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HE POWER of the National Education Association to carry forward the torch of universal public education depends upon its allinclusiveness. America is divided more or less into class groups. Public education knows no class groups. America has diverse races. Public education is no respecter of races. America has many religions. Public education ministers equally to them all. Our economic and social life have been many times divided and subdivided by the specializing processes of our time. In the eyes of the great basic public school and public library every member of our varied society is equal-a liability if not grounded in the stabilizing elements of

our

common culture; an incalculable asset if his life is well-rooted in this common culture and quickened by the spark of inspiration into larger initiative and originality.

Education is therefore the basis of our social pyramid, and the individual teachers may be thought of as the foundation stones upon which the vast structure is erected. If the individual teacher is sound in life and training and ideals, every life that touches his is thereby sounder. If the individual teacher is soft and weak, the whole structure is thereby weakened. It is fitting then that those who seek to improve education endeavor to reach the rank and file of teachers. They know that the social standing of the teacher is of high importance. Large appreciation of teaching by the general public is needed to attract the best young men and women into the profession. They know that training is necessary. The frontiers of childhood must be held by safe guides equipped with the keenest tools that the science of education can supply. They know that tenure is important. Fear and uncertainty must not drain off energy that should go to the vital work of teaching. They know that pensions are important. Teachers must give themselves wholly to their work during the active years with full assurance that society will not neglect them in old

The Classroom Element

age or force them to remain on the firing line when the time for retirement has

come.

A generation ago the rank and file of teachers did not see these things as they do now. Even those who were looked to for leadership often lacked the vision. Professional organizations were small.

O

VER half a million children are in school part time for lack of room in school buildings. In many other respects millions of children are denied an equal chance for lack of public support. Thousands of teachers are pushed against the wall, struggling at low salaries and under unfavorable conditions. The individual teacher working alone can do little to remedy this situation, but many teachers pulling shoulder to shoulder in local, State, and National associations can secure the adoption of remedial measures. There never was a greater challenge to the 700,000 teachers of the Nation than now.

They worked under many limitations. The philosophy of teaching and educational administration that are bearing fruit in our day were then in their infancy. It is not surprising that the rank and file had not then been awakened to their professional duties and opportunities. The spirit of democracy and the appetite for service, which are now such powerful forces in the lives of increasing numbers of men and women, were then less prevalent and compelling. People were more inclined to work alone. They had not then sensed, as now, the joy and the infinite resources of common action guided by high motives. How rapidly the leaven of this new spirit in our life will lift educa

tional workers to higher planes of professional coöperation we cannot know, but the force of the movement is suggested by membership growth in the National Education Association from fewer than ten thousand to more than 130,000 in less than five years.

This great increase must of necessity have been among the rank and file— the classroom element. It is to that branch of the service that this articlethe fifth in the series on Our National Association-is given. Its point of view has been gleaned from many letters from teachers working in all sections of the country and in all branches of the service. Let it be said at the start that the Association's greatest service to the individual teacher will always be service shared in common by all other branches of the profession. While we consider the peculiar problems of special groups, let us bear in mind that the importance of the group is not measured by its size or field of activity, but by its service to childhood and to the profession.

When the Association seeks greater recognition of education by the public, every teacher profits. When it labors for improved training, securer tenure, higher salaries, sound pension systems, and more adequate financial support, the Association is rendering a service to the individual teacher. Services of this type during the last five years have been so substantial that were they adequately appreciated, every one of the Nation's seven hundred thousand teachers would be eager to enlist in the ranks of professional organization. The Association would be able to use for other purposes the money it now spends in seeking members. Members would seek the Association, determined to make their contribution and thus to share the common burdens and opportunities of its invaluable work.

Of the special services which the Association renders the classroom element as such, perhaps the greatest is the work of the Department of Classroom Teachers, which is leading in the movement to improve the professional status of the

teacher. Tremendous energy would come to the profession if teachers everywhere could live a vigorous professional life if there could be frequent professional and social contacts with fellow teachers; if there could be continuous consideration by teachers in every school and every community of the vital problems that spring from the day's work; if there could be more initiative and surer leadership among teachers by teachers. All of these things the Department of Classroom Teachers is helping to bring about.

It was organized in July, 1913, and reorganized under a new constitution at Boston, in July, 1922. Membership is open to all teachers who are members of the National Education Association. It holds annual meetings at the time of the Association's meetings in July of each year. It recognizes the worth of

all other organizations of classroom teachers and seeks to coöperate with them. It brings to the National Association the counsel of a select group of teachers who have demonstrated their devotion and capacity in the field of professional work.

The Department has announced the following aims: (1) To secure higher qualifications for teachers, (2) to assist administrators in school problems, (3) to improve economic and social conditions among teachers, (4) to promote, encourage, and assist local and State organizations of classroom teachers, (5) to maintain unity among all who are enlisted in educational service.

The Department of Classroom Teachers is represented at Association headquarters by Miss Agnes S. Winn,

director of the Division of Elementary School Service. Miss Winn came to headquarters on February 15, 1922, after winning wide recognition as a worker in classroom teachers' organizations and as a student of their problems. Her work since that time is well known by those who have been reached by her extensive correspondence, who have read her writings, or who have seen her work at the Association's annual meetings. In addition to her duties as advisory officer of the Department of Classroom Teachers, Miss Winn represents other departments and committees at headquarters, assists and advises in various other branches of work, and replies to numerous calls from the field for for special help. The professional movement among classroom teachers is still young. It has tremendous possibilities among every group of teachers. The very fact of great numbers suggests the opportunity before the elementary-school group. The rapid growth of secondary schools, the fact that secondary school teachers work with a selected group of youth, and the additional fact that specialization increases in this field-all these constitute a challenge to teachers in secondary schools to make their influence felt in professional organization and to develop greater unity among themselves.

The

brary workers who are truly teachers, and teachers in professional schools of every type also have a common opportunity in the National Education Association. The college teacher is working near the top of our educational pyramid and needs contact and sympathy with those who are laying the foundations. The library worker builds where the teacher leaves off. The teacher in the professional school-even the worker in the field of research-needs to be tied by bonds of professional organization to the great body of educational workers whose common task is to maintain the intellectual level of the whole people as high as possible in order that there may be health, efficiency, prosperity, and appreciation of the finer and more important things of life.

Our National Association is a common tie that binds us, inspires us, gives unity to our enterprises, makes our efforts count, enriches life with significance, lifts us to higher planes of enthusiasm and endeavor, and renders us true apostles of the Great Teacher who proclaimed the Gospel of Service. The classroom element, being the closest to growing life and being the most numerous element in the educational structure, has the most to gain and the most to organization. give in the great program of professional

fender of public education in America, is an inspiration to those who must do battle now in behalf of the same cause. This picture was painted by J. Harvey Young and presented to the Salem (Massachusetts) Normal School by the class of July, 1861.

large towns have continued to advance

HE JOURNAL'S annual survey THE of educational progress is of unusual interest this year because of the strong movement for tax reduction at any price. Letters were sent to three people in each of the States asking for brief statement-the State superintendent of public instruction, the secretary of the State education association, and the State Director of the National Education Association. The following replies are full of encouragement for the new year. They are also rich in suggestions for programs for State associations.

Alabama (1) The formulation and presentation to the Legislature of a unified building and maintenance program covering all phases of education. Though defeated, the projection of this program represented a forward step in the realization of an educational ideal. (2) The successful resistance of a reactionary element in the legislature that would have destroyed the educational machinery of our our State.-John W. Abercrombie, State superintendent of education, Montgomery.

Alabama's gain in such items of educational progress as length of term and attendance has been more than twice as great as the gains in purchasing power of school funds. Birmingham's bonus to all teachers attending meeting of National Education Association in San Francisco and taking a six weeks summer course in a university, has proved of more than local significance.-C. B. Glenn, superintendent of schools, Birmingham, and N. E. A. State director.

Arizona-Improvement through higher requirements for certificates, permanency of good salaries for teachers, and coöperation of parent-teachers association.-C. O. Case, State superintendent of public instruction, Phoenix.

Arkansas-The passage of a severance-tax act and a gross income-tax act with the revenues from both these acts to be placed in the common school fund. Through these acts, the State has assumed a greater responsibility for the education of the children of the State.A. B. Hill, State superintendent of public instruction, Little Rock, and Mr. H. L. Lambert, business manager of the Arkansas Educational Association, Little Rock.

California-The extension of school advantages in rural districts through rural supervision and improvement of

teachers in the service is our chief advance for the year. Over ninety per cent of our teachers have normal school or college training, but this is not in itself sufficient to enable them to meet the special problems of the rural school. Rural supervision has increased the efficiency of the rural school by helping and improving the rural teachers.-Will C. Wood, State superintendent of public instruction, Sacramento.

The overwhelming defeat in the State legislature of the Dozier Bill, which if passed would have removed every vestige of tenure for teachers from the State law. William P. Dunlevy, N. E. A. State director, San Diego.

In face of unprecedented growth in school attendance, antagonistic and reactionary forces and inadequate budget provisions, standards have been maintained and our educational program vindicated through supreme court decisions entirely in the interest of the schools. There has developed a solidarity of purpose amongst teachers and appreciative understanding on part of the people never before known.-Arthur H. Chamberlain, secretary, California Council of Education, San Francisco.

Colorado-Raising teachers' standards through the new certification law, which ultimately will mean a trained teacher in every school room; and greater unification of the educational forces through growing professional organizations.-H. B. Smith, N. E. A. State director, and secretary, Colorado Education Association, Denver.

Connecticut-The inauguration of a State-wide system of certification of teachers establishing minimum standards of academic and professional work.A. B. Meredith, commissioner of education, Hartford.

Many cities and towns have erected new school buildings to take up the shortage that has existed since the war. The schools were larger in 1923 than in any previous year and in most of the cities and towns of the State additional educational facilities are planned to meet the demand. The school year 1922-23 was notable as the first under the new law for the certification of teachers. No new teachers may be employed unless certified by the State authorities. An entirely new normal school plant is being built at New Britain to replace the present insufficient accommodations. All the cities and

ule adopted in the past three or four years.-Edward B. Sellew, superintendent of schools, Middletown.

Delaware-The maintenance of the principle of a uniform system of taxation upon real and personal property for the whole State as a unit, and the payment by the State for the entire cost of transportation of pupils to graded or consolidated schools.-H. V. Holloway, State superintendent of public instruction and N. E. A. State director, Dover.

Progressive building program planned and started. Marked increase in average attendance in rural schools. Active interest in State educational association to secure larger appropriation from legislature for public schools.-W. K. Yerger, secretary, Delaware State Teachers Association, Wilmington.

District of Columbia-The preparation of comprehensive courses of study for junior high schools including provision for the standardization of time allotments, programs, departmental teaching, supervised study, and extracurricular activities.-Frank W. Ballou, superintendent of schools, Washington, D. C.

The beginning of a comprehensive plan for putting into effect a coördinated, unifying system of schools on the 6-3-3 basis.-Harry English, N. E. A. State director, head of the Department of Mathematics, High Schools, Washington, D. C.

Preparation for extending the junior high school organization in the scholastic year 1923-24 by providing special courses for teachers in the graded schools, by erecting two new buildings. and providing for the conversion of two other buildings, with the result that the new school year opened with six junior high schools in operation-four white and two colored.-Adelaide Davis, secretary, District of Columbia Education Association, Washington, D. C.

Florida-The large increase in enrolment of the Florida Education Association, the employment of a full-time secretary, and the establishment of the Journal of the Florida Education Association.-W. S. Cawthon, State superintendent of public instruction, Tallahassee, and Agnes Ballard, N. E. A. State director, county superintendent of schools, West Palm Beach.

The uniting of teachers and citizens to secure a State survey to be followed with legislation. The increased millage for school purposes and the publication.