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Show Unselfishness First Requisite of All Organizations Organiza-tions of Teachers By HERBERT K.ELLEY, Pennsylvania Educator. TEACHEHS have a right to lobby in state legislatures and there are occasions when it is imperative that the right should b exercised. Teachers' organizations have as much right to maintain committees in state capitals during legislative sessions as labor, grange and other' organizations, but it is not always expedient to exercise that right. Teachers' organizations as a whole are altruistic in their purposes but to date the positive achievements of far too many of them consist of tax measures, salary schedules, tenure acts and retirement systems. These results, in the public mind, savor of advancing the interests of teachers rather than of promoting the education of the child. By promoting the general educational welfare, by fostering professional profes-sional zeal and by advancing educational standards, teachers will win the respect and good will of the tas-paying public, who in turn will gladly, through their representatives in the legislature, enact the provisions which will make them comfortable in their work. Salaries, tenure, and retirement retire-ment allowances will come as a by-product of qualifications, efficiency and ! professional spirit. If we aim at the former we make recognition of the latter tardy and deficient. |
