| Show EDUCATIONAL PROBLEM N E A Adopts Declaration of Principles TO CONSOLIDATE SCHOOLS I Work of the Bureau of Education Under Commissioner Harris Is Indorsed In-dorsed and the Association Declares That Its Powers Should Be Extended Extend-ed So That It Should Have Jurisdiction Juris-diction Over Educational Hatters in All Our New Possessions State Support for Training Teachers Detroit Mich July 12The National I Na-tional Educational association tonight I at tho last session of Its fortieth an I nual convention adopted a declaration I I of principles declaring that the prob lam of clcmcntarj education Is the most Important one with which the State must deal The work of the bureau of education under Commissioner Commis-sioner William T Harris was indorsed in-dorsed nnd time association declared that its powers should be extended so that It should have jurisdiction over educational matters In all our new possessions Compulsory educational laws and the consolidation of rural schools were indorsed and State support sup-port of Institutions for the training of teachers is recommended Following Is a synopsis of the declaration of principles Tho problem of elementary education is tho most Important problem with I which the State must deal To provldo for tho universal education of youth Is tho duty of every State In the Union Residents of territory under tho direct I control of tho general Including In-cluding the Indian Territory Alaska and our new possessions must receive tho benefits of free education at tho hands of tho Government Wo note with eatlsfac Lion the stops that Iulo beep taken by the present Administration to place tho blessings of American free schools within tho reach of all children of all people under our fiag V rime bureau of education under tho i direction of William T Harris Commissioner Commis-sioner of Education has rendered invaluable inval-uable cervices to tho cause of education throughout tho United States It Is tho Judgment of this association that tho powers of this bureau should be greatly enlarged and that the general direction of public education In all the territory I of tho United States not under State control con-trol including our now possessions I I should bo part of the duties of the bureau I Wo reiterate the statement Chat tho public school should bo time center of educational life of the community In which It Is located Especially should this be true of rural districts Hero should be found the public library for tho use of all hero the educational extension courses should draw tho old and tho young here lllornry and social meetings may be held which will tend to uphold the mental social and spiritual life of the people The subjects that may properly bo taught in elementary schools include those that bear upon the ethical physical physi-cal and aesthetic nature of tho child as well as Its purely educational nature Our system of education will not bo wholly frei until every grade of school from tho kindergarten to and Including the university shall bo open to every boy arid girl of our country Tho liberality of men of wealth In making mak-ing largo donations to Institutions of learning is to strongly commended and encouraged rime public school system of a State should be a unit from tho kindergarten to and Including tho university and all private Institutions should cndoavoY l to work harmony with tho Ideals l pf pub lic education so far as their speilal purpose pur-pose will permit them Legislation with respect to public education edu-cation must not wait for public sentiment senti-ment It should lead public sentiment when necessary School legislation should be under the general direction of educational educa-tional experts V The association rccognlzcn the principle that the child has the same right to bo protected by I law from Ignorance as from abuse neglect and hunger and It there fore records with approval that many of tho leading States of tho Union have compulsory education laws upon their statute books V While many cities have at least partly solod the problem of school supervision In most rural communities the problem Is almost wholly unsolved Close constant con-stant expert supervision of schools In both city and country is imperatively demanded V Tho association watches with deep in terest tho solution of the problem of consolidating con-solidating rural schools and transporting pupils at public expense now attempted In many of our leading States We be Ueve this movement will lead to the es tablishment of townships and county high schools and thus bring more advanced education tmto rural communities Tho State should support and control Institutions whoso object is the prepara Lion of teachers for the public schools No one should bo placed In charge of a school who has not been previously trained for the work of teaching V Wu believe that tho standards for school architecture Including the proper seat Ing heating ventilation and ornamenta tion of public school buildings should bo us definite as the stnlidards for teaching I |
