The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, April 8, 1906, Page 15

¢ far is it praeticable rsical sciences into er, in 1831, the Western organized in ¢ was < it membership the ~ e of the Mis- then le: well and far less present tion was an influenced s of great- number o nals or @s su- the idea being ng to the dig- the latter were y hip in the 1 National Teachers' As- o granted, however, that teaching may, upon recom- of the board of directors, be- members and thereby pos- of presenting in the form essays (to be read by the sec- otner views ‘on 1ssion,” ng= show member they may subject as the record t this priv ves eight men who felt they great 'work, August, / five of the original mem- o the cause, and but for with which the West hailed unity for membership the as- must have ylelded up the ghost. But teachers throughout the Ohio Val- ley believed in the new movement and attended its first regular meeting in such numbers as to conceal*the absence of the treasurer not appearing present, the president di- thie subscriptions of seventys members, $1 each, be réceived , and so skillfully were led that not till many years the publi¢ léarn how the assoclation’s prospe been had permanence. During its first twenty years the strug- of financial tro of e its members felt upof ele to 0 sclousness that they would be called upon to make up the deficit that—large or small—never failed to characterize the summary of & year's bus 3 ning could more effectively have de- creased the officers’ enthusiasm as well as their faith in the perpetuity of the organization, and when it was learned that the Hon. Thomas A. Bicknell of Massachusetts had succeeded in bringing of Instruction the languishing Institute 1 out of the financial mire in which it had nderir it was deter- mined to ask him to try a like course with the national association. Mr. Bicknell became president and at once sct about increasing the member- ship. The annual meetings were made more attractive and the cost of attending them was decreased, with the result that the organization's funds were S0 aug- mented there was never again any fear of financial embarrassment. Until 1870 all topics coming before the association were discussed by the mem- THE SA D2 ST AT FLLLLAN Z AN L L S AT i There were 'no @epart- udy of special subjects considered had to do. with means and methods of teaching. the absorption of the Amer- Normal School Association and the nal Association of School Superin- s by the N. T. A, which under- went reorganization to become the N. E. A., wrought many and important changes. With the increase of members it be- came impossible for the association to act as a whole, and as a wider range of interests was covered it was no longer sirable to engage every member In on of every topic. There were sharply drawn special lines. Kindergarten, primary, elementary, nor- mal training, high school and college, each sent its teachers, and though there were many common meeting points there were obviously particular aims and par- ticular needs that could best be consid- ered in separate divislons, So ‘began the classification by depart- ments, insuring expedition of -convention routine and greatly increasing the benefit that every teacher Qerives from member- ship. In 1884 there wers eight such depart- ments and these have been divided or added to until there are now eighteen, comprehending every branch of the teach- ers' work and touching many interests that would once upon a time have been esteemed beyond the association’s province. From the very beginning migratory mectings were planned, partly for the purpose of stimulating the city and State favored with the convention and partly to secure to the members the inestimable advantage of travel and acquaintance with the extent and variety of the country. It is not the least of the association's benefits that it has stood for a broad- ening of sympathy that comes from knowledge of conditions of life and work in sections most remote from each other and a drawing closer of the bonds of fellowship of those who are really one in purpose. Eighteen years ago the association brought to California 8000 members, which number was increased to 13,000 at the Los Angeles convention in 1899, and as every year that passes brings the East ‘closer to the West by cus- tom and by popular travel, there is sure to be an attendance this year more nearly approaching the 24,000 mark set by the membership at Asbury Park last summer. v The formal programme, now pre- pared, will, after the time-established manner of formal programmes, under- go full many a change in the three months. that must elapse before the FRANCISCO SUNDAY first meeting, but the fact remains that the best of American learning will con- tribute to its success, and that speci- ally gifted educators from abroad add thelr wealth of experience to its prom- ise. It is as it thé programme committee, remembering the hospitality of Cali- fornia, had realized that none but the most gifted of savants could prevent a general neglect of sessions. And such concern would seem to be not without warrant, for there is proof enough that the State appreciates the privilege of entertaining this earnest body of men and women, whose de- clared purpose is to elevate the char- acter and advance the interests of the profession of teaching and to promote the causg of popular education in the United States, and the intimate per- sonal welcome to be extended in the week of July 7 to 14. will be in keeping with the faculty of the West for real- izing possibilities. Why, even the pupils in our city schools have a part to play, for two splendid choruses, planned by Miss Es- telle Carpenter, supervisor of music, will give six thousand children an op- portunity to sing their pleasure. “However will you keep them gethier in vacation?” I ask this enthusiastic of teacuers. ¥ “The children ‘love it,” she assures me. “They d¢on’'t feel the rehearsals are tiresome, and in the concerts, the actual singing part, they have the keenest delight. Besides, they feel it an honor to be chosen, for they know we select only the sweetest voices, and I think we shall have no trouble in getting the number. It is the first week after the close of school, and when the parents understand the importance of the occasion they will be willing to de- fer sending the little folks to the country or on other visits, ' “We shall have three thousand voices in each chorus, just-as at our May festival last year: three times as many as ever before sang for an assembly of the N. E. A. But that is as it should ‘be, for big things are expected of Cali- fornia, big things and thorough. Why, at every national meeting I have at- tended 1 have heard nothing but praise for the way this city entertained the to- most / NATEZIR & SeHAETTLR CALL. ] teachers eighteen years ago, and this year we must set a new standard. “Besldes our patriotic songs and ‘Dixie,’ because many of our visitors come from the South, we shall sing ‘Gloria, California,’ a splendid hymn that the children love, and Will Carle- ton’s ‘Dear Old Hills of California.’ “Of course, not everything is qecided —~it is too early to begin rehearsals— but we do want to have the children take part in the exercises on Burbank day. Burbank loves children as much as he does his wonderful plants, and it will be an event worth while for the pupils to see him and hear him speak. “A great deal of work? Oh, yes, but that is what we are for, and it isn't as hard as you think. Come to see one of our rehearsals and you will un- derstand.” I am going to remind her of that invitation, though I know in advance the miracle that will be performed— how the confident enthusiasm of one small woman will inspire three thou- gand children to music that shall be meaningtul The prominence given to music—a department that was not recognized un- til the assoclation was thirty years old—will not be the only departure from purely academic discussions. District Attorney Langdon, who as Superintendent of the city schools was largely instrumental in securing the convention for San Francisco, says that due consideration will be given to [ T N UWELALNSON TREASURER the question of salaries, to the matter of tenure of office and to a plan of re- tirement from service on pension, all of which influence directly, the present- ment of the three R's once held to be the teacher's only concern. ‘““To be sure,” says Mr. Langdon, “con- ditions differ so that no two delegations will consideér these matters in, just the same way, the common interest is strong and so much has been won concerted effort we do not need to value of harmony. are firmly protected agaiast political disturbance by tenure of office, w thé courts have held is guar- anteed them by the charter, but they not the less' concerned In the desire their ssional brothers and sis- protection. tted the country over that aid to grade teachers are 1 offset to this de- nent of & pension mere ft the natfor Pre ficieney would s: committe 1 body has ma; nd its of the vital fea- .*" There dif- pinic to the amount of at would be fair and the length t should entitle the teacher but these differe can d. applied he members of bot artments are against hardship in their old age, and It seems to me even more important that the teachers should be protected. “One of the first results of such a pro- vision will be the return ‘'of men to:the profession, and I am just old-fashioned enough to believe that the schools would be benefited thereby, particularly the boys’ schools. “‘As it 18 now men are giving less and less attentiqp to the work. The salaries paid are not large enough to enable the teacher to save anything, and reasonable thought for his family compels him to follow liffes in which he can be assured of a better future. “‘Our own normal school has not a man in attendance and the one at San Jose, with its enrollment of 500, has but eight or nine men. It used to be the complaint that men made of school teaching a step- ping-stone to the law, or medicine, or business, but now they don’t even enter th’p ‘work. “Given a salary list based on present day costs, protection from arbitrary changes due political shifts, and a just provision for retirement, we may expect advances that will be impossible under less favorable conditions. *“The subject of school administration is important, too—perhaps nothing the assoclation will consider is more impor- tant. “Where the duties and responsibilities of the superintendent are not distin- guished from those of the Board of Bdu- cation there is possible an overlapping ot QL TEACHETS AND THEIR ORGANIZATION > authority that may easily lead to frie- tion. Even If harmo i3 maintained der these conditions e waste of effort due to uncertainty fs enough to ple: or correction. “Now & ruling by the most distin- guished educators in the country tha the. supefintendent' belongs tration of affairs agement, the Beard concerned with the would be important and effect! though the assoctation is without ity or inclination to make its o binding. 'he whole scheme the may be characterized as a education carried A by the teache among themselves aut sugs am control of this ma issue and one whic tional Assoctation consider “Competittve or profession tn colleges and secon another problem—par mseribed football thoughtful person is co the assoclation’s action regarding it will affect the entire country. “A bill to recharter the-N. E. A. under act of Congress is expected to pass both houses, since there Is no possible oppe- sition to it, and as it will operate to place the association more strongly on its feet than ever, the future policy will come up for outline at this meeting. “Altogether It will prove the most im- portant gathering {n the history of the assoclation, for the teachers and the pub- lie too.” To Mr. Roncovier! it appears that the convention will not consider any matter of more importance than the proposed re- form of our spelling. “It has been discussed far more years than I can say, this simplifying of some of our words.” comments the Superinten- dent of Schools, “and I am of the opinion that some definite recommendation may be made at the coming meeting. “At Louisville this spring the Depart- ment of Superintendence considered a Hst of twelve words submitted by Dr. Andrews of Nebraska University, and finally concluded to ask the N. E. A to urge their adoption. . These words are: ‘Bisness’ for business, ‘enuf® for enough, ‘fether’ for feather, ‘mesure’ for measure, ‘plesure’ for pleasure, ‘red’ for read, ‘ruf’ for rough, ‘trauf’ for trough, ‘thru’ for through, ‘tuf’ for tough, ‘tung’ for tongue, ‘yung’ for young. “A radical change of this kind must not be undertaken in a hurry. If the asso- ciation finds it advisable to recommend the reform, and the mnewspapers and schools adopt the new words, they will become a part of our language soomer than one might think possible. For this very reason we don’t want to make a mistake. ““There is probably not a phase of school life nor of the teacher’s life and relation to the world as a citizen but will be con- sidered in the week the national organiza- tion is in sessfon.” And this is the opinion of President Schaeffer, who says in a letter from Har- risburg, Pa.: “We shall hear ffom all sections of the United States, and shall discuss problems which have to do with- the teacher in his various functions and relations to our modern lite.”