Parents, Teachers

The faith of the age is in congresses and mass action. Last week, the National Parent-Teacher Assocition mobilized in Austin, Tex., for its 29th annual congress. Mrs. Drury W. Cooper of Montclair, N. J., national chairman of membership, reported that the Association's roll had reached 875,000. She presented the Louisiana delegation with a banner for increasing its membership 274% in the past year.

Some of the good works which preceptors and progenitors had in store for the rising generation:

Cabinet Post. It has long been the firm conviction of the Association that the educational affairs of the Nation should be elevated from their present status as a subsidiary interest of the U. S. Department of the Interior* and given into the hands of a U. S. Secretary of Education, a new (eleventh) member of the President's cabinet.f Those who propose this innovation declare that the administrative functions of the new-Department need in no way infringe upon the educational rights of individual states. They tell people who oppose it that their opposition arises from blindness to the blessings of Federal assistance. They predict bigger and better national education weeks, governmental eradication of illiteracy, substitution of the well-equipped district school (perhaps with motor transport for distant pupils) for the ill-equipped "little red schoolhouse." The dissenters are commonly said to be persons interested in private and parochial schools, persons suspicious of Federal "red tape," persons who believe that the various state educational departments are capable of performing their duties without increased Federal supervision and advice.

Various bills directing and empowering the President to establish the U. S. Department of Education have at various times awaited the pleasure of the U. S. Congress. Whenever the National Congress of Parents and Teachers foregathers (TIME, May 19, 1924), it expresses hope and confidence that one of these will soon become the law. Of the present bill the reformers are more sanguine than ever because it contains no provision, so hateful to states righters, for Federal School aid in financial form.

Policewomen. The parents and teachers declared themselves abettors of all legislation leading to the substitution of policewomen for policemen in handling female delinquents.

Child Study. A national program of child study, as outlined by Dr. M. V. O'Shea of Wisconsin University and some distinguished colleagues, as sponsored and boosted by the International Rotary and Kiwanis Clubs and promoted by the Children's Foundation (Manhattan), was endorsed.

Seats. "If the Parent-Teacher Association should do nothing but provide more comfortable seats [hygienic, adjustable] for the school children of the Nation, it would more than justify its existence."--Mrs. B. F. Langivorthy, Winnetka, Ill., the Association's Vice President.

Humanization. "In thinking of fine equipment and the 'most advanced teaching methods, we must not lose sight of the all-important factor, the individual child."--Dr. F. D. Slut.':, Dayton, Ohio.

Hobbies. Leisure, fast becoming a surplus commodity, must be consumed. A plan: invite owners of hobbies to demonstrate them to school children.--Mrs. Cornelia James Cannon, Cambridge, Mass.

"Better Films." The parents and teachers were exhorted to obtain more acceptable cinema programs in their communities by fighting the producer's practice of "block booking" (leasing a vulgar picture with one of merit to sell the former), by combatting lurid advertising, Informing "better films" committees and reporting on all releases. "Motion picture producers . . . insist that the public prefers the indecent to the decent film. We want to show these producers. . . ." Mrs. Morey V. Kerns. Philadelphia.

Home Play. "The family that plays together, stays together."--John Bradford, Playground and Recreation Association of America.

General. Other speeches and resolutions supported: The World Court, Disarmament, codification of International Law, "some lasting organization of nations," the Volstead Act, the Child Labor Amendment, Federal aid for physical education, loans to opium-growing countries to stimulate growth of other crops. Attacked: "all rodeos and Wild West shows," illiteracy, selfish interpretations of "democracy."