Evening Star Newspaper, June 30, 1924, Page 10

i irequire attendance in “jdren between seven and fourteen, o3 +e3 10 CPENS CONVENTION Creation of Secretary of Edu- cation Urged as N. E. A. Conclave Starts. ke FEDERAL FUNDS SOUGHT| Prof. George D. Strayer Outlines | Project—Says Local Initiative Is Guaranteed. | A plea for the passage of the Ster- | ling-Reed bill, which would create a department of educatiou under the tederal government, was made in Central High School itorium this morning, when the sixty- nual convention of the cation Association was opened formal- 1y. Prof. George D. or, profes sor of educational administration of the teachers' college of Columbia Uni- { versity and chairman of the legisla- tive committee of the N. E. A, made the ple. : . Prof. Strayer gave a brief outline of the provisions of the measure, and Dointed out that it has the indorse- two great natisnal or- The principal objection, . comes from those who be- the nation cannot afford the | \ federal department of education | its investigation, Prior. | declared in the report, would | ing about an increase in educational | Ticiency, and would make possible | ation in the field of | al- ¢ carried oni agriculture and com- merce under the auspices of the fed- | cral government. U. S. Leadership Needed. . “The leadership of the federal gov- | ernment in the field of educational research is badly needed,” said Prof. Strayer's report. “Educational prog- del; d in a number of (||-“ because of the lack of re. | and investigation that would | ible through a well organized 4l department of education. “For example, there is need for further caretul work in the field of educational finance. At the present time we are spending approximateiy f dollars annual 00ls, Yet school ure is in such cha [ ards in their financ »f the schools proceed on the bas guesswork rather than on hasis of facts. A department of edu- cation could work out and Ppopularize eifective method of school account- & budgetry procedure which sreater efticiency in *he expenditures of the money pro- vided for the public hools. “A federal depart might also render e tive assistan, -0 local committces in the revision »C the public school curriculum. Hun- Areds of local school systems are now struggling to bring about the proper | re n of their curricula. = They | £nize that the curriculum is ove. rrowdes Rapidly changing cond ions have rendered obsolete muc f the material that still remains in ihe average course of study. The ! cal course of study t ously handicapped by the lack of | 1 _necessary to the most effective ision of their curricuium. A de- | partment of education through a di- | Yision of research could have ready | or distribution on the request of local curriculum committees ompila. tions of the best current thought ¢ on educational aims and objectives. | methods of organizing the m: | v e mater In courses of study and scientific | methods for realizing the desired out. | comes from the work of the schools, | Ald to Educational Progress. “These are but two illustrations of | many that might be given to illus- trate how educational progress would | be served by the investigation work | that might be €expected from a well organized and adequately supported | department of education. “The prestige that a depart education “woula entoy wanin i on it an effective agency for the dis- semination of scientific educationsl Information. It would be recognized 4s a fountain source for the lateer | most comprehensive, and reliable inz | formation on all ¢ducational que tions. _The secretary of education through the per-uasive influence o the facts at his command would h?! b3 position vitally to affect educas | fional progress. Suggestions coming | from one in his position would re- | Coive the “attention of the natiog, | Once cach year, according to the| terms of the bill, he would summony | 4 national council of education, com- | bosed of the superintendents or come ; addition 0 consult with the secretary 'Lv)(;eed;:];:;'llfllr: on subjects relatxnéaS» 1otion and " de (;luca(mn in th nites Do the “great influence for i educatio hhoETess that {he ‘meetings of Ihis . al counc W i e ov;’rpsllmltedT" ol enying the statements of nents of the bill that the nation Pho. uot afford the cost of the Tederal ga- partment of ‘educ rof. Strayer at each year th ver 2pends large sums for less Imporir it o the be | : | tection without doubt is one of the i United St wealth of $320,000,000, an an- aual income of over $60.000,000,00h can well afford to appropriate mueh ucation than is now pro- vided. It one looks tior 00ks upon ed 304 Drogress of the nationoan 1o | Yestment that pays genery i Testment that ous dividends gy oPPose the cducation bill ers say it is not rj another. Thisicry:is bornZof s sacr fow. sectional attitude. It has hean | Sns In the face of educational prog. | rl‘.::s' since the beginning of history. | We are also told that the Biii aeans federal control and the stifling !of local initiative. The bill proviges for just the opposit, | oo ot the opposite In the most spe- Pressure Upon Congress Sought. ~But in spite of these provisions the opponents of thie measure insist that it will eventually result in fed- eral domination in education. A study jof the terms of the bill do not re. i Yyeal the basis of this contention, It 108 true that the bill recognizes that the nation has a stake in ed Tt would, therefore. require. o arign: in order to share in the federal.ap- propriation, to recognize English as the basic language of its schools, to maintain a minimum school term of | twenty-four weeks per Year, and to some school, public or private, for at least twehty: , four weeks in the year, for all ohil- | These provisions reduced to the low- iest common denominator merely say ithat in order to obtain federal funds {a state must provide the educational ) minima that are essential to the pro- vision of a reasonable educational op- 1 portunity. { “The passage of time has brought | greater and greater support for the | | principles embodied in the education | bill. It is important that those of us | who recégmize the gain which wi come to education through the en ment of this measure into the law of | | Erown out of flagrant cases of polit- committees are | * |ed that in some cases they do. | report_said: | report _as_follows: ! ing schools. PLEAFORU. A [CURB OF TEACHER | TURNDVER SOUGHT Frequent Shift of Instructors Scored in Report of N. E. A. Committee. POLITICAL “PULL” HIT Educators Urged to Seek IAW!“ Making Tenure of Positions | More Certain. | The need of sane teacher tenure legislation was stressed by Fred M. Hunter, superintendent of schools of Oakland, Calif., chairman of the com- mittee of 100 on the problem of tenure of the National Education As- sociation, at the opening session to- day of the general assembly of the organization’s sixty-second annual convention, in the auditorium of Cen- tral High School. Mr. Hunter cited statistics show- ing the appalling teacher turnover | in the public schools of the country | each year and expressed the belief that proper legislation would check such a condition. .The state teacher turnover—the | number of. teachers required to fill | positions vacated by teachers leaving | the profession in the state—totals | 110,560 or 18 per cent of the en t hing profession, he ' said. The lo teacher turnover, he | ared, is much in excess of this. | In some’states, he said, it reaches a very high percentage, much more | than one-half the teachers being new | in_their positions each year, as for | instance €8 per cent in the rural| schools of Wisconsin. {‘ Political Dismissals Mentioned. “In some measure, the movement for teacher tenure legislation has ical nissal which have attained wide i notoriety,” inj; dividual teachers, principals or super- intendents. In almost all of them severe injury has been inflicted upon the schools” immediately concerned, and in all of them the hazards of the teaching profession have been emphasized and fine, high-minded puth discouraged from entering the profession. Those who are familiar with the situation believe that the gravest danger that confronts the American public’ school system today is to be found in the attempts of groups of machine politicians, who seek to con- trol, and in many instances do con- trol, the local government in our large municipalities. These machine politicians attempt to control the ad- ministration of the schools and use them for political purposes. We mean by this for purposes of patron- and spoils. Cases have been i which _constitute definite tem can res rupulous groups dictates the ap- pointment of teachers in the inter- est of political spoils. Irreparable damage to t uth of such an un- fortunate ci not be avoided. This damage is infinitely greater than | that which results from & too drastic ich protects a portion | of a te: corps that has become | out or superannuated. imes argued that tenure laws are failing because they do protect ineflicient teachers. Let is be grant- Any parent with the American point of view and a full belief in American ideals would undoubtedly hold that | child was in less danger in a | stem where the teachers are pro- | tected by a tenure law than where their appointment is controlled by a | political machine.” Summary of Report. | Summarizing these conditlons, the “1. No state, city or community can maintain and administer a school system in the interest of its youth f its teaching body and its school leaders are subject to the dangers of political assault and professional der represented by some of the ¥ s of political dismissal studied by s committee. | 1t is only a natural result that radical attitudes should develop, and that a feverish tendency to organize for political protection should per- vade ' the teaching ranks of many cities and states. Neither is it surprising that law: rules and regulations ensue which protect not only the eflicient and professional-minded member of the profession, but also the incompe- tent and political-minded member. “4. The need of a carefully devel- oped Policy which will protect the efficient, skillful and _professional- minded’ teacher and eliminate those who are not is apparent to any stu- dent of the situation.” Legislation Needed. Organized movements among the achers to obtain more permanent tenure, the report pointed out, have resulted in the enactment of laws by legislatures of ten states. All of these measures have accompanied or icllowed the war period. and are said to be the concomitant of the awaken- ing period. Five conclusions are given in the “1. Undoubtedly a need for sane teacher tenure legislation exists. That such laws protect large teach- ing bodies from political attack and spoliation is not open to question. Although in the initial years of the operation of such measures, some in- efficient and unworthy teachers may be protected, nevertheless, legal pro- strongest factors in stabilizing the teaching staff of a community or a state. There is no evidence what- ever of political dismissal and manip- ulation where teaching bodies are protected by tenure. On the otber hand, there is considerable evidence that ‘where teaching bodies are pro- tected by tenure they develop pro- grams to promote professional growth on the part of their members in a much more definite way and more rapidly than before such tenure. “2. "As the public demand for bet- ter schools increases, and the pro- fessional consciousness of the teach- ing body awakens, more tenure laws and regulations will be enacted in the states, citles and towns. These the organ- United careful and continuing Inv on, rather than pressure and prejudice, should be the guiding force in such enactments. Europe Akead of U. S. “3. Enlightened European nations have stabilized their teaching bodies much more completely than has the- United States. Indefinite tenure, dis- missal for cause only, age retirement and a colidarity of the profession chaneter]l::e the school systems of vestern Europe. N e evidenos from the teach- ing body of America and from a fair sampling of the layman public would tend to show that such legisla~ tion should provide a standard of merit_for tenure and means of dis- missal for proved cause. “5. Investigation of this problem should be continued by the National Education Association and all facts surrounding the enactment and opera- tion of teacher tenure laws and regu- lations collected and made available ta organized groups of the profes- sion, Tegislatures, boards of educa- cachers’ colleges and train- HE These shoutd include results of such laws to the THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. 1 MONDBAY. INE 30, 1924. the n the teaching body and the ver: | schools, [[fhe dama mee eyery o nt e e | Dublis, wotirt dectelons ATeeiie the fo bring the bill to the favorable con- | public, co ions. g them. santatives In|{and movements looking to furthe: \{5 sideration of our represen Lt moven: ; . Gongress.” E - —_—— The Hecht Co. | ; Seventh at F [ The Hecht Co. Seventh at F £ The Hecht Co. Seventh at F Every Shop at The_H'ec.ht Co—Prepared for the Fourth With Specially Priced, == | e [Vl D) e FASHION'S SUMMER Some to Travel in Stunning black and white, navy and cocoa frocks of Canton and Can- ton Satin. Cool, fresh looking at the end of a long motor trip; not the least bit wilted by Just the frocks to travel in or wear the whole day through. Also gay tub silks. salt sea breezes. S S ) —heavy cantons —lustrous satins —agay tub silks —pastel georgettes —beaded voiles Cool, LKS FROCKS Others to Revel in Buoyant georgette frocks in pastel tints, for late afternoon and evening wear. Exquisitely colored; beautifully styled; richly trimmed with ribbon and lace. Also frocks of chiffon-sheer French voile, elaborately beaded in white. These, too, in soft blossom tints. Sizes throughout, 16 to 40. (Second Floor, The Hecht Co.) Heavy Silk Crepe Skirts The new models pleated at sides. but plain at back and front to prevent crushing— $ 4.95 Women will wear them on the boardwalk; on the golf links—and here at the movies. are of nara, plain at front and back with pleats at the sides. gray, white, cocoa or powder blue. 400 New Sweaters $1 .95 So low in price they're Sure to go traveling! Those youthful, tiny-sleeved sweaters so very Sleeveless styles, too, to wear with much in vogue. sheer blouses. Woven of Light-Weight W 6rsteds For they are just as indispensable on holidays as other days. These Roshanara Crepe and Rhapsodie Silk Wrap-around styles of rhapsodie silk. Stunning pleated styles of Rosha- Wool— Choose yours of tan, Sizes 26 to 32. (Second Floor, The Hecht Co.) Trim Knit Suit i All Wool— Specially Priced Wool and Mohair Sweaters so light in weight one wears them com- fortably as part of a smart sports costume. Some with monograms, ties and silk braiding. All colors, including plenty of black and white. Sizes 36 to 42. — (Second Floor, The Hecht Co.) ofe = %‘ Plunging into Holiday Gavetics With a | | 1] | ,53 .95 The sensible, one-piece California style, with the skirt attached. Close-fitting suits: well cut, to give plenty of room and freedom of stroke. Swimming Sl $3.95 Black Navy Green Red Buff Plain colors and strik- ing combinations, in a most profuse array. Both fancy borders and piped effects included among them. Sizes 36 to 46. (Fifth Floor, The Hecht Co.) Black or White Shoes for the Holiday-- A Sale at ‘53'95 v ‘Whether it’s a dance, a round of golf or merely a promenade, you can suit the occasion with shoes from this sale. Beautifully built, cut-out sandals and pumps of— White Kid—WW hite Reignskin—W hite Buck— Patent Colt—Black Satin A big special purchase that follows the fashions foremost in favor. "And the low price makes them available to you just in time for your holiday. Widths AA to C. Heels to suit all tastes. i Wearables Shadow-proof Slips $1.95 Smart —in light colors to match your summer frocks Some silky-looking English sateens. with deep 20-inch hig hems. Plain or striped as you wish. Also others, of a new mercerized fab ric that very closely resembles silk. These too, have deep hems and a French rolled top. For very shéer summer irocks, slip~ of softest white nainsook, trimmed with medallions of dainty Val lace. White and pastel colors. Sizes 30 to 44. (Fifth Ploor, The Heeht Co.) Stunning Hat Boxes 54- 95 Shiny, black enameled duck boxes that are light in weight but hold so many, many things. Black enameled duck: tan or black leather trim Round or square, with flowered cre- tonne lining. Complete with hat form and roomy pocket. Trimmed with tan or black leather. Phoenix “Bobbed Hosies” For the girl who 1 formerly “rolled "cm.” We can scarcely keep a supply of them, so popular have they become. But then they are so comfortable! A turn-back, tailored cuff holds them firm at the knee without binding. And once put on, they stay up—that’s the best part of all. - Choice of white. black, gray, beige or beaver. (Fifth Floor The Hecht (¢ Long-li}le Corselettes s Quite sturdy enough to give the proper support to your figure, even under a frock of crepe de chine—and so much more comfortable than a heavy corset and brassiere. A fuiting foundation for any costume. Splendid, too, for wear with your swimming suit—light and cool and com- fortable! Made of pink coutil with elastic hip inserts and four strong hose supporters. Sizes 34 to 44. “(Fifth Floor, The Hecht Co.) e Hecht Co. 7th at F