (2) those who perform, or will perform; and (3) the largest group—those who listen. Since “listen- ing” is the phase of music in which the largest number of people participate, we must teach them “how to listen.” We provide for such learning in the elementary school—children listening appraisingly to their own voices— both within the group and to that of in- dividuals—listening to the music of individual instruments or to the orchestra as a whole, and listening to the selections reproduced by mechanical equipment. This training which is largely auditory does and should begin early in the school career, for it is the logical approach physically as well as intellectually. The ability of the child to use his vocal organs comes much later. Our first approach to music in the kindergar- ten is that of listening. Later the child learns to participate in singing and rhythmical ex- pression until by the close of the year he has at his disposal quite an enviable repertoire of songs and selections which he can execute, vocally or physically, to a fair degree of per- fection and evident pleasure. Since effort in the creative must always be preceded by effort in the imitative, directed rhythm at first plays a large part in schoo! music. We attack this problem just as we do a problem in speech. We do not expect a child to narrate a series of events until he has had experience in hearing words, has imitated them, experimented with them in several situations, and finally acquired them as a part of his vocabulary. “Experience must precede expression,” hence the work in rhythm as outlined for the several grades includes: (1) that in which the response is directed or clearly defined, (2) that in which the response is less definite—suggested but not actually directed, (3) that in which the response is left entirely to the individual for his inter- pretation. As to values, appreciation has as its aim, unmitigated pleasure, (1) thru listening with the purpose of stimulat- ing feelings, emotions, and moods; (2) participation with ability to discrimi- nate and interpret; (3) for the few, the power to create. Music has, by virtue of its content, been placed upon the daily program as a means for recreation, a period of relaxation, and if rightly used will serve this purpose along with opportunity for real joy in participation. However, its real reason for being on ary school pro- gram is its teaching value—the mastery . of definite learnings. Music, then, as a learning situation, offers much of lifetime value for the student, not only as “gymnastics to the body,” but also as “food for the soul.” For some, it will hold deep spiritual values. Music is a language, has mean- ing, is an expression of feeling and thought, which, carried to the ardent listener, finds a sympathetic response. Help us grow in membership so that we may better serve. 24 THE NATIONAL ELEMENTARY Bio? Se tal 7 AS, 3 g ( a & eed Lan-ny Orit theout chid-ing -. Were the thots of Laneny's eoth~or - Toa oun, soit me gou~die dock ~ seat s” - v e turn de - ¢ - a - “You can't al-vays bai have your ruth-er.” PRINCIPAL, OCTOBER, 1935 25 “WHAT A TEACHER EXPECTS OF A PRINCIPAL ELLA A. STOVER Principal, Thomas Jefferson School Portsmouth, Virginia HAVE never been one to think that a principal should be paid more than a teacher just because he is a prin- cipal or just because he is a man (usu- ally). A principal’s day’s work does not tire him any more than a teacher’s day’s work tires her, or a bootblack’s tires him. A hard day’s work is a hard day’s work whether done by a principal, a teacher, or a bootblack. The work of the principal and that of the teacher is entirely different. The following re- marks are an endeavor to explain how I feel about a principal doing his job well. There should be the same close sym- pathetic cooperation between the prin- cipal and teacher as both know to be ideal to exist between the teacher’ and pupil. A teacher is trained in the technic of wisely, but firmly, directing the ac- tivities of her class to the point where individual growth asserts itself. A prin- cipal should be so well versed in the art of wisely, but firmly, getting all ad- .ministrative routine business attended to that he would never confound rou- tine with the constructive advancement that comes when the entire personnel works in unison happily. There is next to no importance to be attached to a degree just because it has a pleasing sound to the modern ear, but I hold it takes at least four years’ study beyond high school for a teacher, and * Miss Stover is a seventh-grade teacher in the Thomas Jefferson School. This address was given at the annual meeting of the elementary principals of Virginia at Richmond. at least a master’s degree for a prin- cipal, in order to master and appreciate the fine points involved in professional relationships. A teacher’s work is confining and necessarily all detail. The principal must, therefore, contribute the general point of view. He has time during the day to look over at least one article in an educational magazine. He has op- portunities to meet representatives from book companies, get complimen- tary copies of the latest books, and cir- culars of all kinds. No principal has time to sit with his feet on the desk, twiddle his thumbs, and rest his mind. He is not paid for the use of his feet alone. He must set standards, keep the balance, and regulate the tone thruout his school. I think the acid test of a principal’s ability is the “new teacher” situation. It’s his supreme opportunity to build from the “ground up” a solid founda- tion of loyalty, affection, and profes- sional strength. A “weak teacher” spells trouble always, but she frequently spells “weak principal” also. The present system of induction has more to be said against it than for it, so far as I have been able to observe. Some principals think they have done their whole duty when they have pre- sented the new teacher the worst sec- tion of a class, then left her to battle the best she can with the practise known as “smoking out the new teacher.” I am sure many teachers would heartily agree with me that many of us, like the mariners of old, when the clouds ob- structed the view of the stars, made 26 THE NATIONAL ELEMENTARY RAT US PNET. al’s ion. 1ild da- fes- ells itly has SO one yre- eC- ttle wn tily the ob- ade —_ bisa Po Sada oF SS & ER ea, : t * | 4 rf & re PEL SAME A a3 PESOS, port safely “by guess and by God” rather than by the wise guidance of a principal. The substitute is one of the irritating and unavoidable experiences in every school. It would promote such a com- fortable feeling, and how pleasantly surprising it would be, if the absent or sick teacher felt the principal had his eye on her class during her absence. And I am sure the watchful “sub” would be his friend forever if he came in and out of her room several times during the day, not to watch her, but to let the children know he was handling the substitute situation and not leaving it to them as is too often the case. It is the principal’s duty to know the quality of work going on in every class all the time. I object to the customary system of observation where the prin- cipal just “drops in” for a recitation, or a piece of a recitation, or comes for a half day. It might just happen that some uninteresting but very necessary ground work is being laid or just one point in a larger idea is in process of being cleared up, or worsé still he may run into a snag. Snags will arise in the best regulated classrooms! I, for one, do not care to have any “foreign mat- ter” present at such times as I need all my energy to either preserve “face” or to render a decision. I prefer the class inviting the principal to observe and enjoy a “results” program lesson. The professional measuring rod can be used more fairly on such occasions. This should happen as often as once a term or once a school year. The principal who is not lucky enough to have an assistant is in a rather unfortunate position profession- ally. It is perfectly natural that one who does not lay claim to infallibility should feel the need of discussing worri- some problems with someone. There- fore, I feel it to be ethical that he dis- cuss any question pertaining to the school life with any | teacher who has the kind of judgment valuable to him at the time—provided the discussion is regarded as confidential and not used as a choice bit of news to regale the lunch hour. All business that pertains to the school as a whole should come direct from the office—not thru the medium of a teacher either by accident or de- sign. The “office” carries with it a cer- tain prestige and it is incumbent upon the principal to maintain that dignity. It is never wise for a principal to discuss one teacher with another. He may expect a professional response but he will get nearly always a social “rise.” It so often happens the best qualified teacher is a good friend of the one with a poor professional rating because the relationship between teacher and teacher is social and not professional. Lastly, I shall mention tact. The brand of tact that is needed while con- trolling and yet keeping friendly a rather taxed and harassed personnel, is rare indeed, but it is one of those quali. fications that are “hard” to get that justify extra pay. If anyone thinks being principal is a “soft” job let him get a paper route and deliver the eve- ning news. The principalship of a school should be one of the most important factors in the public school system. Whether it is or not depends upon the ability of the one who is “‘it.” One of the defects of our system is that the teacher has no “voice.’’ She testifies, “tis true, but indirectly and unprofessionally. I am very glad to have this opportunity to speak directly and professionally. PRINCIPAL, OCTOBER, 1935 ~m ~I THE PLACE OF THE MOVING PICTURE IN A BUILDING ACTIVITY E. H. HERRINGTON Principal, Alcott School Denver, Colorado HIS is a report of a cooperative piece of work done by two elemen- tary-school principals in Denver. Mr. George McMeen, principal of Swansea School, was the director of the school activity and I served as the photo- grapher. We recognize the principal as the in- terpreter of the schools to parents and citizens in his district. We have had night sessions of school for parents to visit, but were not completely satisfied because parents could not follow thru the activity and see what was accom- plished. We put on exhibits of materials made by children in the study of a sub- ject, but by this means we missed the life and enthusiasm of children at work on a project. I have followed the development of the visual education movement, and have a profound belief in the moving picture as an exhibitor and interpreter of life for educational purposes. Mr. McMeen and I, therefore, reasoned that by using the 16 mm. camera we could record progress in the develop- ment of an activity unit by photo- graphing the high lights of the assem- bly program which was to follow. Much of our elementary-school work in Denver for several years has been on the activity basis. Some have found it convenient to carry on a “whole school” or “building activity.” In this type of work the whole school works on one big subject, each grade carrying on a part of the whole, and all benefiting by the efforts of other grades, then the re- sults are combined in an assembly pro- gram, A year ago, the World’s Fair at Chi- cago suggested to us the possibility of a world’s fair of our own. Last year was the seventy-fifth anniversary of the first school established in Denver. In Mr. McMeen’s school they made this historical occasion one for the whole school activity. Each grade contributed its part to this activity, according to the requirements of the course of study. For instance, the first grade studied the home life of the pioneer people; the sec- ond grade the community life of the pioneer people; the third grade studied the Indian life of the early days in Colorado. In the same way the commu- nication, transportation, and various other social science subjects were placed. Reading matter was rather scarce so it became necessary for pupils to search widely for information. Some was obtained from old residents of the city as well as from the public library and the school library. The information gathered by each class was accumulated during an eight weeks’ period, at the close of which each class in a culminating activity, presented the information they had gained in an assembly program. We de- cided to photograph the whole process. Much experience with the 16 mm. cam- era as a hobby stood me in hand, for practically all pictures must be taken indoors. The picture, when completed, was shown to the parents in the district with very pleasing results. The full possibil- 28 THE NATIONAL ELEMENTARY Uy ! f ES F re- ro- ler ils ne he ch ht ch ad le- 3S. or en as th il- ( $ A 9 Bas ia ihe Us Ny ae eee ities of the film did not dawn upon us for some time. Since the picture con- tained much authentic history rather difficult to assemble, it has been shown in other parts of the city before civic clubs, social groups, parent-teacher meetings, and other school classes who had studied the same subject. The picture, as completed, shows the gathering of information from the vari- ous sources, and the activities of boys and girls in constructing the atmo- sphere of pioneer days. The closing part was taken from the assembly program, showing boys and girls joyously acting and reliving those early days in Denver. The cost of the film, including titles was about $40. This was paid for in one showing of the film by charging five cents admission to all. I believe the film has accomplished several worthwhile purposes. First, it has improved community relationship and understanding of the modern school in this community. Second, it has served as interpreter of the modern school all over the city where it has been shown to civic bodies. Third, it helped stimulate the children of this school to do the best. work possible. Fourth, it serves as a record for schools in this and other years of a carefully worked out historical pageant of the pioneer days of Denver. PERSONALITY ADJUSTMENT OF THE ELEMENTARY-SCHOOL CHILD The 1936 Yearbook HE Department’s yearbook for 1936 will deal with personality ad- justment of the elementary-school child, a subject on which principals and teachers thruout the nation are asking for reliable information. While a great deal has been published in this field, much of it has been written pri- marily for specialists in child guidance. Relatively little of it has aimed directly at helping teachers and principals to handle wisely the problems of person- ality which confront them daily. In this yearbook the Editorial Committee plans to assemble a wealth of practical suggestions which can be used to ad- vantage in every elementary school. Among the vital topics to be dis- cussed in the book are: (1) The nature of the growing child, including his fun- damental drives to action, his mental, physical, emotional, and social develop- ment, individual differences among children, and the principles of desirable growth; (2) environmental factors in- fluencing personality adjustment, such as the home and family, community conditions and agencies, and a variety of factors in the school; (3) discover- ing and treating maladjustments, in- cluding symptoms of poor adjustment, the discovery of specific causes, rem- edial measures, and the help which may be obtained from special workers and agencies in the fields of mental and physical health; and (4) the personal- ity adjustment of principals and teach- ers, including the problems of pre-serv- ice and in-service training in the prin- ciples and practises of healthful living. In addition, there is planned a summary of selected research studies bearing on the personality adjustment of children. —SAMUEL BERMAN, Chairman. PRINCIPAL, OCTOBER, 1935 SOME IMPLICATIONS OF PROGRESSIVE EDUCATION A. J. STODDARD Superintendent of Schools Providence, Rhode Island HERE is much confusion concern- = ing the meaning of the term “pro- . gressive education.” Practically all schools are progressive to a degree. It is true that some of our more modern schools, in their enthusiasm to be pro- gressive, have allowed freedom to ap- proach license, have encouraged self- expression without the necessary guid- ance, and have lost definite objectives in their attempt to prevent formality. A school is really progressive if it is attempting to move forward and inte- grate its program with a changing social order, and if it is experimenting con- stantly to effect the necessary changes that involve progress. Let me ask, what about this question of academic freedom? If it means that both teachers and pupils shall voice their opinions on all subjects, let them go ahead. Any superintendent, princi- pal, or teacher ought to be allowed to say anything he wants to, at any time, providing he take full responsibility for the results. Until now, teachers have taught facts and asked pupils to believe what they teach. The minute there is digression now, teachers give up the right to ex- pect pupils to accept their opinions. Teachers no longer must expect chil- dren to sit quietly and accept opinions. The pupil will have the right to jump into the aisle and say, “I am sorry, Miss X, but I do not agree with you.” Progressive education never has stood for undirected freedom. It does not involve the absence of curriculum or the idea that boys and girls should have no guidance. Progressive educa- tion never did have that idea. True progressive education recognizes a period of childhood with its inherent rights. Boys and girls have the right to live and act as boys and girls. For years boys and girls have been taught to pre- pare for the time they will be men and women. In 1936 they are given train- ing in how to live in 1966. That is im- possible. I have not seen the teacher or principal smart enough to predict the needs of 1966. When a child is five, he has a right to live as one of five. When a girl is fifteen, she has a right to live as one of fifteen. Mothers ought to realize this and so ought teachers. | want to call boys and girls, “boys and girls,” not “little men and women.” | would take the word “mold” out of the educational vocabulary, I do not want teachers to be molders. So many educators assume falsely that a child goes to school his first eighteen years and therefore, absorbs most of his knowledge from the school- room. As a matter of fact, during his first eighteen years, the average Ameri- can youth goes to school but about twelve months. He does not start school until he is six. That leaves twelve years. Considering week-ends, holidays, and summer vacations, he is in school only six months, or half the time, and that leaves six years. He goes to school only one-fourth of the day. That leaves a year and a half. And many students quit high school in the ninth and tenth grades. So it leaves the average at- tendance at about twelve months. 30 THE NATIONAL ELEMENTARY 7 a % ~ ee Ee l an Ru SU Sei ar on. One of the most significant differ- ences between progressive education and that of the more formal education of the past is the recognition of what has been called “an estate of child- hood.” That is, the school procedures and curriculum are based upon the fact that childhood has certain inalienable rights separate and distinct from mere preparation for adult life. It is the right of the child to live fully and richly at each age level and to participate in the school, home, and community life as a person. The recognition of these rights changed disciplinary practises both in the school and the home. It resulted in a discontinuance of the cruel discipli- nary procedures followed in the past and substituted therefor a humane con- sideration of the child’s right to be treated as an intelligent being. It brought a new emphasis on a child en- vironment in which it was possible for childhood to have those experiences peculiarly befitted to it. From the standpoint of the school, this philosophy produced a functional curriculum in the old subjectmatter and added new objectives in the fields of the intangibles such as attitudes, appre- ciations, and ideals. The progressive school of today considers that habits of critical analysis, powers of evalua- tion, standards of conduct, and desir- able attitudes are just as important as the accumulation of facts, knowledge, and skills. This means that the classrooms must be places where the children are active instead of passive, where they learn thru their own activities, in groups of as individuals, instead of listening en masse constantly to lectures and direc- tions given by the teachers. They must be places where children are stimulated by the equipment, the activities of com- panions, or the suggestions of com- panions or teachers to initiate, plan, and accomplish the activities that are right for them at their particular ages. These workshops should offer the great- est possible amount of freedom to each child, provided that the freedom is ac- companied by a growing sense of re- sponsibility. If boys and girls are to be resource- ful and exhibit that priceless quality of character known as initiative when they grow into adult life, they must have had an infinite number of oppor- tunities to initiate, under guidance, thru the years of childhood. We cannot ex- pect men and women to exhibit the habit of critical analysis towards the problems of life unless they have been taught constantly to do so during the years of their training. An appreciation of the beautiful of life and an ability to sift that which is worthwhile from that which is not are the results of long and careful training and guidance in the classrooms of the schools. There- fore, the school itself should be a place where boys and girls really live, meet- ing problems of life on their age levels, being taught to suggest and try solu- tions to those problems, contrasting one solution with another, always in an at- tempt to make life more interesting and more worthwhile. Dues for the school year 1935-36 are now payable. Let us start early—pay your dues and enlist others. PRINCIPAL, OCTOBER, 1935 COOPERATIVE In the history of every organization there are SERVICE plateaus and periods of growth. Thru the coop- eration of elementary principals thruout tie coun- try, we are glad to report that since the Department was organized in 1921 it has had only one plateau and that was during the depression from which we are now emerging. President Lyon has chosen “Cooperative Service’ as our slogan for the year and headquarters can be of service if you will come to us with your problems. One of the reasons we have not been fully recognized sooner is that you have been too modest about your own work. We are being deprived of the stimulating effect that comes from a cordial exchange of ideas and constructive criticisms. If there is something that you have worked out well, do not fail to get in touch with your clearing-house which is headquarters, so that al! principals may have the benefit of your ideas. We are receiving letters by the score each day requesting the names of principals who are interested in certain subjects. To help us in answering such requests, we are starting a master file which will con- tain the interests and achievements of our members. This is our idee of ‘Cooperative Service.” OUR PRINCIPALS’ Many schools of education have given courses CONFERENCE on the theory of administration and supervision, all being to a good purpose and greatly needed. Just at this time many letters are being received which ask for help in making programs, the latest methods of supervision, and how best to make school and community contacts. We can answer the last question by asking you to read Dr. Joy Elmer Morgan’s article on page 6 of this issue. We have tried to answer the other requests as they have been received, but they can be answered more fully next summer at a prin- cipals’ conference which will take place immediately following the N. E. A. convention at Portland. Our Department will sponsor a two weeks conference which will give to those who register credits for work done. We need to confer together and have as our instruc- 32 THE NATIONAL ELEMENTARY > 4 i INTERESTING PLANS AT YOUH YHEADQUARTERS WORKSHOP SRE IGRI a ccoanieas eal ena! Dae tS thee 55 de jalan BMC) sens eens VaR rT MEE aa a, 4 q a ‘ BS, tors, principals who have had successful experience in large schools under the best conditions, instructors with a little of the evangelist in their make-up, with power to inspire new faith, new courage, new pride in their calling and with ability to give practical suggestions to students for meeting difficult situations when they return to the home town. It is not professional training alone that we principals need, but a new vision, a new morale, and this can be given only by our meeting together, discussing our problems and exchanging our ideas. On page 53 will be found the name of the committee which will help make the arrangements for our meeting. Articles will appear in many magazines about this worthwhile project. Be sure to watch for further information in The National Elementary Principal. YEARBOOK AS _ As we go to press a letter comes asking us to BASIS FOR STUDY rush a copy of the Fourteenth Yearbook to Sedro-Woolley, Washington. The note of good cheer and encouragement which this request brought was the fact that our yearbook is to be used in the principals association as a basis for the year’s program. This is not the first letter of this type we have received. Clubs, faculties, and groups of teachers are using it in their study programs. One of our members in Ohio loaned his copy to his superintendent, for he felt the head of the system should know about the fine wealth of material it contains. lt is the desire of the Executive Committee that every principals association form its year’s program by using our yearbook as the text. The contents should be familiar to every principal who expects to be abreast of the time. Therefore, will you help your Department by asking your club or association to use this great philosophical treatise on modern educational practise as a text? Will you acquaint your superintendent with this veritable mine of information? We can raise the standard of the principalship if we tell our fellow-workers about the fine material available. PRINCIPAL, OCTOBER, 1935 AMERICAN EDUCATION WEEK November 11-17, 1935 HE theme for the fifteenth annual observance of American Education Week, to be observed November 11-17, 1935, ‘is “The School and Democracy.” During this week millions of citizens will study the problems which confront the schools and our other democratic institutions. The daily topics are: Monday, November 11: The School and the Citizen; Tuesday, November 12: The School and the State; Wednesday, November 13: The School and the Nation; Thursday, November 14: The School and Social Change; Friday, November 15: The School and Country Life; Saturday, November 16: The School and Recreation: Sunday, November 17: Education and the Good Life. Each of these daily themes offers many opportunities for the development of programs in elementary schools. The observance of American Education Week in the elementary schools should accomplish several purposes. First, it should call the attention of the children to what education means to them in their individual lives and it should give them some sense of the means by which free public education is provided for them. Second, it should give parents a better conception of how the modern elementary school deals with growing children. Third, it should bring home to the entire community the fact that schools are essential to the preservation of democratic institutions in the local community as well as in the larger areas of state and nation. The following article and playlet by Edith B. Hanna show how one elementary school observed American Education Week in 1934. EDUCATION WEEK IN AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL EDITH B. HANNA Principal, Wright School Philadelphia, Pennsylvania MERICAN Education Week, spon- sored jointly by the National Edu- cation Association, the United States Office of Education, and the American Legion, offers an annual unexcelled op- portunity to bring to the community a full knowledge of all the activities of its schools. While in general members of a com- munity are appreciative of their schools, they are rarely acquainted with the objectives of presentday schools, they are bewildered by the rapid and drastic changes in modern methods, and they often appear to be abysmally ignorant of the outstanding service performed by most schools in spite of the stress of the difficult times in which we are living. It is vitally important that every opportunity to bring the school and community into an even closer under- standing should be seized. It benefits both school and community. It seems unnecessary to recount at this time the direct advantages to the child, to the general progress of the school, to the teacher, and to the parent, of the existence of a close un- derstanding and sympathy between the parents and the teacher. Individ- ual conferences concerning a particu- lar child have long been the order of the day. But meetings in the school- house during American Education Week can have broader purposes. 34 THE NATIONAL ELEMENTARY he Sc ge ar th pa mi Op te me the at em it PE A specially designated visiting day, on which adults are urged to sit thru the school day and see just what hap- pens, is an enlightening experience for most parents. The work is planned to show new methods of teaching and control. Most visitors leave in a humbler frame of mind than is usual to them. They develop a_ healthy respect for the teacher’s knowledge, ability, and skill. They marvel at the ease with which most teachers direct the progress of the class as a whole, at the same time remembering and strengthening individual weaknesses. At some time during this day, it is helpful to have the principal of the school talk to the parents about the general aims of modern education, and the specific aims of the school for the coming year. It is here that forms which may not be entirely clear to parents, such as pupils’ report cards, may be explained and discussed. An open forum where the parents may ask for advice or cooperation, or give tentative suggestions for the improve- ment of the school is helpful. In addition, at least one evening meeting should be arranged for. Speakers may be provided, one to present some aspect of presentday education or to point out the great progress which schools may make in twenty years, and another to discuss some topic of vital interest to all citi- zens—not necessarily limited to the field of education. Discussions of these general topics do much to re- move the schools from the isolation into which they are restrained in many communities. It is at this evening meeting that the great necessity to maintain schools at the highest possible level may be emphasized. In this great democracy it is easy for citizens to forget that a democratic government is founded upon the universal education of our youth—that it is the state’s most valuable asset. Here can be built up that loyal support of schools which comes only from popular sympathy, understanding, and keen interest. An attractive program, in which as many of the pupils take part as pos- sible, may easily be arranged. Whatever the program for the week presents, it has become a para- mount duty of school officials to take advantage of the possibilities offered by American Education Week to give the public an opportunity to partici- pate in selecting educational objec- tives and in appraising the achieve- ments of their schools. The following program for an as- sembly on Visitor’s Day was enthusi- astically received: AIM: to explain all the opportunities for education offered by the Board of Education. BIBLE READING—Hilda SONG—Assembly ANNOUNCER—Charles “Our part in Education Week is to tell you about the different schools where boys and girls (and even men and women) can continue their studies and fit themselves for the beginning of their life’s work. We will show you in two short plays.” PLAY I—A widow comes from Canada with her two boys. A friend has secured positions for them. One is 15 and one is 18. The attendance officer calls. She tells about Continuation Schools and Night or Evening Schools. Both boys are delighted and they go to the schools. Then the older boy persuades his mother to go. She has had little or no education and is glad of the opportunity and goes with her son to Eve- ning School. PLAY II—A boy has finished school and gets work, helping a carpenter. When summer is over he wants to-continue. His employer, knowing of the Vocational School, calls and advises his mother to send the PRINCIPAL, OCTOBER, 1935 35 and after school. She had never known about the Vocational School but consents and the boy is happy. He tells her that he had decided to be a carpenter in 6B. (Civic lessons) ANNOUNCER says: “The boy invited his mother to visit his school, just as we have invited our parents to visit our school tonight. She boy and he will employ him on Saturdays went and while we cannot show you here what she saw, the boys and girls of 6B will give you some idea.” The opportunity was given to as many children who cared to, to stand out front and represent a class—(outcome of Civic lesson.) There were twelve to fifteen who responded—carpenters, painters, plumbers, nurses, dressmakers, electricians, journalists, salesmen. Each told reasons for making ‘the selection and what was being taught. Progress of Schools in America An Original Play by 7A pupils presented during an American Education Week Assembly to impress parents with the great changes which have occurred in methods of teaching READER: Everything in America has changed so much in the last few years that it is difficult to remember the beginnings of some of our commonest things. Perhaps some of you saw the streamline train as it stood in the Pennsylvania Station after its lightning trip across the country. What a contrast to the early trains that jogged along at 15 to 20 miles an hour... . We have progressed along all lines. And the changes in our public schools are just as remarkable. Let us try to show a Fri- day afternoon in a one room, one teacher school of 50 years ago. (Enter teacher—apron, bell, switch. Chil- dren of all ages and abilities.) Teacher: My goodness children, you are so noisy and restless. Jim, put another log on the fire. Well—Mary? Mary: Can I get a drink? Teacher: No, you’ve had three drinks al- ready. Sam: She had salt fish for breakfast. Teacher: Come Grade 1—let me hear you read. (Three smallest come forward) All right—Bessie, you begin. Tom, will you stop teasing. Bessie: I see a fox. Can you see a fox? Teacher: Very good. Who threw that spit ball? Lulu: Anna—she threw it at Tom. I seen her. Teacher: Did you Anna? Anna: Yes, teacher, but he was sticking his tongue out at me. Teacher: Very well. Come here. You know the punishment for throwing spit balls. (Switches Anna. Children all laugh. Amna takes her seat. Makes faces.) Teacher: That’s all your reading lesson. Spelling class. Spell procrastination, George. George: p-r-o-k-r-a-sti-na-ti-on Teacher: Wrong. Lulu, spell it. Lulu: What does it mean teacher? Teacher: Never mind what it means; just spell it, that’s enough for you to know. Mary: Can’t we sing one, teacher? Teacher: All right, but not too loud—ir- responsibility—sing. ... Take your seats. Class in Geography next. Since it is Friday afternoon, I’ll have to review the week’s work and if you fail—well there’s only one thing to do. Teacher: George, name the New England States and their capitals. George: Maine—Augusta, New Hamp- shire—Concord, Vermont—Montpelier, Mas- sachusetts—Boston. . . . Teacher: That’s fine, George, you’re a smart scholar. Now Bessie, the Middle States and their capitals. Bessie: (nervous and shy) New York— Albany, Pennsylvania—Harrisburg, New Jersey—Trenton, Delaware—That’s. .. . Teacher: Hurry up or you know your punishment. Bessie: Oh teacher, I forgot. Please, I know a lot of them but I can’t remember Delaware. Teacher: You must know them all by heart. Bessie: Oh dear—(all laugh as_ teacher puts Dunce Cap on her and puts her on the stool.) Teacher: Now, we'll have a drawing les- son for everybody. Everybody ready— 36 THE NATIONAL ELEMENTARY 44 HERR ine Ai Sie 2 ed ps4 a ¥ e $ i >re ist draw three straight lines. are you doing? William: I’m drawing a picture of a tree, teacher. It’s prettier than straight lines. Teacher: The idea, William, a picture of a tree and your lines are the crookedest in the room. Stay after school. Now, we'll finish the week with Arithmetic. All sing the tables beginning with the ‘six’ table. .. . School is out, children. READER: Hard to believe that such was the schooling that our good old grand- parents had and in spite of it some of them learned enough to rise to fame along all lines. Now, for a modern school on almost any afternoon. Shall we enter? This is Grade 7A—children’s age range 12—14%4 years. But where is the teacher? Oh, there she is sitting at the back of the room. What can be going on? Why are so many children out of their seats? And they are talking together and helping each other? Helen: Look how I answered the 13th question Suzanne. William, what Betty: I’m still working over number 5. It is so interesting. What do you want James? James: Will you help me with this Betty? I've looked in two books and can’t find just what I want. Betty: Sure. Oh, I know on the refer- ence shelf is just the right book—Heroes of American History—it has exactly what you want. James: Thanks, Betty, but that doesn’t look much like a colonial fireplace. Let me show you. There! Isn’t that better? Betty: Sure is. Thanks a lot. Teacher: Any one needing help in the contract ? Janet: Yes, I do. This one, number 8— tell any story of Colonial Life that in- terested you. Teacher: Oh, here’s a lot of help, Janet. Nearly everyone has finished that. Suzanne: I told the story of John Smith and Pocahontas because I saw the play the other day. William: I told about Roger Williams be- ing driven out of Plymouth by those old Puritans and _ starting to settle Rhode Island. James: I told about Peter Stuyvesant and his wooden leg. I’m sorry the old fellow had to pull down his country’s flag. The Dutch are good ancestors to have. Claire: I’ve told about George Washing- ton traveling from Virginia to Lake Erie for information about the French forts. Janet: Thanks. I shall tell about Wash- ington at Valley Forge because we drove out there last week. Teacher: Boys and girls, time is up—we must leave our history and hear some poems. Come on, boys, let’s be prompt. James: Couldn’t we have just five more minutes ? Teacher: No, I’m afraid not. So come along. James: Well, I got a lot done and [I'll finish tomorrow sure. Teacher: Let’s have a good audience. What is a good audience? Earl: Trying to feel as if we were the speaker and doing what we would like. Irwin: Watching the speaker and helping by our interest. Teacher: Fine! Who reaily wants to say a poem for us today? Oh, so many. That’s splendid. William: I’ve chosen “Cargoes” by John Masefield, poet laureate of England. I like rhyme and rhythm and the pictures it makes me see... . Helen: I'd like to say part of James Whit- comb Riley’s—When the frost is on the pumpkin—because it is so old-fashioned and American... . 1 Janet: Barter—by Vachel modern poet is my choice... . Teacher: We've all enjoyed your work boys and girls. Thank you. And there’s the bell for dismissal. Good afternoon, boys and girls. Play in safe places and take no foolish chances. Lindsay—a CHANGE OF ADDRESS On September 15 we mailed the yearbook to our members. This issue of the bulletin is going to all members of last year whether they have sent us their dues for the new year or not. To keep these fine publications from being lost in the mail or being sent to some incorrect address, please advise us immediately if a change should be made for you in our plates and records. PRINCIPAL, OCTOBER, 1935 37 REPORT OF DENVER MEETING IRVIN WILSON Principal, Delano School Chicago, Illinois HE Department of Elementary School Principals reached a new high-water mark in program-making at the Denver convention in July. Presi- dent M. Emma Brookes and Eva G. Pinkston, executive secretary, had ar- ranged a program of unusual distinc- tion, broad in scope, practical in appli- cation, and timely, covering some of the most significant and important present- day problems in the entire field of ele- mentary education. The first meeting of the group was the official Department breakfast on Monday morning, July 1. This social get-together meeting is rapidly becom- ing one of the fine traditions of the Department. Here is offered one of the real opportunities of the convention, that of meeting and knowing men and women from all sections of the country who have children and educational problems “like unto our own.” A brief but spirited period of community sing- ing, in charge of Dr. Gilbert S. Willey, director, Teacher Training, University of Denver, was followed by the an- nouncement of the Department pro- grams for the week and adjournment. Here the visiting principals were intro- duced, for the first time, to the unex- celled, “out where the West begins,” hospitality of the principals of Denver, who under the general chairmanship of Mrs. Margaret Mendenhall Smith, prin- cipal, Ebert School, had arranged in most careful detail for the comfort, con- venience, and entertainment of the visiting convention guests. We salute Denver and the Denver principals as most royal and congenial hosts. We © hope we may come again soon. The first regular session of the De- partment was arranged as a panel dis- cussion on the general subject: “The Environment and Its Relation to the School,” under the fine leadership of : S. D. Shankland, executive secretary of the Department of Superintendence. The most significant and most vital to the school phases of the environmental aspects of child life engaged the seri- ous attention of the panel and the audi- ence for the afternoon. It became in- creasingly clear as the discussion pro- gressed that the organization within the four walls of a school building forms but a small part of the powerful in- fluences for good or ill, which are con- tinually making their mark upon the lives of the boys and girls. A more com- plete report of this panel discussion will be found on pages 8-19 of this bulletin. The second meeting of the Depart- ment had for its topic, “Some Tenden- cies to Consider and Technics to Em- ploy in the Elementary Schools of Today.” Miss Rose Bland, principal, Buena Vista School, Colorado Springs. was the discussion leader. Here again was a program of unusual distinction, a high tribute to the scholarship and pro- fessional ability of our hosts—the Colo- rado principals. The following brief quotations will serve to indicate the trend of the discussion: One job of the school is to prepare audiences to listen to good music. Children can and do enjoy the best and highest in music. The presentday living of our school chil- dren should be greatly broadened and strengthened. Life’s most fundamental at- titudes are developed in childhood. The de- pression has had a deadening effect upon 38 THE NATIONAL ELEMENTARY RST? PRS 7 vill ‘in. irt- en- m- of yal, gs. ain , a lo- ‘ief the ces do 1il- ind at- de- yon r Ra" i. DEPARTMENT - | ELEMENTARY m/ SCH school children. The school must emphasize the spirit of real democracy. The chief busi- ness of teachers should be to render their services unnecessary. The moving picture can be used effectively in interpreting the school to the parents and the community, as well as to other teachers and principals within the system. The final meeting of the Depart- ment, and one of the high spots of the entire convention program, came with the semi-annual Department banquet held at the Brown Palace Hotel on Tuesday evening, with Dr. A. J. Stod- dard, superintendent of schools, Provi- dence, Rhode Island, and president, Department of Superintendence, as honor guest and speaker. Following a musical introduction furnished by Den- ver teachers and principals, Dr. Stod- dard delivered a brilliant and powerful address on the subject, “Some Implica- tions of Progressive Education.” Some of his direct statements were: 4. Progressive education never has stood for undirected freedom. It does not involve the absence of curric- ulum, nor the idea that boys and girls should have no guidance. Boys and girls have the right to live and act as boys and girls. Progressive education recognizes the estate of childhood. The way to prepare for tomorrow is to live abundantly today. In the old days children were just small- sized older persons—little men and _ little women. We now have children’s styles, children’s libraries, children’s art. Someday we shall have children’s books written by children. Someday a school building will be built de- signed especially for children. I would like to take the word “mold” out of our professional vocabulary. I want to think of teachers as guides. Boys and girls are learning from the cradle to the grave, from all kinds of experiences. Many of the most effective teaching influ- ences are entirely outside the classroom. The one and only purpose of these schools of ours is to help every boy and girl in Amer- ica to find his own best destiny. PRINCIPAL, OCTOBER, 1935 39 EVA G. PINKSTON HEN Miss Agnes Samuelson, president of the National Educa- tion Association came to headquarters in August, we asked her what deter- mined the “signs of school.” She said that the tang of fall, tanned bodies, and books in a store window are just as surely “signs of school” as cold weather, Santa Claus, and gifts featured in all the magazines are signs of Christmas. This answer to our question was so fine that we printed it on the leaflet which we enclosed in our September broadcast letter to all principals. Signs of a busy year for us came while we were at the convention. The group of membership chairmen—state, county, district, and city—who met in the par- lor of the president’s suite, Wednesday morning, July 3, gave us ideas and work enough to last not only one year but two or three. They told us how they had raised the membership record of their state to a new high and that they planned to start their campaign for members early this fall. Plans are now going forward for this to be another big year in the history of the Department. Your president and officers are asking your help and urging cooperation. The $3 membership fee is the only source of revenue which the Department has and for us to increase our services we shall have to increase the number of members enrolled. From the records of the N.E.A. there are about 25,000 bona fide elementary prin- cipals in the United States. Let us set our goal at 50 percent of this amount. We can reach it if each member will send us the dues of two of his friends as he sends us his own check. When our records were counted last STARTING THE MEMBERSHIP YEAR year we found that our number of mem- bers exceeded that of the year before. The chairmen at the meeting declared their intention of reaching new high goals from their particular sections. All chairmen have written us enthusiasti- cally that they plan to reach the quota set for their state by our new president, Mr. Harley W. Lyon, Pasadena, Cali- fornia. Each member can help by in- ducing the “live” principals in his sys- tem to join forces with us. Remember the Department is not asking for dona- tions. We have something practical to offer every principal who becomes a member. Every principal in this country should be told that our Department is composed of men and women who are dedicating their lives to the millions of boys and girls in the elementary school. It is an organization thru which prin- cipals may voice their opinions and exert their influences for better schools, It is a medium thru which all persons interested in the elementary school may work together for a nationwide program of equal opportunity for every boy and girl and educational guidance for the enrichment of their lives. One eminent superintendent has said that the principal is “the nerve center in any school system,” another that the principal is “the keystone of the educa- tional arch,” while still another says the principal is “the key to the school sit- uation.” To live up to these high stand- ards our slogan for the year might well be “Cooperative Service.’’ By coopera- tion we can truly make our Department the mighty force in education. Mr. Lyon, who was our State Enrolment Chairman from California last year, 40 THE NATIONAL ELEMENTARY M P re. ed All ti- ire ol. in- nd Is. ns ay im nd he iid ter it- raised our membership in that state 66274 percent. As our president, he is asking that we set a new high record for the year. We can do so with your help. Our increased membership last yeai was due to the combined efforts of our group Of fine State Enrolment Chairmen who worked early and late for the De- partment. Below are listed the State Enrolment Chairmen who are pledged to help us enlist the principals for this coming year: Alabama—Robert C. Johnston, 2030 Mag- nolia Ave. S., Birmingham. Arkansas—Ralph B. Jones, 522 May Ave., Fort Smith. Arizona—Chester Wickliffe, Balsz School, Phoenix. California—Vincent I. Correll, 1838 McKen- zie St., Long Beach. Colorado—Nellie Lind, Schools, Denver. Connecticut—Elizabeth R. Malcolm, Cedar Street School, New Haven. District of Columbia—Mrs. L. R. Duganne, Truesdell School. Florida—Frank Marshall Foulks, 404 E. Ross Ave., Tampa. Georgia—Maude A. Rhodes, 185 Westminster Drive, Atlanta. Idaho—Coral M. Norton, 1402 Franklin St., Boise. Illinois—Helen A. Mack, 417 Prospect St., Alton. Indiana—Cecelia Galvin, 23 N. Rural St., Indianapolis. Iowa—Earl E. Bovee, Whittier School, Sioux City. Kansas—Myrtle M. Evans, 15th and Troup Ave., Kansas City. Kentucky—E. E. Gotherman, 750 S. Lime- stone St., Lexington. Louisiana—Amy H. Hinrichs, 7336 Hurst St., New Orleans. Maryland—Mrs. Leversia Powers, Takoma Park School, Takoma Park. Massachusetts—Effie Grace Higgins, 27 Mari- anne Road, Waltham. Michigan—Albert A. Graham, Priest School, Detroit. Albion-Stedman Mississippi—Laurie Doolittle, 44 Victoria Ave., Cleveland. Missouri—W. D. Sherman, 853 Atlanta Ave., Webster Groves. Nebraska—Stella Holmes, Bancroft School, Omaha. New Hampshire—Blanche E. Hicken, 81 Penacook, Manchester. New Jersey—Mason A, Stratton, 272 Huron Ave., Absecon. New Mexico—Stella Kiker, 240 S. Fifth St., Raton. New York—Giles D. Clark, School No. 20, Albany. North Carolina—Mrs. A. R. Wilson, 202 S. Dillard St., Durham. North Dakota—Mrs. Sadie A. Walker, 701 10th St., S., Fargo. Ohio—L. Daisy Hammond, Patterson School, Dayton. Oklahoma—O. C. Griggs, Whittier School, Tulsa. Oregon—Carl S. Zook, 7200 S. E. 60th Ave., Portland. Pennsylvania—Roland TT. McLaren, 685 Fourth Ave., Williamsport. Rhode Island—Hermann G. Patt, John Clarke School, Newport. South Carolina—S. P. Schneider, Shandon Schoo], Columbia. South Dakota—Annamae Linter, 807 S. Sum- mit, Sioux Falls. Texas—W. L. Darnell, Palm School, Austin. Utah—Lois Anderson, Uintah School, Salt Lake City. Virginia—Lillian M. Johnson, Patrick Henry School, Norfolk. Washington—Isabelle C. Parker, S. 180 Can- non, Adams School, Spokane. West Virginia—Dallas C. Bailey, 820 Hood Ave., Shinnston. Wisconsin—Ethel M. Gardner, 420 N. Jack- son St., Milwaukee. Wyoming — Margaret Chambers, Grant School, Casper. Alaska— Anthony S. Karnes, Territorial Schools, Juneau. Hawaii—Elmer A. Brown, Kuhio School, Honolulu. Puerto Rico—Rita Davila de Arroyo, Jose de Diego School, Caguas. State Enrolment Chairmen for the other states will be announced in the December issue. PRINCIPAL, OCTOBER, 1935 CREATIVE RHYTHMS IN THEODORA PERRINE Director of Music and Rhythms Buxton Country Day School Short Hills, New Jersey T MIGHT be wise for us who are teachers, to pause sometimes in our mad careers and consider which of the things we are teaching are assets to our pupils and vital to living. Three things might occur to us at once as valuable to any human being: first, good posture; second, a good speaking voice, with clear enunciation; and third, the ability to express oneself adequately in some chosen medium. But over and beyond these things there is one faculty that is mankind’s most precious and cherished possession, the gift that has carried the race for- ward and is responsible, perhaps, for all of the good that we know. This gift to humanity is the creative imagination, our most priceless asset. Encourage the child’s creative imagi- nation—Every normal child has imagi- nation, and every normal child has creative ability. But, like any other qualities, these can atrophy and die if not encouraged and given the proper chance for development. The child of three is imaginative and creative. That is the time when the encouraging word should be spoken and the sympathetic environment established. Too often by the end of the child’s sixth year, so much damage has been done by our valiant desire to impart some of our adult knowledge, that the child has already become—to quote Tobias Matthay, a famous English pedagog—merely “‘pas- sive and receptive—like a laboratory funnel, with mouth widely gaping; ready to receive any chemicals (pleas- MODERN EDUCATION ant or otherwise) which the operating chemist (the teacher or parent) may see fit to pour in.” The highly gifted child combats the adult world. He refuses to be taught the things which he does not wish to know. He is branded a “problem child’’; is the despair of parents and teachers; and goes his own way, following the line of his own dominant interests. But his less powerful brother or sister struggles a little and then gives in, becoming the docile and receptive vessel that Mat- thay deplores. He allows the teacher to do most of his thinking for him; accepts routine thought and action; follows the herd; accepts the already accepted; fears the unknown; and condemns whatever is forward looking. In short, he has lost his unique character, his own distinctive personality that he possessed at the age of three. He has abandoned the gifts that he had come prepared to offer. In other words, he has found the adult world too much for him, in his tenderer years, and has succumbed to it. Now, perhaps, when a little enforced leisure is coming into all our lives, he, if he has by this time become an average member of adult society, is joining the adult-education classes that are begin- ning to flourish everywhere, and is thinking that after all here may be the chance to do the thing that he has always wanted to do. Purpose and procedure of creative rhythms—Now, the purpose of classes in creative rhythms is primarily to en- courage and develop the creative imagi- nation. The rhythms room is intended to be a playground for the child’s imagi- nation, where any ideas of his are en- couraged and welcomed. That is why 42 THE NATIONAL ELEMENTARY to ar lez sti ins po Pi ng ee he he nd its he loves “Rhythms”; why Jane sings herself to sleep at night to the words, “Tomorrow we have rhythms, tomorrow we have rhythms”; why the children greet one another on the morning bus with a cheerful ““Rhythms today!” As the rhythms room is a free, un- restricted area, with the teacher very much in the background, there is every opportunity for pranks and destructive behavior. But since the child is there to carry out his own ideas, and not to fol- low out the instructions of some adult, there is no reason for anything but con- structive effort; and the room is har- monious and peaceful even tho each child may be working quite independ- ently on a project of his own. In the rhythms classes we use simple materials: balls, balloons, hoops, wands, silk scarfs, drums, tambourines, as well as anything else that we may find at the moment to serve our purpose. We have a great deal of music of the very highest value—Bach, Schubert, Mozart, Haydn —as well as such moderns as Cyril Scott, Rebikov, Tcherephine, and de Falla, all most carefully chosen for the various age levels. But we also have plenty of time when there is no special music, and when the children are en- couraged to make up their own songs or tunes or poems for their skips and ball games. Some of these compositions have been so excellent that we use them con- stantly together with the other music and forget that they are our own, the interest being centered in a new mak- ing, rather than in the thing made. Part of the rhythms period is devoted to the practise of simple steps which are normal to all children, such as the skip, gallop, slow. and fast runs and leaps, while part is spent in simple stretching, relaxing, and body-develop- ing exercises on the floor, for the pur- pose of making the bodily movement lighter, more sensitively coordinated, more flexible, and more responsive. We try to avoid destructive criticism, and to call attention to anything good that is being done. We try to develop the positive critical faculty and discrimina- tion. It is important to recognize the good in someone else’s performance, and to be aware that our own good work belongs to, and is an asset to, the rest of the group. We encourage the working out of individual ideas, and then some- times bring these ideas together into group projects, for the sake of “giving” a little and working harmoniously with others. Fallacy of “copying” other rhythmic projects—One time in a demonstration class in a large university, several groups ranging from about six to nine or ten years of age worked out a very successful “circus.”’ They organized and carried out the whole project them- selves, and it lasted several weeks. From an imaginary tent emerged first the band playing various (imaginary) in- struments. Then after the parade came the beautiful high-stepping, running, trotting, and galloping white horses. The acrobats came next, turning cart wheels and somersaults, making head stands, and doing various other stunts. Then came the clowns—fat, thin, jolly, serious—of all kinds and varieties, and trained animals, dancing dolls, mechani- cal toys, and what not—a long list. It was a good show, quite animated, skil- ful, and amusing. The observers were enthusiastic and begged to have it writ- ten up and made available so that they could repeat the project with their own children, thereby showing that they had missed the whole point and purpose of the rhythms classes. Not that a circus cannot be successfully staged by a teacher. But the whole value of this PRINCIPAL, OCTOBER, 1935 43 particular circus lay in the fact that the children had conceived the idea of it, carried it out in their own rhythms, filled it with their own whimsy, and de- veloped an enthusiasm that I have never known them to show in a teacher-domi- nated project, no matter how fine the latter may have been from an adult standpoint. To take the finished project of these children and have it “copied” or re- peated by another group of children, to whom it would have to be taught or suggested by an adult, would be to rob it of its whole purpose and vitality. There are times and places for adult domination, as in the training of an orchestra or the drilling of a chorus in an opera. But there are other times and places when one should keep hands off and give the children freedom to work out their own ideas. In the Buxton School we encourage the making up of individual or small-group ball games or games with hoops. Individual dances with scarfs and balloons are developed. There is much dramatic play. The chil- dren compose the dances and work out much of the dramatic chorus work for their annual Gilbert and Sullivan pro- ductions in the rhythms classes. They even try out various interpretations of the principal characters; for example, all of them try being the Pirate King or the Sergeant of Police in the “Pirates of Penzance.” Much of the casting of the principal parts is done thru watch- ing what develops here. Conclusion—People often wonder if it is possible to carry on a rhythms pro- gram in a less ideal environment, where there is not a large room or a good pianist. As long as the point of view is right, the work can be done anywhere under any conditions. Sometimes I think that the worse the conditions, the better the work, for one’s resourcefulness and ingenuity are then always called upon, and one has to be more alert to new possibilities than when things are made too easy. Encourage the children first to have ideas, and second to employ any mate- rial at hand that may serve their imagi- nation in developing and dramatizing these ideas. Once begun, the ideas often run on and develop into unforeseen sequences that are real adventures for the children, who discover themselves at once in the dual role of both actor and audience. Rhythmic activity is the most practi- cal method I know for carrying out into life the wholesome and much-needed spirit of creative play. Moreover, from creative rhythms it is but a step into the arts of dancing, music, modeling, color, line, and other creative forms of self- expression. There can be little doubt that activities of the rhythmic type de- serve an important place in the modern elementary school. The Editors Say We cannot remember a time when we have received so many com- plimentary letters and good wishes for the Department. Each mail brings news about the fine yearbook which we sent to members on September 15. Everyone seems to be delighted that he got the yearbook just before the opening of school. We shall pass these words of praise on to the members of the Editorial Committee and to Dr. Richard Foster of the Research Division of the N. E. A. All worked long and diligently to give you their best. 44 THE NATIONAL ELEMENTARY %, ie F é V yo —_— i A SCHOOL SERVICE PATROL FOR GIRLS ETHEL BOTKIN Principal, North Side School Hutchinson, Kansas OON after the organization of a boys’ patrol in our school, the girls became increasingly anxious to parti- cipate in activities related to the safe and efficient operation of the school. Some of the older girls had been help- ing regularly with certain duties in the principal’s office, and a few had served rather irregularly on girls’ basement duty. These jobs, however, were not sufficient to satisfy the girls when they saw the boys developing a systematic program of patrol activity. For this reason, and also because the school really needed the help of these girls in carrying out certain parts of the build- ing program, the School Service Patrol was formed to provide them an oppor- tunity to share in these various tasks. Organization of the patrol—The pa- trol is composed of all the sixth-grade girls. Each member, when on duty, wears an arm-band bearing the letters “SSP” and made in the school colors, black and gold. The duties performed by these girls vary from time to time according to the needs of the school, but at present they are of the following six types: 1. Directing traffic to and from the girls’ basement. 2. Directing traffic thru halls and on stairs. 3. Answering the telephone and performing messenger service before the opening of school and during recesses. 4. Seeing that the school yard is kept neat and clean. 5. Keeping the clubroom and bookroom in good order. 6. Taking charge of lost and found articles, and mending playground balls. Each of these activities is supervised by a teacher, who is assigned to that duty by the principal after all the teachers have had a chance to express their preferences among the six types. The teacher in charge of a particular activity makes general plans for it, and then sponsors the different service groups as each one is scheduled to per- form that activity. The patrol schedule is based on an eighteen-week semester, six sets of duties, and six service groups, each group serving at one kind of duty for three weeks. When a service group is scheduled for a duty which does not re- quire all members of the group at the same time, as in the principal’s office, the members take turns at the work. A list of the members of each group is posted with the schedule for refer- ence. The patrol group that inspects the yard is assisted by a special group con- sisting of one boy and one girl from each room in the building. Each mem- ber of the patrol group has charge of a part of this special group, and together they inspect that part of the yard where the rooms represented play. Each patrol group has a captain, and an effort is made to select girls from these positions who are capable of developing the ability to see that tasks are performed, and who will take pride in their performance without constant prodding by the sponsors or the prin- cipal. Values of the patrol program—Our experience with the patrol plan just de- scribed indicates definitely that the older girls in an elementary school can PRINCIPAL, OCTOBER, 1935 45 be trained to share the responsibility for certain phases of school operation. Under the competent guidance of teach- ers who supervise the various duties, the plan has proved valuable in the fol- lowing ways: 1. The patrol activities help to use the girls’ surplus energies profitably. 2. Participation in these activities increases the confidence of the girls in their ability to do various kinds of tasks. 3. Serving the school as a whole helps to build up a better school spirit. 4. The distribution of tasks among several groups fosters the feeling of mutual responsi- bility, cooperation, and pride in contributing to an important group project. 5. The patrol members feel the need of set- ting a good example of behavior for the rest of the school. 6. Suggestions made by patrol members to other pupils are often received in better spirit than if they had been made by the teachers. 7. The patrol activities really help to lighten the administrative load of teachers and prin- cipal. It is important that the tasks as- signed be suited to the abilities of the patrol members. If this principle is fol- lowed, and if plenty of encouragement and wise guidance is provided, many girls who at first are timid and helpless will in time become quite capable and fearless in the performance of their pa- trol duties. If a girl fails to perform her task satisfactorily, she may be shown how her failure interferes with the en- tire plan, and thus led to accept greater responsibility for definite parts of the work. Altho the organization of such a pa- trol group may relieve principal and teachers of certain routine duties, that is not its major purpose. Its only real justification is that it provides a means of sharing responsibility with the chil- dren, so that they may feel that the school is their school and that they have a part in determining what kind of school it is. Important News! A letter received, just as we go to press, from M. V. Nelson, treas- urer, Portland Elementary Principals Association, contains a large check covering the membership of elementary principals of Portland. This is our first big return for this year. How many cities will match this achievement? Send us the news about your accomplishment. * * * * The morning mail brought the news that Park Avenue Elementary School of Asheville, North Carolina, has been renamed the Queen M. Carson School in honor of the principal. This is a fitting tribute to this fine woman who has devoted more than three decades to teaching the children of Asheville and who is still one of the most active and alive elementary principals of the whole state. She has been a member of this Department for many, many years. We, too, extend our con- gratulations. 46 THE NATIONAL ELEMENTARY as- the fol- nent jany less and her own en- ater the _ pa- and that real eans chil- the have 1 of SCHOOL EXCURSIONS HARVEY S. GRUVER Superintendent of Schools Lynn, Massachusetts ROGRESS means change; yet all change is not necessarily progress. The underlying principles involved must be thoroly understood in order to determine whether or not changes really mean progress. In school affairs as well as in other matters, changes are con- stantly being made; sometimes they come about so gradually that we are scarcely conscious that they are being made. On this account, it is desirable, now and then, to examine rather care- fully procedures to determine the re- sults of such changes. Formerly, educators thought of sub- jectmatter as something fixed, ready- made, usually found in textbooks, and perhaps quite outside the child’s expe- rience; hence, the traditional pouring- in process formerly called teaching. But the new conception of education is child growth—and it is the work of edu- cators to select those worthwhile expe- riences which will best contribute to his desirable growth, mentally, socially, and physically. Such a conception allows a teacher to break with tradition and to build into the lives of her pupils new and valuable experiences formerly unheard of. Outstanding in the new teaching is the increasing use of so-called visual aids and among these is the class ex- cursion. It is my purpose to examine and report a number of class excur- sions which have taken place during the past few years. An educational excur- sion may be defined in general terms as that type of school activity which takes the pupils under the leadership of the teacher away from the school to a more or less remote place to study an object or an institution that relates to an interest engaging the attention of the school at the time. The general purpose of such an enter- prise is to create a more vital interest in the subject under consideration. It supplements and makes more real the information available from textbooks and other sources. It is in line with the whole trend of modern education, that is, to relate education more closely to life. In order to know life, one must contact life in as many of its phases as possible. It is not enough to read about life from textbooks. One must see life in action; hence the educational excursion. No doubt there have always been educational excursions of a sort, but not until comparatively recent years have they become an important part of our school program. Like all other similar movements, they had a modest and in- conspicuous beginning. At the start it was a short step for the sprogressive teacher to take her school to the corner of the block to visit for a few minutes the engine house, or even around the corner to visit the public library. This was done more as a matter of general interest, however, than as an attempt to make such a visit with definite plans and objectives for the purpose of re- lating the visit to the topic under dis- cussion in the classroom, thereby en- riching and enlarging the outcome. Year by year, this practise has been growing in Lynn. Our experience is very similar to that of other progressive communities where educational excur- PRINCIPAL, OCTOBER, 1935 47 sions are encouraged. Thru practise and with experience, we have con- stantly tried to improve upon our technic and to make our results more significant. There is no better way to waste time and money than on educa- tional excursions if they are not well planned. On the other hand, there is no better way to make your efforts more worthwhile if proper attention and care are given to planning. Excursions are becoming more and more an integral part of our program. Nothing has happened during these years to stimulate the growth of teach- ers more than planning these educa- tional excursions and applying their re- sults to our educational processes. They have given our teachers a much broader point of view, a much more intelligent interpretation of what an educational program should accomplish. The effect upon the children is even more desirable. First of all, it trains them in self-control. It likewise stimu- lates their power of observation. It in- creases their appreciation of the worth of the places visited to the community. It makes for better citizenship. Then, too, educational excursions af- ford excellent opportunities for parents to cooperate. It is highly desirable to have two or three parents accompany the school to assist in the proper care of the children and to enjoy the visit with the teacher and the children. Many parents have become interested in the work of the school for the first time in this way. The practise of secur- ing the cooperation of several parents has become quite common in Lynn and should be further encouraged. Infinite care is always exercised by the prin- cipal and the teacher to insure the safety and the comfort of the children on these occasions. Undoubtedly this means of improv- [ ing our work would be used far more frequently except for the expense in- volved. Principals and teachers have F frequently made these excursions pos- 7 sible by their own personal means when there were children in the group who could not afford to meet the necessary expense. All the children of a group must be taken when the excursion is on school time. We are rapidly ap- proaching the time when a bus could be kept busy on a full-time basis in tak- ing schools on educational excursions. To suggest that the city should pur- chase a bus for this purpose under pres ent conditions would be untimely, but the time may not be far distant when such a proposal should be given careful consideration. Lynn is exceptionally well located for educational excursions. We have not only the resources of the city itself with the water front and Lynn Woods as un- usual features, but within a radius of twenty-five miles there are unlimited resources that challenge the intellectual interest of children of all ages. Not to make them available for educational purposes would be unfortunate, to say the least. The school of the future will undoubtedly be less confined to the schoolroom in carrying out its program of activities. A very interesting phase of this problem is the degree of interest and even enthusiasm shown on the part of those with whom the schools must co operate in carrying this program out. Invariably those who are in charge of the place visited have been most cordial and helpful in their efforts to make the visit successful. This shows a com- mendable interest in young people and in education, on the part of the public. 48 THE NATIONAL ELEMENTARY prov- more e in- have - pos- when - who ssary zroup on is y ap- could . tak- sions. pur- pres- , but when ireful d for > not with s un- us of nited ctual ‘ot to ional ) Say > will » the gram this and irt of t co- out, ge of rdial e the com- : and tblic. —_—__— ARY A SECOND-GRADE EXPERIMENTAL PLAN . ETHEL K. NEWELL Principal, Sherman School Omaha, Nebraska DUCATORS have come to believe that subjectmatter-set-out-to-be- learned no longer supplies the needs of childhood. The concepts the child must build, the habits and attitudes he must establish, the problems he must face are no longer those of the quiet simple life, but are those of an extremely com- plicated and complex environment and civilization. The traditional school, with its re- pressions, its rigid discipline, its thoughtless memorization, and its lock- step procedure, does not teach the child how to meet life’s problems, either now as a child or in the future as an adult. The child must Jive now, and in his pres- ent living he should have real and vital experiences thru which he can best ob- tain an understanding of his environ- ment and of his relationships to those about him. No part of the child’s education is more important than his physical health. Upon this depend his mental health and his social growth and devel- opment. The restrictions of the formal school cannot but fail to develop or even to protect the physical well-being of the child. The child primarily needs not restriction but guidance, not for- malism but release from formality, not repression but freedom for work and opportunity in a variety of ways to be active and to find joy and happiness in successful accomplishment. Last February a committee of six second-grade teachers in our city was appointed by members of the adminis- trative staff, to work with the writer as chairman in the formulation of an experimental plan for teaching “based on the child who is to learn, not on the subject to be taught.” We began at once to plan and lay the foundation for the experiment, which was put into operation at the opening of this school year. The problem set-up—tin the prelimi- nary study made by the committee the following considerations were outstand- ing: 1. The child is to be foremost in everything that is done—the center about which the whole plan is built. This does not mean that no subjectmatter is to be taught, but rather that it must take a secondary place. The child’s welfare must come first. 2. The school can best be made an adequate socializing institution by being entirely natu- ral and informal in its procedure. All learn- ing must be made concrete and rich in mean- ing to the child by affording accurate con- cepts developed thru real personal experiences. The utmost freedom in the child’s emotional life when properly guided will enhance the learning process. We must help him to acquire emotional poise and give him opportunity for correct emotional development and control. 3. The needs of individual children must be taken into account. Provision must be made for the slow and plodding child; he must be encouraged to do the best work pos- sible, thereby overcoming the handicap that is his misfortune. At the same time the bril- liant child can find release for his superior abilities in an enriched curriculum. 4. It is important that a cordial relation- ship exists between teachers and pupils. The children often can formulate and direct their own activities. The tactful teacher will be the . guide. 5. The education of the child must be ac- tive not passive. It must be real, not super- ficial. Subjectmatter to be presented must bear close relationship to the child’s individ- ual needs. Our problem is to provide oppor- tunity for each child to grow in a natural wholesome way. He must be taught to meet PRINCIPAL, OCTOBER, 1935 49 his social, moral, and intellectual problems in ways that will carry over naturally into his adult life. 6. Due attention must be given to the child’s esthetic nature. He must be taught to see and appreciate the good, the beautiful, and the true in life about him. General aim and ultimate objectives —It is our purpose to permit and en- courage a normal emotional, mental, social, and physical growth in each child by providing opportunities for ex- periences and experimentation in real life situations. The ultimate objectives of the plan are as follows: 1. To place first things first in teaching by providing a curriculum based on the natural tendencies and interests of the child, thru which he may live more fully now and in the future. 2. To protect and develop the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being of each child. 3. To help the child to understand himself and society, in order that he may live happily and successfully in our complicated civiliza- tion. 4. To develop to the highest possible de- gree all the powers of the individual—his per- sonality, understanding, judgment, and ability to adjust himself effectively to the world around him; and to release his powers of creative self-expression, whereby he may im- prove the world in which he lives. 5. To provide happy learning conditions for social interactions which the child meets in everyday life situations. 6. To place more responsibility on the child; to give him power to direct himself intelligently. 7. To supply wholesome ideas and occupa- tions for the child’s leisure time. 8. To make an interesting and concrete school life which will develop those technics and skills, and will establish those attitudes and habits—physical, social, moral, and in- tellectual—that are necessary to the child’s development and growth as a useful citizen. 9. To give the child a richer and fuller gen- eral knowledge thru natural, childlike self- activity, thru speaking, seeing, investigating, exploring, creating, and constructing. Our plan—Our plan is to accomplish these objectives by the elimination of the restrictions of formality, by the study of the group and of each individ- ual in the group, by allowing much free- dom of movement and expression, by discussion groups, by permitting the child to use his creative powers and to develop every latent ability which he possesses, and by providing a program of purposeful activities. The selection and development of specific activities or enterprises to be undertaken will be the responsibility of the teacher. She will note the “leads” of the children, but will be selective in fol- lowing them. She will choose those which are for the greatest good of the greatest number, taking into full ac- count the individual differences of the children and the desired outcomes and learnings. The teacher will be the “guide to stimulate, to criticize, to sug- gest, to evaluate, to help the group meet problems and find means of solv- ing them.” She will participate in the discussions and activities of the chil- dren. She will make a constant study of each individual to the end that all his abilities may be developed, that he may form good habits, and that he may enjoy a measure of success in his under- takings. The teacher will make all con- tacts possible with the home, securing parental cooperation, learning the re- sponses of each child to the school situ- ation, finding out those influences which advance or retard the child’s growth. She will keep definite records of all ac- tivities, of difficulties encountered and their solution, of home contacts, and of case studies of problem children. At the beginning of the year an intel- ligence test will be given to the children in this experimental group, and to twice that number in a control group repre- 50 THE NATIONAL ELEMENTARY OPES Bk ale li ed ada {ONE TRE NTA ET ET ae senting a fair cross-section of all sec- ond grades in the city schools. Three times during the year standardized achievement tests will be given to these groups and direct comparisons will be made. General theme of the program—lt is our belief that the child’s horizon should be ever widening—that in kin- dergarten his interests are in the home and the school; that in first grade they expand into the immediate neighbor- hood and develop around such com- munity helpers as serve him there; that in second grade his activities take him - into the larger community, his city; and that as his contacts with the outside world increase, his interests and his learnings broaden into a study of the past and of the world as it now is. Therefore, “The Larger Community, Our City” has been chosen as the cen- tral theme for our teaching material in this second-grade program. Our large units of work will be based upon this. Equipment and supplies—lIn select- ing equipment for this experiment, the members of the committee were unani- mous in their preference for movable tables and chairs. These afford opportu- nity for freedom and informality. The setting of the rooms can be changed — quickly and often to meet the needs of the work to be done. Work benches, blackboards, bulletin boards, painting easels, wood and tool chests are pro- vided. A large variety of basic and sup- plementary books and supplies suitable for this free type of work are avail- able. The plan in action—This experiment is now well under way. Results ob- served are encouraging. The children are responding in a remarkable way. Freedom for work is actually resulting in enthusiastic effort. Grouped accord- ing to ability and interests, the chil- dren carry on their tasks and each one feels a measure of success in what he attempts. They are learning to use and care for materials, and are sharing tools and equipment in an unselfish manner. Confidence between children and teachers is real and is clearly manifest. The classrooms are centers of interest and are indeed attractive. Beautiful autumn weather has made it possible to spend much time out of doors as a yard-and-garden unit of study is car- ried on. Parents are showing more than usual interest in these rooms, and expressions of approval are general. Principals are pleased with the freedom from tradi- tional programs and with the ability of these children and their teachers to take up the problems which arise in real life situations. Actual testing of results will begin early in the new year. Something New! In addition to the usual membership card, each member will receive a certificate—size 514 x 714. It will carry the stamp of our parent organization—The National Education Association. Every principal should be glad to own one of these certificates and proud to display it on his office wall. This membership certificate will be suitable for framing. PRINCIPAL, OCTOBER, 1935 PENDULUM SWINGING BACK J. W. CRABTREE ERHAPS the Constitution of the United States is not so bad after all. For some time I heard so much about remaking it that I began to won- der whether the Bible itself was any too secure. To me the Constitution had been from my boyhood days a sacred instrument. I even felt that God had had a hand in making it. I just won- dered whether He would extend the same degree of help to the would-be leaders of today that He gave to the true and tried of the early day. Is the pendulum actually swinging back again? Only two or three years ago the craze to change constitutions swept over the country. It seemed to be in the air to make both wise and unwise changes in charters and bylaws of local and national associations as well as to change the Constitution of the United States; but there is plainly an easing up all along the line at present. & ke F TS TR, In fact, the pendulum has swung : back so far that on September 17 the | nation witnessed in the pulpit, in the © press, and in celebrations of the people | one of the finest showings of loyalty to the flag and to the Constitution that has taken place in recent time. Such an exhibition of faith gives new impetus to the prosperity which recent federal legislation has made possible. It is further evidence that we are get- ting back to normalcy. It does not mean that amendments will not be adopted, but it does mean that reckless action has been averted. Little value can be expected from changes taking place in the path of a hurricane. This status of public opinion as shown on Tuesday, September 17, safe- guards orderly and stabilized change. democracy is safe for another century. ST. LOUIS CONVENTION February 22-27, 1936 ; It makes more certain that American | he Important announcements for Elementary Principals Headquarters for Elementary Principals— Hotel Statler, Ninth and Washington Official Breakfast— Monday, February 24, 7:30 a. m. Semi-annual Banquet— Tuesday, February 25, 6 p. m. Department Programs— Monday, February 24, 2 p. m. Tuesday, February 25, 2 p. m. Read The National Elementary Principal for place of meetings and programs 52: THE NATIONAL ELEMENTARY NOTES AND COMMENTS * American Education Week—No- vember 11-17—has become an institu- tion. Educators everywhere, and espe- cially principals, are becoming” enthu- siastic about this worthwhile activity and we are receiving scores of letters asking for reports of special programs, plays, and pageants which have taken place in elementary schools. If prin- cipals will prepare and send to us copies (duly labeled) of the activities carried on in their schools, we shall be delighted to have them mimeographed and ready for distribution. We shall give recogni- tion to the principal and the school from which we receive the material. A reprint has been made of pages 34-37 of this October issue and placed in the Elementary School Packet by the N.E.A. for this year’s distribution. * Miss Charl Williams, field secretary of the National Education Association, was elected president of the National Federation of Business and Profes- sional Women’s Clubs at their conven- tion meeting in Seattle, July 15-20. The term of office is for two years. Miss Williams’ friends will be delighted to know of this honor accorded her. * The committee appointed to make arrangements for the Principals Con- ference to be held immediately follow- ing the Portland meeting next summer is as follows: Mrs. Edith B. Joynes, new member of the Executive Committee of the De- partment, chairman, Mr. Mason A. Stratton, and Miss Edythe J. Brown. * Mrs. Gertrude Best Hammond is president of the Chapter of Phi Alpha Theta, national history honor frater- nity of the University of Southern California, for 1935-36. This is the first time that the presidency has gone to one other than a member of the history faculty. Mrs. Hammond has long been a member of our Department. * Our yearbooks have gained quite a reputation, not only at home but abroad. Since the last issue of the bulle- tin, we have received orders from the following countries: Stellenbosch, South Africa; Jeru- salem, Palestine; Moscow, U.S.S.R.; Toronto, Canada; Shanghai, China; Sydney, Australia. * Mr. Fred Duffy, secretary of the De- partment 1930-31, is secretary of the New York Elementary Principals As- sociation, and president of the Lions Club of Kenmore, N. Y. * Mr. Ira M. Kline, second vicepresi- dent of the Department, is president of the Southeastern Zone of the State Teachers Association of New York. * Miss Maude Rhodes, secretary of the Department 1929-30, and state en- rolment chairman of Georgia for the Department, has sent us the names of Mrs. Richard Jones, principal, East Lake School, Atlanta, and Miss Eliza- beth Silvey, principal, Calhoun School, Atlanta, who have recently been ap- pointed to principalships. We would appreciate it very much if our other friends would let us know of the ap- pointment of new principals so that we could write and congratulate them. It is an honor to be a principal of a school! * Student Leader, a new monthly periodical of interest to student and PRINCIPAL, OCTOBER, 1935 53 teacher activity leaders, made its ap- pearance in September of this school year. It is sponsored by the Journal of the National Education Association and is the official organ of the National As- sociation of Student Editors, the Na- tional Association of Student Govern- ment Officers, and the Student Graphic Art Society. For complete information about Student Leader and the organiza- tions it represents, address, Division of Publications, National Education As- sociation, Washington, D. C. * Mr. Harry Huber Haw, president of the California Elementary School Prin- cipals Association, Southern Section, and Mr. E. H. Herrington, principal, Alcott School, Denver, Colorado, en- joyed a vacation of deep sea fishing out from San Diego. They have not reported on their “catch.” * Miss Isabel Tucker, principal, Shenandoah School, St. Louis, will be chairman of our social functions at the St. Louis meeting. All reservations for our banquet and breakfast should be made thru Miss Tucker. * In preparation for the celebration of the Horace Mann Centennial in 1937 a movement is under way to have as many schools as possible named in honor of Horace Mann. A list has been made up of schools which now bear this distinction. Persons knowing of new schools named for Horace Mann are asked to bring the fact to the attention of Joy Elmer Morgan, editor of the Journal of the National Education As- sociation, Washington, D. C., who is chairman of the committee. * The University of California at Los Angeles held an Elementary School Principals Conference, July 16-18. The theme of the conference was—‘The Ele- mentary Principal’s Part in Education for the Worthy Use of Leisure Time Thruout Life.” The chairmen presiding at the conference were Mr. Harry H. Haw, Dean Marvin L. Darsie, Miss Ida C. Iversen, Mr. George N. Hale, and Mr. Frederick L. Redefer. * Elementary-school newspapers are becoming almost as numerous as junior and senior high-school papers. An ex- ample of the popularity of journalism in the elementary school is Indian- apolis, Indiana. This city boasts forty- five elementary papers and eight junior and senior high papers. As a means of stimulating student interest in journalism and letting the public know what is going on in the Indianapolis schools, a weekly radio broadcast is given by a newscast selected from staff members of the various school publications. We would like for all schools pub- lishing school newspapers to include headquarters on their mailing list. * Weare glad to learn from Mr. Walter N. Taylor, executive secretary of the Mississippi Education Association, that an elementary principals and super- visors section has been organized in Mississippi. We congratulate them on this forward step. * Headquarters was saddened a few days ago to learn of the death of Dr. William John Cooper, former United States Commissioner of Education. He and Mrs. Cooper were en route to their home in California when Dr. Cooper was taken ill at Kearney, Nebraska. Dr. Cooper was always a close friend of this Department and those who have been members with us for a number of years will remember that he has been our guest speaker on different occasions. 54 THE NATIONAL ELEMENTARY SCTE OT RR RET age — ce ee — to oh 2h Ge mem Ok eel F ng da nd ior ex- sm in- ior ant the the lio ted us ide ter the nat er- in on INTERESTING BOOKS Every elementary principal will be inter- ested in Trends, a bulletin published by the Elementary Principals Association of the Dis- trict of Columbia. The purpose of this bulle- tin is to show the trend in modern elementary education, and to indicate the need for guid- ance in our American schools. It also shows the necessity for cooperation between the home and the school. Altho the book has been written primarily for those in elementary edu- cation, the basic principles outlined may be of value to those in the secondary field, as well as those in rural and in urban locali- ties. * * * Have you seen the famous Umbrella Books, namely, Told Under the Green Umbrella, Told Under the Blue Umbrella, and Sung Under the Silver Umbrella by the Association for Childhood Education; The Macmillan Company, New York? The first book con- tains a collection of famous folk tales, legends, fairy tales, make-believe stories, in the form best used for reading aloud in nursery, kin- dergarten, and first grade. The second consists of thirty-eight realistic, might-be-true stories —tales of ponies, dogs, dolls, and live expe- riences of real children. The third contains a choice anthology of best verses, old and new, for younger children—jolly jingles from folk lore, fine poems by Rossetti, Stevenson, and others. All of these stories and poems are tested material which has been used success- fully with children of kindergarten and pri- mary age. * * * The Great Change by Richard T. Ely and Frank Bohn, Thomas Nelson & Sons, New York, describes the seething age in which we live and the economic foundations of this age. By describing the revolution in economic production, during the nineteenth century, the authors present the social and political facts which make further change necessary. They strive to answer the great question: Are we, the American people, helpless in the presence of our machinery, or can we somehow control the system and move forward to higher levels of civilization. This book is designed to be an orientation book for the general reader as well as for students in colleges and univer- sities, and it will be helpful to those who in public life are guiding our policies during the present period of distress and recovery. If you are interested in third-grade arith- metic you will find Study Arithmetics, by F. B. Knight, G. M. Ruch, J. W. Studebaker, W. C. Findley, and William S. Gray; Scott, Foresman and Company, New York, to be an excellent manual. It is especially designed for pupil learning. This book offers two impor- tant advances in an arithmetic text designed for use by third-grade pupils: (1) Pupil learn- ing is not complicated by unnecessary reading difficulties. Simplicity of sentence structure is carefully observed thruout the book. The total vocabulary consists of 900 words, all of suitable difficulty. (2) The subjectmatter meets the demand for an arithmetic text better suited to the experiences, interests, and ma- turity of the third-grade child. * * * Reading to Learn—Book One—by Gerald A. Yoakam, The Macmillan Company, New York. This is an informational reader de- signed to help the teacher to teach the child how to study thru giving him greater skill in handling of books. The material is representa- tive of the type of subjectmatter contained in history, geography, elementary science, nature study, biography, civics, and health. Informational articles are also provided on how to use books and how to study, which will aid the teacher to develop among her pupils conscious effort to use books more in- telligently to study more effectively. It is recommended that this book be used either concurrently with the basic reading textbook or as a second semester textbook in reading to follow the basic reading instruction given in the first semester. * * * Principals and teachers who are especially interested in grammar will find a wealth of material in Drill by Alfred M. Hitchcock; Henry Holt and Company, New York. This collection of 200 exercises provides material for ten-minute oral drill accompanied by a minimum of instruction. The field covered includes elementary grammar, with attention paid not only to form and structure but to good usage as distinguished from common errors; punctuation, with emphasis on the common-sense basis of nearly all rules, simple craftsmanship, or rhetoric of the sentence. The material for these exercises has been taken, with the publisher’s permission, from his other textbooks. PRINCIPAL, OCTOBER, 1935 55 REPORTS OF COMMITTEES PROFESSIONAL RELATIONS MASON A. STRATTON, Chairman Principal, Brighton Avenue School Atlantic City, New Jersey The chairman of this Committee wishes to report progress in the studies projected into this Committee’s work. Professional Relations implies many important phases of the schoolman’s activities. We are endeavoring to coordinate the many studies already made by the various groups, in such a way that our “teachers colleges” will have a course of study to use in the educating of prospective teachers. This course of study will endeavor to show: (1) the value and importance of united cooperation thru or- ganizations, local, state, and national; (2) the wealth of material now available 7 RE RNR cei and constantly being made available to the teachers of our country by the N. E. A. | and its Research Division. It was well stated at one of our meetings that “teachers must become sensitized to social problems.” “Teachers” here means “school people.” It is equally im- portant in order to meet these social problems with professionally scientific attack to become sensitized early in their teaching experience to the possibilities for help and guidance available. To make a specific report of findings at this time would only tend to mislead 7 our thinking and conclusions. This is due to the fact that our Department com- mittee is working with a similar committee of the American Association of Teach- ers Colleges. Final conclusions will be impossible until the two groups meet for final drafting of complete report. RESOLUTIONS AARON KLINE, Chairman Principal, Pullman School Chicago, Illinois Wuereas, During recent years our boards of education and superintendents have found it necessary to assign two or more buildings to a principal, and whereas this has greatly reduced the efficiency and effective community benefits, and whereas both teachers and pupils have been deprived of needed professional and personal guidance, and whereas this condition in our opinion is not conducive to good economy especially during the present social readjustments, Be it resolved, That the Department of Elementary School Principals respectfully recommend to boards of education and superintendents that there be assigned a non-teaching principal to each elementary school under their jurisdiction where the number 56 THE NATIONAL ELEMENTARY '—~—~ — « nts eas and and » to ed, 1 to ing ber RY of teachers exceeds ten, and that this readjustment be made at the earliest possible date. WHEREAS, It is a universally recognized fact that the elementary-school prin- cipalship is the key position in training and education of our coming citizens, Be it resolved, That we as principals meet this challenge and responsibility by better preparing ourselves physically, mentally, and spiritually, and that this Department bend every effort to raise the standards required of the elementary principal as suggested above. WueErEAs, The Department of Elementary School Principals has garnered from this semi-annual meeting a helpful, practical, and inspirational benefit, Be it resolved, That President Brookes and her staff of co-workers be commended for their foresight and thoughtfulness. WueEREAS, Leaders in various fields of the educational world have given time, effort, and thought to the consideration of our problems, Be it resolved, That we extend our hearty thanks and that the executive secretary send copies of this resolution to each participant on our programs. WueErEAS, The principals of Denver and Colorado have extended to convention visitors such a hearty welcome and continuous hospitality, Be it resolved, That we express our appreciation and gratitude to them thru their efficient local chair- man, Mrs. Margaret Mendenhall Smith, Principal, Ebert School, Denver, Colo- rado. YEARBOOK* BESS ROGERS CLEMENT, Chairman Principal, Eliza Clark School Clarksdale, Mississippi The Fourteenth Yearbook of the Department of Elementary School Principals deals with those types of school activities which often have been considered extra- curriculum, but which are now coming into their own as essential parts of the curriculum itself. While its major emphasis is on the socializing of children, the yearbook does not ignore the importance of subjectmatter learning. Many articles indicate the value of a close tie-up between the regular course of study and such activities as assemblies, plays, clubs, and special-day celebrations. This report forbids telling about the splendid articles of all the contributors who have helped make this interesting compilation of “socializing experiences,”’ but superintendents, principals, supervisors, and teachers have all had a part in its make-up. The book presents a forward-looking educational philosophy, vivid descriptions of actual school practise, and practical suggestions for obtaining the finest personal and social values from the kinds of activity described. The members of the Editorial Committee wish to thank all contributors and members of the headquarters staff who have helped in making this book a success. It has been a great pleasure to work with the members of the Committee and to contact so many fine people thruout the United States. * Report given by Eva G. Pinkston, executive secretary, in the absence of Bess Rogers Clement. PRINCIPAL, OCTOBER, 1935 FINANCIAL STATEMENT Year Ended May 31, 1935 Permanent Fund: NS SL ae ee : PPS ak See aehenese tae a ; $665.37 fi Securities ..... Ls) SPR STA, DMT. GeecR aE 6,077.52 ———— $6,742.89 | Mammee as at May 31, 9904)... : $3,696.21 P Receipts: b Current Year—3624 Members at $3 each ................. $10,872.00 m sé Arrears—6 Members at $3 each ...................... anette 18.00 B fe I on oo chs: ous cakes Sud pad Kim hk Males dies Dik Meb.s .. 3,379.83 ‘ w Interest on Bonds (Newport News) ................... ys 162.50 —- 14,432.33 i Disbursements: $18,128.54 | Printing: ti Yearbook, September 1934 ..................... $2,078.72 op Giohemer 29604 Eiietio ..... 2.2. Soe eck. 416.98 F Yearbook Reprint, November 1934 ............. 805.00 } December 1934 Bulletin ....................... 238 18 gf S| nee aeeeene 213.79 ; RRR Oe ree es bre 402.80 m ge ———— $4,155.47 Bs. Printing—Leaflets, Cards, etc. ....... eh ttn, oder 503.52 Fa fo Services in Typing Section....... cdntceninphinec panto TOES i. 1,260.53 : Services in Multigraphing Section ............... ; 262.10 BC Services in Mailing Section ................ em idiascats ; 154.45 cc Services in Addressograph Section ............:......... 4 35.60 Postage ....... Se Se ee ey Cerny ee - 1,364.72 ; at Stationery and Supplies slehatel tea ene J eerie 997.53 E. Stenographic, Clerical Service, and Salaries iene 5,904.59 : ” Insurance ...... pairs ed? Perel (Ne nat a8 Y . 292.50 r M Telegrams and Express ae pd en A I re Re 40.47 » fo SLT ee meas 190.48 j H Life Membership Expense: B ra Keys and Buttons ahr are ke eas Sees $261.00 IN 552k rik a Sl decks Mode DIEU Pe UES 53.00 i a RT 0 Fe oS ii. iis. stayh db tlv de RES 4 46.00 ; Convention Expense: $60.00 Washington ...... ste avek treguld 2 7 $99.40 PE IN is a nein Ge ienourt sa nalaaied cine ct a A Traveling Expenses—Officers: aia Bd Aaron Kline .... ; A ee ee $70.14 é of M. Emma Brookes .......... 2 abst lek, nas 54.68 E Eva G. Pinkston ... yt ae ee Seah ht 69.27 > m Editorial Committee: Fe ee Raia he Bess Clement ........ is apa $136.38 > in John Thomas .. nem els ep MF lie 70.33 ac Samuel Berman ........ “PRL a4 48.34 Mistiie Micliecem .... 2... 0.200.500.0000 044. 87.61 ™ ——- ——- 342.66 an ———— 16,228.91 §& of - er oe all SO eens ON A UO Bh BSS inci bs sence me nnme Sok $1,899.63 58 THE NATIONAL ELEMENTARY §& SECRETARY’S REPORT Denver, Colorado, Meeting June 30—July 5, 1935 2.89 | The thirtieth semi-annual meeting of the Department of Elementary School 621 Principals, consisting of two general sessions, a breakfast on Monday and a "(banquet on Tuesday, was held in Denver, Colorado, July 1 and 2. The general sessions were held at the Central Christian Church; the family-get-together break- fast was served at the Shirley-Savoy, the headquarters hotel; and the banquet was at the Brown Palace Hotel. 2.33 7 SuNDAY MornInc, JUNE 30, 1935 8.54 The present officers of the Department, all past officers attending the conven- tion, and all past presidents of the Department were guests for breakfast of the president and the secretary at the Blue Parrot Inn. BREAKFAST, MonpAy Morninoc, JuLy 1, 1935 Principals and their friends are always cordially invited to attend this family- get-together breakfast. This year this delightful occasion took place at the Shirley- Savoy Hotel. With beautifully decorated tables, place cards, music, and delicious food, the principals early became enthusiastic about the hospitality of Denver and Colorado principals. Louise Klein was chairman of arrangements of the breakfast committee. President Brookes took this occasion to welcome everyone cordially; to call attention to meetings of the week which would be of particular importance to ele- mentary principals; to introduce the chairman of local affairs, Mrs. Margaret Mendenhall Smith, who, in turn introduced her co-workers; and to announce the following Nominating Committee for the election of officers for the coming year: Herbert C. Hansen, chairman, Chicago, Illinois; Cassie F. Roys, Omaha, Neb- » raska; R. C. T. Jacobs, Dallas, Texas; Harry H. Haw, San Diego, California; > and Nellie V. Lind, Denver, Colorado. BANQUET, TUESDAY EvENING, JULY 2, 1935 The semi-annual dinner was held in the ballroom of the Brown Palace Hotel. A. J. Stoddard, superintendent of schools, Providence, Rhode Island, and presi- dent, Department of Superintendence, gave the address on “Some Implications > of Progressive Education.” The Department was especially honored by having the entire Executive Com- | mittee of the Department of Superintendence present. President Brookes showed her marked skill and efficiency by expediting all announcements. Her gracious introduction of guests gave to the banquet that ease and friendliness which is char- acteristic of any meeting she conducts. The arrangements of the banquet were under the immediate direction of Lila M. O’Boyle as chairman. Miss O’Boyle and her committee had made the ballroom into a bower of flowers. The principals 8.91 of Denver were hosts and hostesses at the different tables. Their hospitality was 9.63 so genuine that those in attendance will ever remember this delightful occasion. PRINCIPAL, OCTOBER, 1935 59 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING, SUNDAY MorNING, JUNE 30, 1935 The meeting was called to order by President Brookes in the president’s suite of the Shirley-Savoy Hotel. The following persons were present: M. Emma Brookes, president, Edythe J. Brown, second vicepresident; Mrs. Edith B. Joy- | nes, fifth vicepresident ; Herbert C. Hansen, Cassie F. Roys, and Mason A. Strat- [ ton, Executive Committee; and Eva G. Pinkston, executive secretary. A motion was made by Mr. Hansen and seconded by Miss Roys, that the read- | ing of the minutes of the Atlantic City meeting be omitted because all the officers | and members of the Executive Committee had been sent copies which they had approved. These had been published in the April issue of The National Elemen- © tary Principal which was an official report of the winter meeting. Motion carried, ~ President Brookes asked for the report of the secretary and that the problems | presented be discussed. The secretary had prepared a folder for each person 7 present. This folder contained a copy of the report submitted to Secretary Givens 7 concerning the work of the Department accomplished during the year, problems | which have not been solved, and proposed problems for the Department to con- | sider for the coming year and for a ten-year program; a financial statement of the year; membership and life membership figures; and problems to be brought © before the executive family. Motion was made by Miss Brown and seconded by Mr. Hansen to accept the secretary’s report as discussed. Motion carried. The secretary was requested to send copies of the report of the N. E. A. secre- | tary, Willard E. Givens, to each member of the official family. A motion was made by Miss Roys and seconded by Mr. Stratton, that the ee & secretary be authorized to do as much field work as possible during the next few | years, especially this coming year. Motion carried. A motion was made by Mr. Hansen and seconded by Miss Brown that each | officer and each member of the Executive Committee be responsible for promoting some special work of the Department during his tenure of office. Duties such as publicity; getting in touch with state organizations; organizing a registration 7 council for elementary-school principals; and having a conference hour at each © convention were mentioned. Motion carried. A motion was made by Mrs. Joynes and seconded by Miss Roys that the execu- tive secretary be instructed to make a list of the duties which might help her in forwarding the work of the Department of Elementary School Principals, keep- 7 ing in mind the special interests of the officers elected and that these duties be varied from year to year at the discretion of the secretary and officers. Motion carried. After discussion it was decided that the envelopes used in the membership broadcast be stamped “Personal.” A motion was made by Mr. Hansen and seconded by Mr. Stratton that the secretary include in the broadcast letter some type of card or blotter which would advertise the Department. So that Mr. Farley could use these articles in his booklet of American Educa- tion Week, President Brookes asked for those present to send to headquarters 60 THE NATIONAL ELEMENTARY SE area: yy P articles or the names of principals who had written articles which would be apropos of this subject. These would have to be in by September 1. A motion was made by Mr. Hansen and seconded by Miss Roys that the secre- tary write Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Gist, congratulating them on the arrival of a young lady in their home. Monpay Morninc, Juty 1, 1935 The second meeting of the Executive Committee met in President Brookes’ suite at the Shirley-Savoy Hotel. Those present were: M. Emma Brookes, presi- dent; Edythe J. Brown, second vicepresident; Mrs, Edith B. Joynes, fifth vice- president; Herbert C. Hansen, Cassie F. Roys, and Mason A. Stratton, Execu- tive Committee; and Eva G. Pinkston, executive secretary. President Brookes called the meeting to order. The minutes of the meeting of Sunday, June 30, 1935, were read and approved. The appointing of a committee to study the problem of establishing a registra- tion council for principals was discussed at length. This registration council would work with boards of education to secure their cooperation and help in obtaining a single salary schedule for all principals. Elementary-school principals having the same qualifications as high-school principals should be on the same basis. All principals now in service who are doing outstanding work would be given the same recognition as those having degrees. Certain requirements should be set up for new principals entering a system. Care would be taken that no phase of the principalship would be left out or ignored. A motion was made by Mrs. Joynes and seconded by Miss Brown that a com- mittee be appointed to make a study toward establishing a registration council for principals, the problems it would involve, and the committee should work to the idea of getting boards of education to adopt the standards set forth by the Department of Elementary School Principals. Motion carried. President Brookes thereupon appointed the following Registration Council Committee: Miss Roys, chairman, Mr. Hansen, and Miss Brown. After studying the auditors’ report, the Budget Committee was asked to make a proposed budget for the Department for the year 1935-36. Herbert C. Hansen, chairman of the Budget Committee, submitted the following report: BuDGET 1935-36 Estimated Receipts $20,000.00 Expenditures Printing $5,000.00 General Office . 6,000.00 Salaries : 7,000.00 Convention Expenses .. 400.00 Editorial Committee 400.00 Miscellaneous 200.00 Contingent . 1,000.00 Oss v5 i we .. .$20,000.00 PRINCIPAL, OCTOBER, 1935 2s fe At the meeting in Washington, D. C., July 1934, the secretary was asked to” make a survey of the colleges and universities of the United States, and find” which institutions were including courses that would be of help to elementary principals in studying their problems of administration and supervision. The secretary wrote to every university and teachers college listed in the Educational © Directory of the United States Department of Interior and found that there were i very few courses offered pertaining to the problems presented for the elementary- school principals. Universities and colleges give many courses on education but” none relative to administration or supervision of the elementary school. A motion was made by Miss Roys and seconded by Mr. Hansen asking the president to appoint a committee to plan for a principals conference to be held immediately following the N. E. A. convention next summer. This conference would be held in or near the convention city for a two weeks’ period. The college giving the course would allow two credits for work done. This committee was authorized to determine the cost and report to the secretary. Motion carried. President Brookes appointed the following committee to study this problem) of a principals conference for next summer: Mrs. Edith B. Joynes, chairman, | Mason A. Stratton, and Edythe J. Brown. A motion was made by Mr. Hansen and seconded by Miss Roys that letters be sent to Mrs. Margaret Mendenhall Smith, president of Principals and Direc- © tors Association, Denver, and local chairman for the convention, thanking her fF and her committees for the delightful hospitality and personal service rendered § to all; to C. B. Bennett, manager, Shirley-Savoy Hotel for his many courtesies; | to R. H. Palmer, assistant superintendent of schools, for helping make arrange- ments for the meetings; to S. D. Shankland and those who helped make the Mon- | day program the success that it was; and to the Denver and Colorado principals | who planned and participated in the splendid program on Tuesday afternoon. Motion carried. SARE ate Business MEETING, TUESDAY AFTERNOON, JULY 2, 1935 Reports of the following committees were read and approved: Report of Secretary, Eva G. Pinkston, 1201 Sixteenth St., N. W., Wash- 7 ington, D. C. : Resolutions Committee, Aaron Kline, Pullman School, Chicago, Illinois, chairman (Read by Mason A. Stratton) ; Professional Relations Committee, Mason A. Stratton, Principal, Brighton Avenue School, Atlantic City, New Jersey, chairman Necrology Committee, Cassie F. Roys, Principal, Walnut Hills Schools, | Omaha, Nebraska, chairman. Herbert C. Hansen, Chicago, Illinois, chairman of the Nominating Committee, submitted the following report for officers for the ensuing year: President—Harley W. Lyon, Pasadena, California First Vicepresident—M. Emma Brookes, Cleveland, Ohio Second Vicepresident—Ira M. Kline, White Plains, New York 62 THE NATIONAL ELEMENTARY ¥ V ash- inois, § rhton 100s, ittee, Third Vicepresident—Edythe J. Brown, South Bend, Indiana Fourth Vicepresident—Irvin A. Wilson, La Grange, Illinois Fifth Vicepresident—Mrs. Margaret M. Smith, Denver, Colorado New Executive Committee Member—Mrs. Edith B. Joynes, Norfolk, Virginia. A motion was made by Mr. Hansen and seconded by Mr. Harry H. Haw, San Diego, California, that the report be adopted. Miss Marie Wetzel, Omaha, Ne- braska, moved that nominations be closed. There being no opposition to the report, Mr. Hansen moved that voting by ballot be dispensed with and that the executive secretary be instructed to cast the vote for the assembly. This motion was seconded by Mr. E. H. Herrington, Denver, Colorado. Motion carried. The ballot was cast by the executive secretary. The newly elected president, Mr. Harley W. Lyon, was given quite an ovation and was asked to make a statement. Mr. Lyon stressed the importance of getting elementary principals to become members of the Department and interested in the work. He gave a brief sketch of the work which the Department had been doing and asked the cooperation of all present to help him continue the good work which had been started. He asked help in increasing the membership at least 10 percent over last year’s total—Eva G. Pinkston, Executive Secretary. Important Requests A great many requests from diffrent sections of the country have come to headquarters lately, asking for the programs for this coming year of the principals clubs. Will you send us the program for your club so that we may render this service to the principals? > +-.—h—(CU SH In the December issue of The National Elementary Principal each year is printed a list of active members and friends who have died since the January preceding. It is the wish of the officers of the Department to pay some fitting tribute to those who have departed since the publication of the previous list. Members are invited to send in by November 15 the names of former elementary principals who are to be honored. Statements as to experience and special serv- ices will be welcomed, altho space may not be available for all the material received. PRINCIPAL, OCTOBER, 1935 _ the broad point of view, all life thoughtfully lived is education. To give conscious attention to what one is about, to seek and note significant mean- ings in what is happening, to apply these meanings as intelligently as one may to the direction of one’s affairs—all this is not only the path of efficient dealings, it is equally the process of education in possibly the only full sense. —William H. Kilpatrick