Pamphlet concerning a declaration made by the National Educational Association at the forty-third annual convention

Carr, John W.

Downing, Augustus S.

Fruchte, Amelia C.

Gillan, S. Y.

Haley, Margaret A.

McIver, Charles D.

Smith, Anna Tolman

English

DigitalCommons@USU

Utah State University DigitalCommons@USU Reports of the Secretary to the President Student Affairs President’s Correspondence, 1900-1907 William J. Kerr 7-1-1904 Report of the Committee on Resolutions- Declaration Charles D. McIver Committee on Resolutions John W. Carr Committee on Resolutions Amelia C. Fruchte Committee on Resolutions Margaret A. Haley Committee on Resolutions Anna Tolman Smith Committee on Resolutions Augustus S. Downing Committee on Resolutions See next page for additional authors Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/kerr_reports Recommended Citation William Kerr papers, University Archive, 03p01s04d02Bx002Fd14 (National Education Association, 1902-1903) This National Education Association, 1902-1903 is brought to you for free and open access by the William J. Kerr at DigitalCommons@USU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Reports of the Secretary to the President Student Affairs President’s Correspondence, 1900-1907 by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@USU. For more information, please contact digitalcommons@usu.edu. Authors Charles D. McIver, John W. Carr, Amelia C. Fruchte, Margaret A. Haley, Anna Tolman Smith, Augustus S. Downing, and S. Y. Gillan This national education association, 1902-1903 is available at DigitalCommons@USU: https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/kerr_reports/191 REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON RESOLUTIONS -- DECLARATION -NATIONAL EDUCATIONAL ASSOCIATION FORTY-THIRD ANNUAL CONVENTION -~. LOUIS, MO. JUNE 27-JULY 1, 1904 I I I • I NATIONAL EDUCATIONAL ASSOCIATION ST. LOUIS, MO., JULY 1, 1904 The members of the National EducaHonal Association, as-sembled in their Forty-Third Annual Convention, make the following DECLARATION I. We cannot emphasize too often the educational creed .first promulgated more than a century ago that "Religion, morality and knowledge being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged." This declaration of the fathers must come to us now with newer and more solemn call when we remember that in many parts of our common country the fundamental questions of elemen-tary education-local taxation, consolidation of weak schools, rational supervision, proper rec(Jgnition of the teacher as an educator in the school system, school libraries, and well trained and well paid teachers-are still largely unsettled questions. 2. We would direct atteni£on, there.fore, to the necessity for a supervisor of ability and tact for every town, city, coun(y, and state system of public schools. Not only are leaders needed in this posi-tion who can appreciate and stimulate the best professional work, but qualities of popular leadership are also demanded to the end that all classes of people may be so aroused that every future citizen of the Republic may have the very best opportuniHes for training in social and civic e.fficiency. 3. The very nature of the teacher's task demands that that task be entrusted only to men and women of culture and if intellectual and moral force. Inadequate compensation for educational work drives many efficient workers from the school room and prevents many men and women of large ambition for service from entering the profession. It is creditable noither to the prefession nor to the general public that teachers ef our children, even though they can be secured, should be paid the paltry sum ij $300 a year, which is about the average annual salary of teachers thruout the country. 4. The Bureau of Education at Washington should be pre-served in its integrity, and the dignity of its position maintained and increased. It should receive at the hands ef our lawmakers such recognition and such appropriations as will enable it not only to employ all expert assistance necessary, but also to publish in con-venient and usable form the results of investigations/ thus mak-ing that department of our Government such a source of information and advice as will be most helpful to the people in con-ducting their campaigns of education. 5. We would emphasize the necessity for the development of public high schools wherever they can be supported properly, in order that the largest number possible of those who pass thru the elementary grades may have the advantage of broader training, and for the additional reason that the public elementary schools are taught largely by those who have no training beyond that given in the high schools. 6. As long as more than hal.f of our population is rural, the Rural School and its problems should receive the solicitous care of the National Educational Association. The Republic is vitally con-cerned in the educational development of every part of its territory. There must be no forgotten masses anywhere in our Union of States and Territories, nor in any one ef its dependencies. 7. We believe that merit and merit alone should determine the employment and retention of teachers, that, after due probation, tenure of qffice should be permanent during efficiency and good be-havior, and that promotions should be based on .fitness, experience, professional growth, and .fidelity to duty. We especially commend the efforts that are being made in many parts of the country whereby teachers, school qfficials, and the general public working· together for a common purpose are securing better salaries for teachers and devising a better system for conserving the rights and privileges of all and for improving the efficiency of the schools. 8. We declare further that, granted equal character and efficiency, and equally successful experience, women are equally entitled with men to the honors and emoluments of the profession of teaching·. 9. We advocate the enactment and rigid enforc ement of appro-priate laws relating to c!u'ld labor, such as w ill protect the m ental, moral and physical well-being o.f the child, and will be conducive to his educational development into American citizenship. IO. The responsibility for the success or failure c:f the schools rests wholly with the people and there.fore the public schools should be kept as near to the people as practicable j to this end we endorse the principle of popular local sel.f government in all school matters. I I. Since education is a matter of the highest public concern, our public school system should be fully and adequately supported by taxationj and tax laws should be honestly and rigidly enforced both as to assessment and collection. I 2. We congratulate and thank the management o.f the Louis-iana Purchase Exposition Jor giving education .first place in the scheme of classijication, for the location and grandeur of its building, and for the extent and arrangement of the educational exhibits. Such recognition of education is in harmony with the genius of our democracy and will stimulate interest in popular education thruout the world. j. Charles D. Mclver, of North Carolina, Chairman. John W. Carr, of Indiana. Committee Amelia C. Fruchte, of Missouri. on l Margaret A. Haley, of Illinois. Resoliitions Anna Tolman Smith, of District of Columbia. Augustus S. Downing, of New Ym·k. S. Y. Gillan, of Wisconsin. 

Report of the Committee on Resolutions- Declaration

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Report of the Committee on Resolutions- Declaration

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