nd Ow the ca- ods slic of ive vill we fou) Ice, ‘or- Do rith you and Co yre- PERIODICAL ROOM JUN 2 1936 TRENT IONAL ELEMENTARY RINCIPAL BULLETIN OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPALS NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION E FALLS AT CE’S MILL 1936 XV, No. 5 QO. Buckingham THE NATIONAL ELEMENTARY PRINCIPAL BULLETIN OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPALS Published in October, December, aoa" April, June, and July by the Department of Elementary School Principals of the National Education Association of the United States, All elementary principals—administrative, supervisory, and teaching—are eligible to active membership in this department. The payment of $3 dues entitles active members to attend al/ meetings of the department, to hold office, to vote, and to receive the Bulletins. Associate membership may be had by all members of the National Education Association who are actively engaged in any phase of school work by paying the regular membership fee of $3. They are entitled to all privileges except the right to vote and hold office. Subscription to non-members is $3 per year; age copies of the Yearbook, $2; single copies of the Bulletin, 25 cents (except the Official Report). Entered as second-class matter November 20, 1922, at the postoffice at Washington, D. C., under Act of August 24,1912. Acceptance for — at special rate of postage provided fo; in Section 1103, Act of October 3, 1917, authorized December 18, 1922. Executive and Editorial Offices, 1201 Sixteenth Street, Northwest, Washington, D. C., va G. Pinkston, Editor. OFFICERS OF THE DEPARTMENT, 1935-36 President, Harley W. Lyon, Longfellow- Executive Committee Cleveland Schools, Pasadena, Calif. Mrs. Edith B. Joynes, Washington-Gate. First Vice president, M. Emma Brookes, Miles- wood Schools, Norfolk, Va. Cranwood Schools, Cleveland, Ohio Cassie F. Roys, 2609 Bristol St., Omaha, Nebr. Second Vicepresident, Ira M. Kline, Green- ; ; burgh No. 8 Schools, White Plains, N. Y. Earl R. Laing, Burt School, Detroit, Mich. Mason A. Stratton, Brighton Avenue School, Atlantic City, N. J. , . 7 . Life Membership Division, Herbert C. Han- Fourth Vicepresident, Irvin A. Wilson, 437 S. sen, Director, 1045 N. Lockwood Ave., Chi- Stone Ave., La Grange, Il. cago, IIl. Third Vicepresident, Edythe J. Brown, Kaley- Marquette Schools, South Bend, Ind. Fifth Vicepresident, Mrs. Margaret M. Smith, Executive Secretary, Eva G. Pinkston, 1201 Ebert School, Denver, Colo. Sixteenth St., N. W., Washington, D. C. See space below for Committees as they are appointed thruout the year. Editorial Committee Samuel Berman, Chairman R. C. T. Jacobs James R. Ludlow School 6419 Velasco St. Philadelphia, Pa. Dallas, Texas Richard R. Foster Maude McBroom Assistant Director of Research University Elementary School 1201 Sixteenth St., N. W. lowa City, Iowa Washington, D. C. The contents of this Bulletin are listed in the Education Index. The picture appearing on the cover is a scene of the dam by Pierce’s Mill in Rock Creek Park, which isin the Nation’s Capital. 194 THE NATIONAL ELEMENTAR! eo i ste cif mé Ce Th Th At Mc Spe Ap] Inte Mei PR LS int of es active nd all ‘iation ip fee single ae B.C. ied for -Gate- )maha, Mich. venue - Han- »., Chi- 1, 1201 . C. ich is in —— rARY The National Elementary Principal Volume XV, No. 5 June 1936 The March of Events The Portland convention, requirements for a better standing for principals, appraising the work of the prin- cipal, and other such vital topics have caused us to make this a regular 32-page bulletin. Contents Certification Requirements for the Elementary- School Principal—Churchill and Otto 196 The Principal’s Opportunity in Personality Ad- justment of the Elementary-School Child—Linn 203 The Department Invites You to Portland, Oregon. 208 A Cooperative Program for Vacation Reading— RM (3 cis B35 Whe 210 Motion Pictures as Stimulation for Written Lan- guage and History—Herron................ 213 Speaking Well—Davis .. 216 Appraising the Work of the Principal—Messner.. 218 Interesting News Items...................... 221 Membership News and Comments—Pinkston 222 THINGS THE Conference on Ele- mentary Education will not be held at Portland, Oregon, July 6-17, 1936. It has been postponed due to those in charge not be- ing able to complete our list of outstanding instruc- tors. OF THE N. E. A. convention will be held at Portland, Oregon, June 28-July 3. The D. E. S. P. will hold an afternoon’ meeting, Monday, June 29, and Tuesday, June 30. INTEREST THE Portland Hotel has been selected for the “get- together” breakfast of the Department on Monday morning, June 29, and for the banquet on Tuesday evening, June 30. TO YOU PRESIDENT Harley W. Lyon has prepared a splen- did program for Monday afternoon. The Portland and Oregon principals are sponsoring the Tuesday afternoon program, * * K DR. WILLIS A. SUTTON is to be the speaker at our banquet Tuesday, June 30, 6 p.m., Portland Hotel. PRINCIPAL, JUNE 1936 195 Certification Requirements for the Elementary-School Principal Claire Churchill, Chicago Public Schools, and Henry J. Otto, Directoy of Education, W. K. Kellogg Foundation and Lecturer in Education, Northwestern University and the University of Michigan Recent years have witnessed rather rapid developments jp elementary education. New and increased responsibilities are confronting the elementary-school principal if he is really to assume educational leadership in his school. In this connec. tion it was thought valuable to discover the requirements for certification which cities and states had postulated for those seeking appointment as principal of an elementary school, Letters were sent in the winter of 1934 to superintendents of schools in the ninety-three cities having a population of 100, HENRY jy. otro 000 and over (1930 census) requesting information regard- ing the requirements for certification of candidates seeking ap- pointment to the elementary-school principalship in the respective cities. Replies were received from eighty-eight cities. The outstanding features of the replies are summarized below. College Preparation—lIt is interesting to note in the tabulation below that all but twenty of the cities require at least four years of college training, the bachelor’s or master’s degree being specified in twenty-six of the cities. Years oF COLLEGE TRAINING REQUIRED NuMBER OF CITIES 2 ; 7 4 42 eer errr? pag a ore aa yssas aa a POEs Pataca Rs x laa as ave 9 B.A. degree plus 18 to 30 hrs. graduate work.......... 11 ON Te Ae Fn BR aE oe ee en . 6 ee ne eee tee LT: A few systems mention a four-year high-school training requirement. Most of them, however, mention only normal school or college, many stipulating profes sional training in administration and supervision. In-service training and sum- mer school work in standard colleges of education are mentioned by a small number of cities. The practise of in-service training is encouraged in many it- stances and rewarded by increments in salary schedule. The Chicago system may be cited in this respect as it makes advance from lower salary group to uppef salary group contingent on five majors of promotional credit or a professional examination for promotion. The cities requiring no special amount of training express training requirements in some such fashion as this: “record must show at least thirty semester hours devoted to subjects pertaining especially to the profession of teaching”; “after due consideration of the candidate’s training”: “no definite training requirement”; “anyone not in our system must have a mas ter’s degree.” —— 196 THE NATIONAL ELEMENTAR! qu po: leg ser an fou ser cer ap] PR ector tion, its in aS are lly to nnec- ts for those chool., nts of 100, gard. 1g ap- eplies eplies y that g, the ost of yrofes- | sum- small ny in- n may upper sional aining - show to the ning”; 4 mas —— TARY While it would appear from the tabulation that a B. A. degree is the rule for training for the elementary-school principal, the spirit conveyed by letters from superintendents and personnel directors indicates a desire on their part for more professionally trained leaders in this key position. The specific requirements of certain selected cities indicate the more progressive trend in the professionaliza- tion of the elementary-school principalship. Portland requires for elementary principalship graduation from both a stand- ard normal and a standard university or college. Newark requires “applicant for license as principal of elementary school shall have been granted the Master of Arts degree from an approved institution or its equivalent and in connection therewith or addition thereto, shall have taken 300 clock hours of professional work in education. The equivalent of a Master of Arts degree shall be interpreted as a Baccalaureate degree plus 450 clock hours of graduate work.” Chicago requires a B. A. degree. Additional credit is allowed those having training beyond the bachelor’s degree, as indicated in the following schedule. Note that 46 points out of a possible 100 points are allowed for professional preparation. sg ee eee en rere eee ee II. The following to be added to I. Fi IO oo inched & cede dada nile wk dey Benes Se 2. Master’s degree in education........... SAN ati cites. ae 3. Supervision and administration—2 for each major in super- vision and school] administration...................... 10 4. Education courses—1 for each additional major course in education ecshdt dire ared Sp atm dite eelerarete A BAR ers ee 6 Total , 5 ay en whee 46 Note: Ph. D. or Research and Publication. The committee may allow not to exceed five points in lieu of deficiency under 1, 2, 3, and 4 above. Wilmington provides a most comprehensive and detailed study of training re- quirements: “For certification as principal of an elementary school, the candidate shall possess all the qualifications herein specified for the holder of a Provisional Col- lege Certificate plus the satisfactory completion of not less than 12 additional semester hours of approved work in the field of elementary school organization and administration subsequent to the conferring of the baccalaureate degree.” The applicant for this form of certificate shall be a graduate of an approved four-year college or university, shall have successfully completed at least eighteen semester hours of work of collegiate grade in each subject or subject field in which certification is desired, and in addition, not less than eighteen semester hours of approved work in Education, distributed as follows: Introduction to teaching....... ........ 3 semester hours Educational psychology (general psychology is a prerequisite)........................ 3 semester hours PRINCIPAL, JUNE 1936 197 Electives in education selected from the fol- lowing list: Secondary education Elementary education School efficiency Special methods School hygiene Educational administration Educational measurements Educational sociology Comparative education History of education Principles of education Educational psychology Technique of teaching Practise teaching in the appropriate field... . . 6 semester hours Experience Requirements—There is much less uniformity in the require- ments of cities regarding years of teaching experience than in amount of college preparation altho there was wide divergence even in the latter. The following tabulation shows that nearly half of the cities have no specific stipulation as to the number of years experience one must have had in order to be eligible for a principalship: YEARS OF EXPERIENCE REQUIRED NuMBER OF CITIES IN, oe cn oe re eh Oslin aa dbs Be 2 I MI io oo sacs otie eine Od pie Fuchs. Beaten oie 41 I ooo tea acs ces pak cases Bee mamta minate eh ore ack) e 20 Bia os cite a ate. de an aca A ees a aS Cla aa eee 14 SEI CIIID,, od. vravn bl aldas te autealeig ch dtl ble Re aot a eww te ke 11 The tabulation is made more meaningful by the following typical quotations: “some years of successful teaching”; “must give evidence of successful expe- rience as a teacher’’; “while it is not stated we also ask that she shall have had successful experience in administration elsewhere”; “principals are chosen on the basis of training and experience”’; “five years’ experience in teaching or super- visory work at least two of which shall be in direct contact with the general instructional work of elementary schools.” Some cities, such as St. Paul and Denver, promote from the ranks of their classroom teachers with no stipulation as to number of years. Others, such as Los Angeles, require a stated number of years of classroom experience in their own system. Boston requires four years as sub-master of a school in the sys- tem, while Gary and Seattle try out their strong teachers as teaching principals in small buildings. Baltimore offers an in-service training program for their classroom teachers which provides (1) persons of promising ability the opportunity to serve in more than one assignment, (2) system-wide participation in such vital programs 4s citywide testing, curriculum construction and revision, and other special projects, (3) faculty, divisional, grade, and staff meetings, for the dissemination and re- finement of professional ideas and plans, so that growth and initiative are facilitated. —= 198 THE NATIONAL ELEMENTARY elig Bos Los ingt they aval tion tion cont tenc syst peti or s of a for ¢ forb PRI ire- ege ing ; to for ns: ‘pe- had on €T- oral neir | as neir syS- vals 1ers jore 3 as cts, are RY Newark offers an alternative of (1) seven years’ successful experience as a teacher, three years of which shall have been as principal of an approved school (elementary, junior high, or senior high); or (2) seven years’ successful expe- rience as a teacher, three of which shall have been as head teacher or viceprincipal of an elementary or junior high school in the Newark system or three years as chairman in a senior high school in the Newark system. New York City also offers alternate requirements of eligibility which include training. These are: (a) Graduation from a recognized college, six years’ experience as a regular teacher on a per annum salary (exclusive of experience as teacher of a special subject, except as hereinafter provided), and in addition thereto, two years’ experience either in supervision or in teaching in the grades of the seventh year or higher in a public elementary school or in ungraded classes in high or training schools or of high- school grade. Five years of the required total of eight years’ experience shall have been in the public schools of the city of New York. The master’s degree in arts or sciences, given as the result of graduate work in a recognized university, may be accepted in lieu of one year of the required teaching experience, and the doctor’s degree in philosophy or science, given as the result of graduate work in a recognized university, may be accepted in lieu of the required two years’ experience. either in supervision or in teaching in the grades of the seventh year or higher in a public elementary school, or in ungraded classes, or in classes in high or training schools, or of high-school grade. In the case of teachers of special subjects or classes who are graduates of recognized colleges and who have had four years’ experience in teach- ing common branches in the public schools of the city of New York, experience as teacher of such special subjects or classes shall be accepted year for year in lieu of four of the eight years’ experience required herein; or (b) Graduation from an approved normal or training school; eight years’ experience as a regular teacher on a per annum salary (exclusive of experience as teacher of a special subject or class), and in addition thereto two years’ experience in super- vision, five years of the required total of ten years’ experience having been in the public schools of the city of New York; and the completion of courses of not less than one hundred and eighty hours in pedagogical subjects. Examinations—Only fourteen of the eighty-eight systems studied compile eligibility lists based on any type of competitive examination. These cities are Boston, Buffalo, Cambridge, Chicago, Fort Wayne, Jersey City, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Memphis, New York, Newark, Paterson, Philadelphia, and Wash- ington, D. C. Various rules for selection from these lists obtain but in the main they are in rank order with a choice of the top two or three candidates for any available position. Erie, Pennsylvania, and San Francisco have proposed competitive examina- tions which have not yet been accepted by their respective Boards of Educa- tion, Louisville, Kentucky, reports the practise of competitive examinations dis- continued. Several cities report no examination except personally by the superin- tendent. However, certain cities, notably Pacific Coast cities, report that the system of selecting teachers is based solely upon merit as determined by com- petitive examination, that “the employment of any sort of personal, political, or social influence to secure appointments to the teaching force, or the urging of any consideration other than fitness for the work of teaching, as a ground for such appointment is held to be an act of unprofessional conduct and is strictly forbidden.” Paterson, New Jersey, offers an examination only when vacancy PRINCIPAL, JUNE 1936 199 occurs. This is both oral and written and the candidate receiving the highest total score (must be over 80 percent) receives the appointment. All cities offering examinations require candidates to meet certain standards before being admitted to examination. In some cities examinations occur at the request of the superintendent or board of examiners. In other cities definite periodical dates are set by rule. Those cities having definite dates revamp thei list of eligibles with each examination, the other cities usually offer examinations only on exhaustion of list of eligibles. Individual studies of the examinations of certain selected cities are illustrated by Boston and Buffalo. Boston requires the candidate to hold a certificate which entitles him to a position as assistant in day intermediate schools and also a certifi. cate which entitles him to a position as sub-master in elementary schools. These certificates are acquired by examination. The first one consists of “one major subject and two minor subjects.” The major subject counts 300 points; each minor subject (2 required) counts 150; amount, quality, and character of expe. rience counts 400 points, making a total of 1,000. A subject taken as a major may not be taken as a minor. Buffalo rates a candidate thirty credits on oral examination and record, and seventy credits on written examination. After outlining in detail the various fields to be covered by both written and oral examinations there are given the following general qualifications demanded by the position. The candidate should meet the requirements of educational leadership ex- pressed or implied in the following statements: He should be a superior teacher fully equipped with teaching skills and abilities demanded of the teachers whom he will be expected to guide, direct, and supervise. The candidate should have in a high degree such personal qualifications as tact and proved ability to secure cooperation of those under his supervision; an attitude of willing cooperation with superior officers and with colleagues in the administrative and supervisory divisions of the department of education; ability to investigate and settle justly matters in dispute between the public and the schools when these are referred to him. The candidate should be well versed in the present theories and practises of elementary educa- tion. He should be conversant with the several elementary-school courses of study. He should be able to prepare and administer examinations. He should be competent to make studies of textbooks and submit recommendations for changes which he thinks are desirable. He should be able to conduct meetings of teachers and present to them clearly and definitely, educational theories, policies, or procedures, the application of which is essential to their progress. He should be competent to rate probationary and other teachers, and he should have the moral force to recommend that unsatisfactory teachers be dropped. The candidate should be thoroly conversant with the regulations of the board of education as these pertain to the administration of the local schools, as well as with the regulations of the state department of education and the state education law as these affect the schools. The candidate should be able to plan and conduct inspiring and worthwhile assemblies. The candidate should be familiar with the purposes, objectives, and administration of all elementary-school extracurricular activities. General Requirements—A number of cities mention what may be called general requirements, altho most systems do not include them in their specific requirements for the principalship but rather imply them thru listing them requirements for elementary-school teachers. The accompanying tabulation gives a summary of the items specifically mentioned: 200 THE NATIONAL ELEMENTAR! ext sch list The the PRI hest ards the nite heir ions ated hich rtifi- \ajor each lajor and rious 1 the ) X- led of roved ration of the on the duca- should lies of nitely, their ve the cation of the 3. The of all called vecific m as gives — ‘ARY REQUIREMENT NuMBER OF CITIES DR i ssice Bi BG lain dia A Ibn ts «sikh S019, aa apna epee 17 Citizenship ........... ua/ tp-4RE, te B's Sea flower wastes 11 Ce ee eee ey 16 I cc codecldcticch heacanxkeds 6 Marriage status of women .................. 5 as Bis. ands tity afl aE a. 0h vagy yd nea utc Bibi 2 en Fee errr 4 The age requirements vary from a minimum of eighteen years to a maximum of fifty years for new appointment. Many systems make exceptions to their maxi- mum age requirements for persons already in the system. Seven of the sixteen cities requiring medical examinations stipulate that these shall be by their own physicians or by consulting members of their staff. One city specifically notes that photographs of applicants are not desirable while another city requires that all applications be accompanied by an unmounted photograph. One city requires acivic pledge and cities which require citizenship specify “citizen of the United States or first naturalization papers.” Two systems designate that if naturaliza- tion is not completed in a reasonable length of time any appointment is auto- matically canceled. The reference to sex of the two cities included says that there shall be sepa- rate lists of men and women who are eligible for appointment. One of the cities stipulates that women are eligible for appointment in sixth grade schools and men shall be appointed as principals of schools with the full eight grades. The five cities mentioning marriage status designate that no married woman applicant will be considered unless entirely self-supporting or furnishing evidence of a legal separation. Two cities specify that married women already permanently assigned are excepted from such limitations, but that regularly assigned women teachers who marry will automatically sever their connections with the system. The term of validity of a certificate varies from a minimum of one year to a maximum of six years in case of non-assignment. Some cities offer in addition extension of certificates by acceptable course or credits earned in an accredited school with a definite time allowance for each credit so earned. Refusal to accept a proffered appointment usually places the applicant at the end of the eligible list altho a limited few systems allow two or three refusals before such action. The following list of qualifications for the elementary-school principalship of the Akron public schools is typical: ; . Knowledge of child nature and love of children . Inspiring personality . Acommand of correct and effective expression in English . Youthful spirit : . Physical vigor . Recent teaching experience in the primary grades (highly desirable but not abso- lutely essential) . Evidence of professional growth thru recent summer school or extension study . Evidence of the successful application of modern methods in teaching and in discipline . Evidence of executive ability . Evidence of leadership in dealing with children and with adults . Interest in and participation in community affairs nauk Wd ~_ mem Ow on PRINCIPAL, JUNE 1936 201 12. Experience in more than one building and under the supervision of several principal (highly desirable but not absolutely essential) 13. A clean personal and professional record 14. The possession of an academic degree (highly desirable but not absolutely essential) State Credentials—tThe study of city certification practises disclosed a neces. sity for brief study of state certification practises. Thirty-one cities representing ten states specifically mentioned state certificate requirements. This number js low because many cities not mentioning the necessity of state credentials are situated in states where such credentials are required by state law. States which do not require a special certificate for the elementary-school prin. cipal are Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wis. consin. Altho twenty-one states is a seemingly large number, yet there are sixteen states, namely, Arizona, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and Texas, which have adopted special certificates since the study made in 1928 by the committee on standards and training for the elementary-school principalship.t This increase represents a gain of 43 per- cent in approximately seven years. Probably the most comprehensive of these state regulations is that of New York which was adopted in 1931 and became effective after September 1, 1932.* CONFERENCE POSTPONED The Conference on Elementary Education which was being sponsored by the Department of Elementary School Principals, and which was to have been held at the Extension Center, University of Oregon, Portland, Oregon, July 6-17, 1936, has been postponed. Those in charge of arrangements were not able to secure the instructors desig- nated by the officers of the Department. Letters received show us that those who were planning to attend the conference are our finest and most experienced prin- cipals; therefore, we had to get the finest of college instructors. We have invited those instructors who said they would be with us this summer to be with us next year. The officers of the Department want to thank all who helped with the arrange- ments for this year at Portland. We are now beginning to plan for the conference in 1937. The instructors for the conference in 1937 will be: Dr. Agnes Samuelson, presi- dent of the N.E.A. and state superintendent of public instruction of Iowa, Des Moines, Iowa; Dr. Herman Browe, assistant superintendent of schools, Detroit, Michigan; Dr. Paul Hanna, professor of education, Stanford University, Cali fornia; and Dr. J. Cayce Morrison, assistant commissioner of education, Ele mentary Education Division, Albany, New York. ; 1 Bulletin of the Department of Elementary School Principals, The Seventh Yearbook, April, 192% p. 392. = 2 Morrison, J. C. Standards for the Preparation and Certification of Elementary-School Principals (Albany, The University of the State of New York Press, 1931.) 202 THE NATIONAL ELEMENTAR\ teé his SOI dis inc str for for inc ass lea! ma of | me: gre the thei ing mal oth Inh thr tion tant sym ease so t his h nort pens est j caus the ; sary norn PRI ipals tial) CeS- ting ar is are yrin- etts, outh Wis- teen uri, nia, ates + for hese ‘ame r the Id at 936, esig- who prin- vited next unge- rence oresi- Des troit, Cali- Ele. 1928, ncipals. —— ‘ARY The Principal’s Opportunity in Personality Adjustment of the Elementary-School Child Eva E. Linn, Principal, David G. Farragut Elementary School, Philadelphia, Pa. The Principal’s New Role—The elementary-school principal to whom teachers and parents rightfully look for leadership has added another role to his repertoire—one that might fittingly be called “cooperative supervisor of per- sonality adjustment.” Problems arising from the changed conception of school discipline, the activities program, diagnostic and remedial teaching, and from individualization of instruction have revealed the need. Realizing that his is a strategic position for helping children who vary from the normal; for securing in- formation from teachers, from educational and medical records, and from parents; for conferring with attendance officers, psychological examiners, social workers including those who can arrange for psychiatric examinations, the principal has assumed responsibility for trying to find out what is interfering with the children’s learning or with their ability to live happily with others, in order that adjustments may be made. He has accepted the opportunity to work on the preventive aspects of conditions that may lead to school problems, as truancy, and eventually to mental and emotional breakdown, possibly to crime. Observation As A Means Of Studying Children—There is probably no greater help that the principal can render his teachers as he endeavors to train them in service than that of arousing their interest in studying the children in their classes for the purpose of acquiring or deepening a sympathetic understand- ing of children. Beginning with the kindergarten, teachers should be encouraged to make observations, particularly of those children who behave differently from others of their age. To do so, they must know what is normal for each age level. Inhibitions are revealed by the lack of certain normal reactions. The teacher who thru a lack of understanding tries to force a child, fearful because of some inhibi- tion, to participate in the class activity may increase his fear, or even cause a tantrum. Had she been trained to recognize the child’s abnormal behavior as a symptom to be interpreted rather than judged, she would have put the child at ease temporarily and striven to establish affectional bonds between herself and him so that his desire to make his teacher’s skill a part of himself would overcome his fear caused by the inhibition. Importance Of Recording Impressions—Whenrever an exhibition of ab- normal behavior occurs the teacher should record accurately just what has hap- pened and try to understand the significance of the occurrence thru careful ob- servation of the child’s subsequent behavior. Frequently, a teacher’s special inter- est in a child will solve his problem. The beginner who is terribly frightened be- cause of his first separation from his mother will become adjusted to school when the severed bonds are attached to the teacher. In such a case it may not be neces- sary to follow the case study procedure, but the teacher’s record of the child’s ab- normal behavior may prove of value should the child experience difficulty later on. During the past school year the faculty of the David G. Farragut Elementary PRINCIPAL, JUNE 1936 : 203 School began in a simple way to study children by writing observations of ab. normal behavior. Each teacher selected at least one child whom she considered maladjusted. Fearful and unhappy children as well as those who were too aggres. sive, overactive, or pugnacious were chosen. These children’s reactions to various classroom situations were recorded and studied by the teachers. In many instances by making adjustments in their own attitudes or procedures, teachers were able to make desirable changes in the children’s behavior. In some cases, medical, psychological, and psychiatric aid was required to bring about personality ad- justment, and the records made by the teachers supplied useful information that otherwise might not have been available. Necessity Of Keeping Informed—To help his teachers obtain a better understanding of children the principal should also encourage them to read widely in the fields of child study and of mental hygiene. He, of course, will give them the benefit of his own reading; but, his success as a leader will depend upon his ability to have his teachers so desire first-hand information that they themselves will keep informed thru reading, attending lectures, and taking courses which contact will help them act more wisely when problems arise in the classroom. Value Of Cooperative Case Study—Whenever the principal personally or thru securing the aid of medical, psychological, or psychiatric workers assists in bringing about the personality adjustment of a child he should give the teacher concerned the privilege of participating in the experience so that her understand- ing may be deepened and she may use her new knowledge in making subsequent personality adjustments. The Principal’s Opportunity Thru Conferences—No one in an ele- mentary school has such an opportunity as the principal for gathering helpful first-hand information. Free to enter classrooms and observe pupil’s reactions to teachers, classmates, and to the various activities, he can get impressions which may be used to much advantage in solving personality adjustment problems. In addition, he may by conferring with the pupil and with the teacher learn how each regards the other. Where there is a clash of personalities for which neither the teacher nor the child is responsible, the wise principal will place the child in another teacher’s room. If on the other hand, the teacher-pupil relation- ship is a happy one, but anxiety symptoms may be seen in the child’s antisocial behavior or his work’s not being so good as formerly and his health seems to be impaired, the trouble may be found in the child’s home, and the principal should confer with the parent immediately. The principal like the psychiatrist who would be really helpful in trying to bring about personality adjustment must cultivate an objective attitude. He must neither praise nor blame, appear shocked or pleased by what he hears. His busi- ness is to gather facts and consider them in relation to one another and the be havior of the child to whom they apply. This attitude must be obvious to the parent, also, from whom information is desired. Tact and sympathetic understan¢- ing of the parent’s situation will help make a friendly contact and cause the parenl to confide what would be withheld from the tactless person except by parents who themselves were sick mentally. Sincere, wholehearted cooperation between the home and the school is necessary to the child whose adjustment is sought, and ——= 204 THE NATIONAL ELEMENTARY ab- red eS- ous ices ble cal, ad- hat tter lely em his lves hich n. y or S$ in cher and- uent ele- [pful is to hich learn hich > the tion- ocial to be ould ng to must busi- e be- o the tand- arent ; who n the nd s0 —= ‘ARY the principal’s problem is to get the parent to feel the need of helping. An excellent foundation for such an attitude on the part of parents may be laid before problems arise, thru the principal’s arranging for mothers’ weekly meetings in the school for the purpose of discussing freely their children’s problems and for practical talks on child study to be given in home and school association meetings. Sometimes the conference reveals harsh treatment of children by parents who are ignorant of better methods. This affords the principal an opportunity to talk the parent out of such an attitude and to suggest a better way of training children. If, however, parents are neurotic and unchangeable, very little can be done with them, and one can only hope for the best, except in cases of real cruelty when the proper authorities, as the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children, can be notified. Good, sensible parents usually welcome help in solving their children’s problems, especially when their little ones show fear symptoms the cause of which even the parents do not know. Among the case studies referred to earlier in this paper there were several of this type—children who were not cowardly but who were dread- fully frightened by their own psychic activity. The principal’s opportunity to as- sist in bringing about personality adjustment is well illustrated in the following brief account of one of these cases. A Behavior Problem Procedure—The Problem. On September 18, 1934, at the beginning of the afternoon session, a six-year-old girl, physically and men- tally normal, whose personality the kindergarten teacher and the first-grade teacher, who had promoted the child in June, both considered very well adjusted, began to scream for no apparent reason. Finally, in response to the principal’s urging, the child said she had forgotten her cent and wanted to go home for it. When she was given another cent and told that she could pay the debt with her own cent next day, she stopped crying, returned to the classroom and cooperated as if nothing had happened. The cent, forgotten the following morning, was paid back in the afternoon when she was accompanied by her mother who said that Esther would not come to school without her. When her mother tried to leave, the child screamed and clung to her, but realizing that her mother would not take her home she went quietly to her room and did her work well. On the following afternoon, Esther ran home, but on being returned immediately by her mother settled down to work as before. The abnormal behavior continued for two weeks. At times Esther was quite exhausted from crying. The Attack. To try to find out what was causing the emotional disturbance, the principal endeavored to get a cross-section of the child’s present life by gathering facts about her home, her family, her companions, and her play. The mother co- operated wholeheartedly in supplying this information as well as facts about the child’s history. School records also were studied but revealed nothing that would account for the trouble. Facts from past history were not enlightening, but as the principal believed the child to be dreadfully frightened by her own psychic activity and that it was in some way related to separation from her mother, the latter was encouraged to think back over recent occurrences and note present happenings that might help PRINCIPAL, JUNE 1936 205 solve the problem. She recalled that after Esther’s brother had taken his sister to see a motion picture during the summer, the child had not seemed to care about going again but had preferred to stay with her, and also, contrary to past per- formance, the little girl did not wish to attend Sunday school. Then fall house-cleaning brought real help. Esther, on returning from school, found her bed placed nearer the window in order to be farther from the radiator. She began to cry and said, “Now they can get me easier.” The story she told re- vealed that the picture which Esther had seen with her brother was the tale of a little girl who had been kidnapped for ransom, and Esther’s active mind had been torturing her with all sorts of horrible fantasies in which she was the kidnapped girl. Consultation Service—As the family physician who had been consulted soon after the tantrums began verified the medical supervisor’s report that Esther’s health was excellent, contact had been made by the principal with a psychiatric clinic. The psychiatrist, to whom the psychiatric worker had reported the school’s findings, interviewed Esther on November 2. After establishing friendly relations the psychiatrist asked her why the bad men had stolen the little girl in the picture. On learning that they had wanted the father to pay “a lot of money,” he asked if her father had a lot of money that he could pay for her. Esther thought not and was apparently satisfied when the psychiatrist said that she need not worry then for no one would kidnap her. After visiting the psychiatrist, Esther did not cry again in school. Her mother reported that there was no more trouble at home and that Sunday school also was being attended regularly. On December 14, the psychiatrist saw Esther again, was much pleased with her personality adjustment, and dismissed the case. Since then, both behavior and school work have continued to be excellent and the unhappy incident seems to have been forgotten, except by the principal and the teachers who value the experience for the opportunity it gave to deepen their understanding of children. SUMMER CONFERENCE ON CURRICULUM AND GUIDANCE AT STANFORD UNIVERSITY Stanford University will conduct a summer conference on “Curriculum and Guidance” during the week of July 6. The conference is planned to serve classroom teachers at all levels of the school system, curriculum workers, guidance workers, supervisors, administrators, re- search workers, and the lay public. There will be six general evening sessions as follows: The Practical Problems of Improving the Curriculum—H. L. Caswell The Social Foundations of Curriculum and Guidance—George Counts The Psychological Foundations of Curriculum and Guidance—Reginald Bell 206 THE NATIONAL ELEMENTARY ut er- ol, or. re- en ed on r’s ric l’s ns re, ed nd en ler er nd nd Pir tD nd 01 re- ld The Community and Curriculum Reconstruction—John W. Studebaker Guidance in the Modern Educational Program—William M. Proctor and Harold C. Hand Some Proposals for a Unified Educational Program—Paul R. Hanna In the afternoons the conference will be divided into sixteen smaller forum sessions. The mornings will be reserved for informal discussion and recreation. The Stan- ford golf course, swimming pools, and tennis courts will be attractions to those attending the conference. Stanford is within short driving time from San Fran- cisco, Berkeley, and Oakland. Arrangements are being made for excursions over the week-end following the conference. A stop-over at Palo Alto may be included in a round-trip rail ticket at little or no extra cost for those attending the summer meeting of the N. E. A. at Port- land, Oregon. Details concerning the final program and the arrangements of the Stanford conference may be obtained by addressing an inquiry to Dean Grayson N. Kefauver, of the School of Education, Stanford University, California. OBJECTIVES OF THE ARKANSAS PRINCIPALS ASSOCIATION Some of the objectives of the Arkansas Principals Association are listed below: 1. Eventually we hope to put elementary education on an equal footing with secondary education. 2. A single salary schedule for both elementary and secondary teachers makes the qualifications the same. We believe the salary of the teacher should be deter- mined on the basis of professional preparation, professional responsibility, and professional service. These factors should be given equal weight in both the elemen- tary and secondary school. 3. Such a revision of the elementary curriculum as to bring about a better interpretation of economic and social trends on the child’s level. 4. A closer relationship between the teacher-training institutions and the elementary field. 5. Better preparation for elementary principals and teachers and better salaries. 6. Better equipment in the way of buildings, playgrounds, and libraries. 7. Selling the idea to the public that educational appropriations should first be applied to laying the foundation for our educational structure, and then build- ing on this foundation as far as the funds will permit. 8. To enrol more of the elementary principals in the National Association of Elementary Principals, and more of the elementary teachers in the National Education Association Henry W. JINSKE, principal, Chas. N. Rix School, Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas. Make your plans now to include your 1936-37 membership dues in your summer plans. PRINCIPAL, JUNE 1936 207 THE DEPARTMENT INVITES y0 June 28jpy 3 Our Social Affairs The Get-together Breakfast will be held June 29, Monday, 7:30 a. m., Port- land Hotel. All principals and their friends are cordially invited to attend. It is here that you meet your old friends, make new friends, and enjoy a good meal. It is a nice way to start the convention week. Come, be introduced, sing songs, and listen to the announcements for the week. The Banquet will take place June 30, Tuesday, 6 p. m., Portland Hotel. We are especially fortunate in having as our honor guest and speaker for this delightful occasion, Willis A. Sutton, superintend- ent of schools, Atlanta, Georgia, and past president of the National Education Association. Those who have had the pleasure of hearing Dr. Sutton know that he has no peer as an after dinner speaker. He has chosen as his topic for this occasion, “Building a Community Thru the Elementary School.” Our Programs First Session— Monday, June 29, 2:00 p. m., First Congregational Church, 8th Avenue and Madison Street Appraising the New School and Its Educational Outcomes Harley W. Lyon, president, presiding PHANTOM SHI CRATI Music Elementary School Orchestra, directed by Verne Preston, director, Portland Schools Greetings E. H. Whitney, Assistant Superintendent of Schools, Portland, Oregon What Happens When One Learns? (20 min.) Arthur F. Corey, Assistant County Superintendent of Schools, Orange County, Santa Ana, California What is the Responsibility of the Principal in the Securing of Desirable Educa- tional Outcomes? (20 min.) Florence Hale, editor, Grade Teacher, past president of the National Edu- cation Association, and former state agent for rural education, Augusta, Maine What Part Does the Teacher Play in the Learning Process? (20 min.) Joseph Rosier, president, State Teachers College, Fairmont, West Virginia, and past president of the National Education Association 208 THE NATIONAL ELEMENTARY SyoU TO PORTLAND, OREGON iy 3, 1986 Moving Picture Demonstration of “Units of Work” as carried on in San Diego, Calif. Second Session—Tuesday, June 30, 2:00 p. m., First Congregational Church, 8th Avenue and Madison Street Harley W. Lyon, president, in charge Charles H. Boyd, principal, Highland School, Portland, Oregon, presiding Music Chorus of Portland Elementary School Pupils, directed by W. H. Boyer, Director of Music, Portland, Oregon Business meeting of the Department of Elementary School Principals—Harley W. Lyon, president Reports of Yearbook Committee; International Relations Committee; Necrology Commit- tee; Professional Ethics Committee; Mem- bership Committee; Spelling Reform Com- mittee; Life Membership Committee; Reso- lutions Committee; Nomination Committee; and Election of officers. Greetings from Oregon Clifford E. Perry, president, Elementary Prin- cipals Association CRATER LAKE The Teaching of the Implications of Religion in the Teaching of Social Sciences Norman C. Thorne, Assistant Superintendent of Schools, Portland, Oregon Status of the Elementary-School Principalship in Oregon Roben J. Maaske, Deputy State Superintendent of Oregon Schools Intersubject Relations Followed by correlation demonstration—H. C. Tallman, principal, Beau- mont School, Portland, Oregon Correlation Demonstration Pupils and teacher of Beaumont School Subject: Oregon Fishing Integrated Center: Geography Department Endeavor: To show how correlation in a platoon school oftentimes is developed Teaching Steps: Introduction of the subject, “Oregon Fishing,” and activity assignments Ruth Rostedt—Geography Department PRINCIPAL, JUNE 1936 209 Supplementary reading and collection of materials bearing on subject Hazel Van Cleve—Librarian Evaluation of fishing in dollars and cents Jane Goddard—Arithmetic Graphic pictorialization of Oregon fishing Pauline DeVin—Art Department Oral and written composition Ruth Califf—English Department Auditorium Program: Catherine Blood—Auditorium Teacher Songs in “Sportmen’s skit” Agnes Swift—Music Department A Cooperative Program for Vacation Reading Frank D. Austin, Principal, Franklin School, Port Arthur, Texas With the marked increase in the leisure time of our people an important duty of schools is to educate children to use this time in pleasant and profitable ways. In school systems which operate for only ten months or less each year, there is a period of time in which the regular educational program does not function directly. With the cooperation of the city librarians, teachers, and parents of the community, this vacation period may be used to guide the child in a profitable use of leisure time thru a worthwhile reading program based upon the individual FRANK D. Austin. Child’s interests and needs. Altho city librarians are well trained in helping to select books for children who ordinarily frequent the library during the summer months, teachers have a better opportunity to know the individual child, his hobby, his reading age, his home environment, his temperament, and the best method of ap- proach so that he may have an interesting and profitable program of summer read- ing. Parents also have an important part to play. In fact, the close cooperation of teachers, librarians, parents, and children is essential to the greatest success of such a program. Developing the program—There is much to be done before a program of summer reading can function effectively. First, the principal must have clearly in mind the objectives of the program before presenting it to the city librarians, teachers, and parents. The central objective of the program developed in the Franklin School was the second of the three major objectives of reading set forth in the Twenty-fourth Yearbook of the National Society for the Study of Educa- tion, namely, “Strong motives for, and permanent interests in reading.” * 1 National Society for the Study of Education. Report of the National Committee on Reading. Twenty- fourth Yearbook, Part 1. Bloomington, Ill. Public School Publishing Co., 1925. p. 11. 210 THE NATIONAL ELEMENTARY oT Ea ws IP m— CY — ~ The minor objectives were as follows: . To create a desire to read . To create a permanent interest in reading . To create a desire for a profitable use of leisure time To create a desire to possess and appreciate good books . To teach pupils the necessary skills in the proper use of the library . To develop a responsibility in the use and in the care of books . To indirectly supervise the children’s reading during the summer by giving them a graded booklist which will be followed by a check-up the following fall. Noe sou k Ww To carry out these objectives a committee was appointed, consisting of the city librarian and one teacher from each grade from the second thru the sixth. One of the teachers was made general chairman of this committee. After consulting the city librarian, the superintendent of schools, and the teacher selected as chair- man, the principal called a meeting of the entire committee. At this meeting the objectives were presented and suggestions were received for constructing the pro- gram. Later the principal consulted with the chairman from time to time to answer questions which had arisen among the teachers, to encourage the teachers in their work, and to give further suggestions for the development of the program. Other meetings of the whole committee and the principal were held occasionally as needed. Following the general meeting, each teacher on the committee called a meeting of all the teachers in the grade which she represented, and discussed with them the proposed program and its objectives. In this way all teachers participated in planning the program, and smaller working groups were formed so as to encourage greater freedom of expression and a larger variety of suggestions. Each grade group worked out plans for two mimeographed bulletins, which were compiled later by the general chairman, giving instructions to teachers and to pupils on the presentation and execution of the program. Each group, with the assistance of the city librarian, also worked out three graded booklists for its grade. Booklists and bulletins—In constructing these booklists, the teachers were guided by recognized lists already available, by the availability of books in the library, and by the general reading ability of the pupils. The three lists for each grade were designed to meet the needs of pupils of superior ability, of average ability, and of low ability. Each list was given a code so that no child or parent would be embarrassed by the type of list recommended. The key to this code was given in the teacher’s bulletin. A value of two, three, or five points was assigned to each book. The number of books in each list ranged from 93 to 150, with a fairly even distribution of points among the several lists. Each list was sufficiently large and varied so that no child would have difficulty in selecting books of interest to him. After suggestions were turned in from the grade groups, the general chairman compiled these suggestions into two bulletins, one for the teachers and one for the pupils. The teacher’s bulletin contained the objectives, suggestions for pre- senting the program to pupils, checking up on books read, care of books, awards, and library regulations. These bulletins, together with the booklists, were mimeo- graphed, and each teacher received a bound copy of the teacher’s bulletin, the pupil’s bulletin, and the booklists which she desired for her group of children. PRINCIPAL, JUNE 1936 211 Contribution of the city librarian—The city librarian not only consulted with the principal and offered suggestions to the general committee, but she also worked with each grade committee on the booklists, offering graded lists of various authorities and her own personal suggestions. Being greatly interested in the pro- gram, the librarian gave freely of her time in contributing to it. She contributed a paragraph in the pupil’s bulletin on the use of the library, and gave a talk in a general faculty meeting concerning her work in conducting the program during the summer. This talk was of great help to the teachers in their presentation of the program to the pupils. The librarian designated one member of the library staff, who had had all of her special training with children and children’s books, to devote her entire time during the summer to helping the children select their books from the lists given them by their teachers. The booklists were also posted in the library, and the books were arranged on the shelves by grades. This coopera- tion by the library was a large factor in the success of the program. Presenting the program to pupils—The teachers were given much free- dom in presenting this program to the pupils because it was felt that, educationally, they knew their pupils best. The teachers were asked not to present the program until about two weeks before the close of school, and then to present it in such a way that the climax of interest would be reached as near the end of school as possible. In the teacher’s bulletin the following suggestions were offered: . Make posters introducing the summer reading program. . Take a trip to the Memorial Library, at which place an author party could be held. . Have an auditorium program with book reports and an inspiring talk. . Make appropriate slogans. . Lead up to the program with bulletin-board notices, articles, and pictures. . Allow the program to be introduced by the reading club of each section. . Make individual blank reading-booklets in which to record summer reading reports. (A short report of each book might consist of: title, author, a paragraph about the part liked best, favorite characters, or possibly an illustration of some part of the story.) 8. Let some of the more advanced pupils go from room to room giving inspirational talks and dramatizations on reading or on good books. SAU F& NH Pupil reports and awards—Altho some method of checking up on the pro- gram was necessary, the pupils were given unusual freedom and a chance to de- velop originality in keeping their reports of reading done. The only requirements were those of legibility, neatness, and attractiveness. Some of the methods sug- gested to the pupils were: (1) keeping a notebook; (2) making a scrapbook of miniature book jackets; (3) making posters which best illustrate the book; (4) making peepboxes accompanied by reports of the story; and (5) keeping a scrap- book of original poems, illustrations, or book friends. In the fall the pupils gave their book records, as kept, to the homeroom teacher. She evaluated the books read in terms of the number of points listed for them on the booklist. The pupils were given an opportunity in reading clubs or in informal discussions to share their book experiences of the past summer with their school- mates. The teachers of each grade selected the boy and the girl in that grade who had pursued the best reading course as shown by their records, and then sent the names of those selected to the principal’s office. The names of all children who showed that they had read enough books to total twenty-one points or more 212 THE NATIONAL ELEMENTARY wer Goc and a bi sum fror | cult and expr the situ. und shal | guay | the mos | tool side hor wor cure pose Plo} soci, thei affo: “valu tion stim pyst past inv Ame idea aids twee PRI were also reported to the office. At an appropriate auditorium program during Good Book Week, a certificate was awarded to each of these children, and the boy and girl who had pursued the best reading course in each grade were each given 'a book of their own selection as a token of appreciation for good work during the | summer. Motion Pictures as Stimulation for Written Language and History | John S. Herron, Principal, Lafayette Street School, Newark, N. J. The teaching of English and the content subjects to children from foreign-language homes is beset with paramount diffi- culties, as thousands of teachers know from experience. Joyful and interesting as the teaching may be in many respects, the experience, nevertheless, signifies so often herculean effort on the one hand, and discouraging results on the other. In this situation, the child is entitled to the same degree of sympathetic understanding as is the teacher, for the former is compelled to share his time and attention between the learning of two lan- guages, however poorly done. JOHN S. HERRON It is generally recognized today that the greatest obstacle the child from a foreign-language home has to hurdle is that of vocabulary; that most academic failures with this type of child can be traced to his lack of the tools of expression. We do know, with certainty, that what was yesterday con- sidered the low intelligence of great numbers of children from foreign-language homes was actually nothing more than evidence of their confusion in the face of words they never had heard or read before. Since paucity of English vocabulary is the root of the difficulty referred to, the cure, in large measure, lies in providing for the pupils real experiences thru pur- poseful activity; and where real experiences cannot be had at first-hand, the em- ployment of visual aids of all kinds constitutes a practical substitute. Reading, socialized discussions, word study, stories, home and street influences, etc., play their parts in developing vocabulary, but experience, either real or substitute, affords a starting point altogether too little appreciated. Recognizing the great value of appeal to the eye, Lafayette Street School has emphasized visual instruc- tion, thru many mediums, from kindergarten thru eighth grade—not alone as stimulation for the development of power in language expression, but also for its pyschological appeal in all subjects and_activities. The purpose of this article is to explain a plan, employed successfully for the past five years, whereby auditorium showings of motion pictures have aided (1) in vitally improving written language work, and (2) at the same time, in making American history something of a real experience, rather than a confusion of hazy ideas. This article does not take into consideration the employment of visual aids used by the teachers in the classrooms, but restricts itself to the tie-up be- tween the auditorium showings of historical films and the training in language PRINCIPAL, JUNE 1936 213 expression and appreciation of history, as a follow-up in the classroom. By way _ thr of explanation, it may be stated that Lafayette Street School is of the platoon | Bot type, caring for 1800 pupils who come largely from homes in which Italian } Spanish, and Portuguese are spoken. bade 1. Visual Aids Employed—tThe films, selected from the Board of Educa: | ban tion library and shown regularly at intervals of three weeks to grammar classes | mol only, have consisted of the following: (a) The Chronicles of America Photo 4 Plays, presenting the following episodes—“Columbus”’ (4 reels) , “Jamestown” (4 | diat reels), “The Pilgrims” (4 reels), “Peter Stuyvesant” (3 reels), “Gateway to the | ner: West” (3 reels), “Wolfe and Montcalm” (3 reels), “Eva of the Revolution” (3 | can reels), “The Declaration of Independence” (3 reels), “Yorktown” (3 reels), | are “Vincennes” (3 reels), “Daniel Boone” (3 reels), “The Frontier Woman” (3 T reels), “Alexander Hamilton” (3 reels), and “Dixie” (3 reels); (b) Son of Demo- | sary cracy—Abraham Lincoln—10 episodes (20 reels); (c) Citizenship Series—Nine | writ Lessons (9 reels). writ 2. Classroom Preparation—One week before a scheduled showing, the | oral digest of the episode to be presented is received from the Department of Visual | wor Instruction. This digest circulates in all the homerooms where it is read, studied, | blac and discussed by pupils and teacher together. The story of the digest is compared | with with the children’s textbooks. Dictionaries are used and new words are brought T forth for possible addition to the pupils’ vocabulary list. The picture previously | may shown is reviewed and joined to the one about to be presented. Maps are studied | may and geography does its all-important part in establishing a true knowledge of the | plac setting. This careful preparation develops interest from the start and brings into | wor play the psychological factors of curiosity and anticipation. sion 3. The Auditorium Showing—On “movie” days, the auditorium program | tenc is so scheduled as to permit each homeroom academic teacher to be present at! pupi the same time with both of her classes. The period is 55 minutes long, 40 minutes} whil being used for the actual running of the reels. Because of the careful prepara-} be i tion, the pupils are ready to enjoy the picture intelligently. Commenting recently | care on this phase of the plan, the viceprincipal remarked: “The pupils observe the} ship, photoplay with keen interest and real pleasure. They are looking for something,| fp, and not at something; they are seeking something the textbooks speak about,} mogy something the teacher has talked about. The children are now seeing things for} j.4,) themselves, things that happened long ago. Important happenings are fixed inj qual their minds, for they are eye witnesses to all these events.” vicer The panorama of American history passes before the eyes of the children and | : becomes for them a series of real events. In the showing of the Chronicles of | America, for instance, they are present when Columbus plants the standard of | Spain and the emblem of Christianity on the shore of San Salvador. They see | Lord Delaware arrive ‘in Virginia just in time to prevent the disheartened James- | town settlers from returning to England. They perceive the physical suffering of the settlers of Plymouth in 1620, and witness the defiant stand of Peter Stuy- | '°™ vesant when the English demand the surrender of New Netherlands. Wolfe and with Montcalm enact the drama of Quebec before their eyes, and they look on when | “Mp Washington receives the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown. And so on down | Succe ———E grade Som: class posit OQ — | 214 THE NATIONAL ELEMENTARY | PRI way | thru the succeeding decades of our history—they journey with Clark, fight with ‘oon | Boone, and are victorious with Grant. ‘ian Needless to say, the glorious events of American history have taken on an added glamor and significance, all because the motion picture has removed the uca: | bandage from their eyes and permitted them to see, experience, and comprehend sses | more fully than if they resorted to books and talks alone. hoto 4. The Classroom Follow-up—tThe auditorium showing is followed imme- ” (4 | diately in the classroom by a socialized discussion of the episode. Customs, man- the | ners, furniture, and dress are compared with those of the present day, the signifi- » (3 | cance of various events is discussed, ambiguities are cleared up, and the pupils els), | are now ready for formal self-expression. “¢@ The subsequent work of the class covers the succeeding week or two, if neces- »mo- | sary. The aim now is to use the film showing for the purpose of motivating the Vine | written language work. Oral composition is now stressed as preparation for the written paper. Following a class-made outline, the pupils are expected to give an the | oral synopsis of the picture, or some phase of it, in three or four paragraphs. New isual | words and phrases, which the pupils are encouraged to use, are written on the lied, | blackboard. The children take their turns at telling their version of the story, ared | with corrections politely made at the close of each. ught} The next step is the actual writing of the composition. In some classes this jusly |} may take the form of working upon one paragraph at a time; in others, the class died | may proceed on the whole composition. Correct spelling of all difficult words is f the} placed on the board for all pupils to see. Pupils are encouraged to appropriate into} words or phrases from their texts. Special stress is laid upon variety of expres- sion, the introduction of words new to the pupils, the completeness of the sen- gram | tence, and the unity of the paragraph. The first draft is made in lead pencil, the it at | pupils being encouraged to exchange and correct one another’s papers. All the vutes | while, the teacher works with individual pupils, pointing out where the draft may yara-| be improved and corrected. At a succeeding period, the papers are re-written ently | carefully in ink, special attention being then given to form, neatness, and penman- > the } ship. hing,} From this point on, the teacher will follow thru with further corrections, and bout, } most of the compositions will be again re-written carefully in ink. The special s for! teacher of penmanship will make it a point to observe the final draft, as to d ing quality of penmanship and general appearance. The entire set is then sent to the viceprincipal. 5. Supervisory Evaluation—The viceprincipal carefully examines and os of . . a -d of grades all class sets, looking for points of excellence and outstanding defects. ' Common errors are noted and incorporated into a paragraph upon which all see classes are given opportunity of making corrections. The one outstanding com- rg of position of each set becomes part of a traveling exhibit which is sent into each stuy- | fom to be read for the encouragement and stimulation of the pupils. Each set, and | With comments, is returned by the viceprincipal to the classroom, the individual when | Compositions finding their way into the folder of each pupil, there to await the jown | Succeeding compositions to follow from future auditorium “movies.” y see —— ARY | PRINCIPAL, JUNE 1936 215 Speaking Well Irene Poole Davis, Ph.D., Chairman, Committee on Elementary Speech Education, National Association of Teachers of Speech j How well do you speak? How well do your children speak? Because speaking seems to be a natural phenomenon, a process that comes without much conscious education, because every normal individual acquires some degree of speaking skill, be- cause speech is universal, we have come to accept standards in speech that are merely adequate for communication. We have not demanded a standard that is the best efficient type of communication of which any individual is capable. Why should this be so? We would not approve as good writing a IRENE POOLE pavis Specimen of penmanship that shows merely recognizable letter forms. We would not accept the solution of a mathematical problem that exhibits figures and symbols, but shows no skill in applying proc- esses necessary to solve the problem. We encourage children to recognize a cul- tural standard of art and of music; we present to the children a set of criteria for judging and appreciating good art and good music. Furthermore, we offer them practise in expression thru development of artistic skills. Should not the same attention be accorded expression thru the development of artistic and practical speech skills? Speech is humanity’s universal means of communication. It is communication that requires no tools other than those of the speaker’s own body. Unless he is deaf, every normal individual has learned a vast number of sound-symbols, and has used innumerable movement-symbols before he learns a single word. His ability at communication is quite complete at three years of age. He accom- panies sound with facial expressions, manual gestures, postures, variations in tone, in rhythm, and in speed. Speech, therefore, is more basic than English. We see communicative expres- sion develop before words or grammatical constructions, and even before dif- ferentiation of meanings. The aim of the English language is communication. The aim of speech is communication. But speech is more inclusive than use of verbal language. Speech includes verbal language; but speech also includes the language of tones and of actions. It is not enough to know what to say—what words to use to express thoughts, feelings, purposes, and attitudes. An efficient user of language—whether it be English, French, or Hindu—knows ow to ex- press his thoughts, feelings, purposes, and attitudes with the combined activity of all of his available resources for direct, personal communication. This requires more complete education and practise than is afforded by “oral composition.” We choose to use the more inclusive term “speech.” From the first day of school—the beginning of his formal education—speaking is the chief tool for an individual’s education. It is the teacher’s chief tool for educating even thru college years. In the elementary school, some form of speech is necessary in every class—arithmetic, nature study, science, languages, physical education, art, and music. To serve its purpose best, this speech should be the 216 THE NATIONAL ELEMENTARY ech ak ? Cess ery be- ards ype Vhy ig a tter ‘ical cul- for hem ame tical tion e is and His om- one res- dif- tion, e of the vhat ‘ient | eX- vity lires on. king | for eech sical the most effective of which any student or any teacher is capable. A broad program for education in speech or in oral English will include education and practise incommunicative skills, in the languages of movements and sounds that are funda- ‘mental to the language of words. An indication of adequate education in speech is proficiency in all of the communicative activities—both physical and social in function—that are in- yolved in any situation that may occur in the life of an individual from the beginning to the end of it. Good speech for the five-year-old is quite different from good speech for the ten-year-old, or for the adult. Certain technics of communication are basic to all speaking. These, presented in their developmental order, are (1) bodily activity, which includes rhythm, breath control, and bodily interpretation; (2) vocal interpretation and training in the use of the speaking voice; (3) phonetic training, enunciation and diction, and pronunciation; and (4) vocabulary enrichment. In the elementary school, these basic technics are applied to all speaking, and to certain special activities. The most frequently used, and probably the first to develop completely, is original speaking, popularly known as “oral English” or “oral composition.” It takes many forms: conversation, extemporaneous speak- ing—as imaginative stories, experience stories, talks, reports—interviewing, dis- cussion, and criticism. Most textbooks in elementary English include all of these types of “‘oral composition.” Each activity has a particular purpose, and a method of approach that is characteristically its own. Other useful types of original speaking include persuasive speaking, argument, debating, and parliamentary activities. Dramatics is a vital communicative activity. It involves all of the basic tech- nics of expression in their most extreme forms. Situations, ideas, feelings, and language are “borrowed” and reproduced quite actually in dramatic play, crea- tive dramatization, pantomime, interpretation of character, impersonation, and acting. Incidental to this dramatic activity, we consider costuming, stage design, stage management, and stage direction, only as they contribute to most efficient communication thru the dramatic activity. To motivate dramatics, we can use shadow plays, puppets and marionettes, and pageantry. These are means to develop dramatic expression rather than ends in and of themselves. Using suggestion rather than actual reproduction, interpretation claims right- ful inclusion in the plan of education for effective oral communication. We think in this connection of oral reading of both prose and poetry, of sharing what some- one else has written with an audience, of verse speaking, memorized reading, and choric speech. Each of these activities deserves a more prominent place than it now has in the new education of the whole child for a happy and useful life. What single factor is more necessary to a well-rounded life experience than self-expression? How can we, as educators, justify an activity curriculum that emphasizes “what to do” and neglects “how to do it”? Life expects a great many things of the human products of our schools. Of all human activities, speech is most universal. Surely a student has a right to expect to learn how to speak well during twelve years of forced attendance in school. PRINCIPAL, JUNE 1936 217 Appraising the Work of the Principal Clarence J. Messner, Principal, Richard School, Grosse Pointe, Mich, Altho the rating of teachers for both administrative: ang supervisory purposes has been a fairly common practise in the larger school systems thruout the United States, the formal rating of school principals has not been a very common practise, This fact has been shown by Eanl M. Towner in a recent arti. cle in the Journal of Elementary Education.’ Of the 117 cities with populations of more than 50,000, from which he received questionnaires, only twenty-two use rating blanks for rating the elementary-school principal. C. J. MESSNER This condition exists for a number of reasons. School of. ficials have been so much concerned with the improvement of teacher efficiency thru rating that they have neglected the factor of in. creasing administrative efficiency by the same method. Since teacher rating for administrative purposes has not yet been entirely satisfactory or wholeheartedly accepted, why do much at present with principal rating? Then, too, there js existent the feeling that the principals represent too select a group to try out, what many may consider, such unprofessional tactics as rating them to promote their growth. Further, research has not as yet been able to do for administration and supervision what it has done for teaching methodology with the result that definite standards and practises upon which to base appraisals have not been set up. Twenty-five school officials who reported disadvantages of rating elementary- school principals to Towner indicated the following: creates undesirable attitudes on the part of principals; restricts initiative and mechanizes work of the prin- cipals; ratings are subjective; none or no particular disadvantage; difficult to administer; possible unfairness of raters; rating blank does not always fit a situa- tion; and based on too meager observations. Among other items in Towner’s study, he found no reply indicating that a rating of a principal is made by teachers. Neither does any reply show that self-rating is performed, altho self-improvement thru self-rating has been stressed as one of the greatest values of the rating of principals. It has been these latter aspects of principal rating which have become rather challenging to the writer. Each year, with the cooperation of the teaching staf he has made teacher rating scales and then has built a somewhat similar scale by which the staff rates him. While there are many excellent commercial scales available, making one’s own has certain constructive values. One must make rather minute analysis of the items which make up one’s work, select the signil- cant characteristics, eliminate the less important, then make such an organiz- tion of the materials that choices can be made by the raters. The writer has used job analyses studies as a helpful basis for making scales. Naturally, the literature 1 Earl M. Towner. ‘‘The Formal Rating of the Elementary School Principal.” Journal of Elementar Education 35: 735-45; June, 1935. 218 THE NATIONAL ELEMENTAR)E on | sug see! pro! eval scal item prin pup adm men conf the whe! state a nu used of gi ich, and 1 the rmal tise, arti- Cities pived ating 1 of- ment f in- g for tedly re is ’ out, ymote ‘ation that been itary- tudes prin- lt to situa- -ating rating S one rather staff, scale scales make ignif- aniza- 5 used rature mentary — PARI on the administrative and supervisory aspects of elementary education gives one suggestions as to what elements should be contained in a rating scale. It can be seen that the process of making one’s own scale can be a very excellent means of promoting the appraisal of one’s own status and growth. The writer has used several different types of scales, both as a means of re- evaluating the principal’s job and as a new experience in the technic of rating scale construction. In one of the types of scales he has selected certain major items in school administration and supervision such as: principal’s personality; principal’s philosophy of education; relationship with teachers; relationship with pupils; relationship with parents; principal’s scholarship and training; general administration of the school; general characteristics of supervision; time allot- ment for supervision; kind of teachers meetings; and type of teacher-principal conferences. The next task is that of selecting several qualifying statements for each of the main headings. These qualifying statements may be circled or underlined when making the appraisal. An even better way is to arrange the qualifying statements on a five or six point linear graphic scale thus permitting one to obtain a numerical score value. At the same time, when the same graphic type scale is used several times it presents a much more effective picture of the growth or lack of growth which has taken place. Some sample elements of a scale follow: 1. The principal’s philosophy of education is— (a) A very progressive one. Believes in the child centered school. The task of the school is the integration of pupil personality. The school should approximate real life situations. (b) Conservative point of view. School is basically for training in academic skills. Dis- ciplinary conception of education. (c) Liberal point of view. School’s main task is that of providing for training in formal subjectmatter, but training in character also important. 2. In his relationship with us as teachers— (a) He is fair and considerate most of the time. Tends to vacillate in these characteristics, however. (b) He is arbitrary. Rules by authority. Lacks poise and tact. (c) He is very cooperative, considerate, sympathetic and fair. The esprit de corps is the highest calibre. 3. In his relationship with the parents— (a) They speak highly of him and of his wholesome influence on the life of the school. (b) He is quite well thought of. There is apparently no friction between principal and his public. (c) He is negative quantity. Parents say little of him. (d) He is detrimental to the maintenance of a good school. Lot of friction. The writer has done a little work with the descriptive type of rating scale modeled somewhat after the technic of Rugg in his man-to-man comparison scales. In the organization of such a scale, one thinks in terms of the characteristics of principals of one’s acquaintanceship and then writes down a fairly complete description of the characteristic modes of behavior and action of each of such individuals numbering four or more. The individuals selected should cover quite PRINCIPAL, JUNE 1936 219 a range in types of characteristics represented. One may prefer to make up hypo. thetical cases. The task of the rater is to select a case in the scale most like the person whose work is being appraised. An advantage of this type of scale js in the fact that it consists of generalizations and patterns. It is more consisten with the point of view of the configurationist in psychology. A sample descrip. tive rating might run as follows: Principal A does a fine lob of administering and supervising his school. He is not what one would call arbitrary or authoritarian. There is quite a little cooperative administration ang supervision. The professional growth of some teachers is very much stimulated by Principal 4 and the majority of the staff are activated by his professional personality and dynamic point of view. He is well acquainted with the literature in the field of education and assumes the service rather than the inspectorial attitude toward his job. He does an efficient job of public relations and his public think well of him. A fairly large amount of research is done by him and his staff Instruction in the school is good and morale is high. A’s school is well thought of. One of the arguments advanced against teacher rating has been that the teacher is being rated rather than the teaching. Since the teacher’s task is to set the stage whereby growth in children takes place, it is argued that this growth should be measured as a means of making an appraisal of the teacher. This same argument can be presented for the principal rating scales discussed above. They tend to measure the principal as an individual rather than the school. Like the teacher, the administrator exists only for the purpose of facilitating the instructional proc- esses. It is the kind of school program which has been set up and its effect upon the growth and development of children which probably should be measured, If the commonly accepted statement—As is the principal, so is the school—is a truism, then we can still measure the principal and assume we are measuring the school. On the other hand, this statement is not any longer being con- sidered the truism it once was. Administration is becoming more and more a co- operative procedure on the part of principal and teachers. Issues and policies are no longer being decided authoritatively and arbitrarily in the central office. Teachers are assuming their rightful place in the determination of goals of edu- cation and the means for the realization of these goals. The principal is still the leader, but the new leadership is a cooperative venture—teachers and principal working together for the interests of the pupils. In conformity with this viewpoint, the writer has also tried devices whereby the teaching staff would make appraisals of the school rather than the principal This has been done, not by the scale method but rather by having teachers meet in small conference groups, addressing themselves in their discussion to certain pertinent questions concerning the specific nature of the educational processes taking place in the school. The discussions were concerned with present status, future possibilities and trends, and methods for realization of the ideal. This device together with the more personal rating scales are all extremely helpful in making for better school administration and supervision. We hope you are including the convention at Portland, Oregon, in your summer plans. 220 THE NATIONAL ELEMENTARY! sche spe at t Sun Wel roll: nor Hea lect ums crui of Wal men facu live over este app) chai 14) Edu to h Est! teng at a the | sore hone year sent of tl her as fi to si men tary City who the ; PRI hypo- t like ale is istent Scrip- at one M and ipal A int of service ations S staff, acher Stage ld be ment nd to cher, proc- upon ured, 1—is uring con- a CO S are vffice. edu- 1 the cipal >reby cipal. meet rtain SSeS atus, This ul in * A unique vacation project open to school principals wishing to gain a per- spective of what is going on in America at the present time is offered thru the Summer Institute for Social Progress at Wellesley, July 4-18, on Wellesley’s rolling New England campus. The Eco- nomic Issues Behind the Campaign Headlines will be the subject of the lectures, discussions, and evening for- ums; and the membership is being re- cruited so as to represent a cross-section of a typical community. Colston E. Warne, head of the Economics Depart- ment of Amherst College, will be the faculty leader. Resident members will live in one of the new college buildings overlooking Lake Waban. Those inter- ested in the idea of participating should apply for a folder to Grace L. Osgood, chairman of the Admissions Committee, 14 West Elm Avenue, Wollaston, Mass. * The April 28 issue of the Detroit Educational News, which has just come to headquarters, carries the news that Esther Hamilton, principal of the Pat- tengill School, was the guest of honor at a dinner party held at the Wardell the last of March. The party was spon- sored by the faculty of the school in honor of Miss Hamilton’s twenty-fifth year as principal. A cameo was pre- sented to her by the teachers as a token of their friendship and appreciation for her help and gracious companionship as friend and principal. We are proud to say that Miss Hamilton has been a- member of the Department of Elemen- tary School Principals for several years. * The Administration Club of Sioux City, Iowa, which is composed of all who are in the administrative end of the school work, elected the following Interesting News Items officers for the coming year: president, Earl E. Bovee, principal, Whittier School; vicepresident, Charlotte Os- born, principal, Hawthorne School; secretary, Florence Oien, Information Clerk to Superintendent; treasurer, H. S. Voris, principal, Longfellow School. Members of Executive Committee are D. A. Hayworth, principal, East Junior; Mary Magee, Visiting Teach- er; and Eva Knight, Dean, Woodrow Wilson Junior School. * Ernest W. Cason, secretary-treas- urer, Department Elementary Princi- pals of Florida, has sent to headquar- ters a copy of the minutes of the execu- tive meeting, which was held March 24, John Kenly School, Tampa. Frances Belcher, Mary Bainum, and Ernest Cason were appointed by the president to act as editors of the annual bulletin of the department. * Among the many school newspapers which have come to our office this year is Alice Birney Newsflashes from the Alice Birney School, San Diego, Cali- fornia. We wish to congratulate those who are responsible for this splendid piece of work, and we hope that they will continue to publish this fine news- paper. * Grace Langdon, specialist, Emer- gency Nursery Schools, has sent to headquarters a copy of the first annual report of the emergency nursery schools. Those of you who are inter- ested in nursery schools will want to purchase a copy of this fine bulletin, which is priced at 25¢. Write to Miss Langdon, 1734 New York Avenue, N. W., Washington, D. C., for further information. PRINCIPAL, JUNE 1936 Membership News and Comments Eva G. Pinkston Where We Stand. As we go to press we are glad to tell you that our mem. bership today is 377 or 10 percent above our total membership for the year 1934-35. We are 13.2 percent above this same day last year. Our Enrolment Chair. men are to be congratulated on this fine record which they have made. This ip. crease of numbers tells that a group of men and women believe in the work oj the Department and that they have told their fellow principals where helps may be obtained. We have received many letters saying that the name of only one more principal would make a certain city, county, district, or island 100 per. cent. We hope that next year our members will help the chairmen reach this coveted goal early in the year. Forty-three have gone ahead of their number of last year. The following ar the ten states which have the largest membership as we go to press. They are listed in order of rank: California, New York, Michigan, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Ohio, New Jersey, Missouri, Massachusetts, and Texas. We are also listing the names of the ten states which have come nearest to the goal set by President Lyon. These, too, are in order of rank: Alaska, Arkansas, Hawaii, Arizona, Dela- ware, Puerto Rico, Mississippi, South Dakota, New Mexico, and Oregon. Those ten states which lead according to the highest percentage of their quota are Wis- consin, Hawaii, Arkansas, Oregon, Oklahoma, Arizona, Louisiana, South Dakota, Mississippi, and Texas. Those who have made these records possible are to be congratulated, and headquarters thanks all who have participated. Membership Analysis. The names included in our Who’s Who in Ele mentary Education and published as a part of the Yearbook, will be college pro- fessors, superintendents, supervisors, junior high principals, elementary principals, and teachers. The directory this year will have over 4100 names, and each name represents an interested friend of elementary education. The names of the very finest leaders in the United States will be found there, and the Department appre- ciates their cooperation. It invites them to show us how to accomplish bigger and better things for the boys and girls of the elementary school. It is in the lower grades that the largest number of children are enrolled. Re- search figures show that out of the 23 million children who enter the elementary school about 4 million go on to higher education. This leaves 19 million children who never receive anything but an elementary schooling. Our leaders have recog- nized that the best entrée to this group of future citizens is thru our Department. Therefore, we urge them to give help and to direct us. Meeting of Enrolment Chairmen. All Enrolment Chairmen are urged to attend a meeting of the group July 1, Wednesday, 8:30 a. m., in the room at the Portland Hotel designated for use of the Department of Elementary School Prin- cipals. If any chairman cannot attend, we hope he will send someone to repre: sent him. Plans for the fall enrolment campaign will be discussed. The enthu- siastic group of Enrolment Chairmen which met at St. Louis felt that one of the best things which could be done this spring and summer is to see that no delay occurs in the fall in getting principals to join early in the membership year. — 222 THE NATIONAL ELEMENTARY s— 277 7O0OVSEe7 ZO \| ee ee ee ee ee ee ee ee ed a nim o Gb Gh Oe wee oot oe oe Ge. Ce OP | lem- | 77 [a iS i 4«+x§9--= i ea yea F | a YY: | . _ TS OST 5 In- a Se Oy k of | . EE oes EEE CLS yy), ae SSS one a per- Vis. oT : VV) TS this — a On, 77 are Cl, 77 Conn, (7 ° . ° are 7 ., nia, Nebr, <> Distribution the Vv. of i || .—_ Membership af) oC —« inthe es a Department of Elementary School Principals IS- lL. ce by at — States and Territori a, N.C SCE ates an erritories be | Ky. Al. SCO i a Ush CLIN 935 36 ‘ee || SDK CON | Tenn. hl Miss. The total membership on May 15 was 4II3. als, ow : q This number is 377 (or 10%) ahead of the total me ; RE Mi number of members for the previous year, ery | N.Dok Al! 5 1934-35. The word Foreign includes two r "1 Ss 1 memberships in Canada and one each in India ' | Wyo. MIC and China. per N.H. 9 Del. MP? | N.M.BE e- | Ideho &é | Pils. BS ry | Maine WY PR. &4 - Foreignlll + )g- Alaskall 5 nt. to he § | in- e | | u- he f | ay Y PRINCIPAL, JUNE 1936 223 z ) he is my hope that ultimately when normal conditions are re- stored and we are not obliged to concentrate primarily on keeping groups of our people from actual want, and economy will not be our main object, that we will be able to have in our own national government a new department which will include education, the arts, social welfare, and health. It is becoming strikingly evi dent, I believe, that the federal government must acquaint the nation with the condition of edu- cation thruout the nation, and perhaps give certain states some assistance in their educational programs. —M*rs. Franklin D. Roosevelt From a recent radio broadcast from the White House