SCHOOL INTERESTS AND DUTIES

INTRODUCTION

IN education as in government, in literature, in science, and in every phase of human experience, we profit by looking backward as well as forward.

In every age there are men who stand forth in bold relief among their contemporaries, and leave their impress upon succeeding generations; there are occasions which, though perhaps little known at the time, become historic because of their influence upon the future; there are words of wisdom fitly spoken, which the people will not suffer to die, but to which they will often turn in succeeding years for suggestion, inspiration, and guidance. Such a man and such words are the inspiration of this volume.

In 1838, the ninth meeting of the American Institute of Instruction was held at Newburyport, Massachusetts. The Institute was the precursor of the National Educational Association. It was made up, for the most part, of men from the New England States. In these days of easy and quick travel, thousands of men and women of the rank and file of the army of teachers gather each year at the National meetings; at that time, only leaders undertook the journey to the place of conference. This meeting in Newburyport was attended by many men whose broad thinking and active efforts produced results of which we are gathering the

fruits to-day in better schools and better citizenship. Among them were Horace Mann and David Perkins Page.

Mr. Page was at this time in his twenty-eighth year, and was Principal of the English High School at Newburyport. He was already attracting attention by his ability as a teacher, and by his interest in his profession, and at this meeting he was honored with a prominent place on the programme of exercises.

His theme, which grew out of the experiences of his own teaching, was The Mutual Duties of Parents and Teachers. His address was a manly plea for coöperation. He placed matters in a new light. There is an old saying, "As is the teacher, so is the school." True as this is, there is another equally true: "As is the community, so is the school." The school is a safe index to the spirit and advancement of the people. It had been customary, and too often still is customary, to throw upon the teacher the entire responsibility for the shortcomings of the school. Mr. Page revealed to parents the fact that the teacher also has a side to present, and even insisted that parents might be called upon for explanations and apologies. He said that there was nowhere, at that time, the coöperation between citizens and teachers which is necessary to the life of the good school. The speaker called the attention of parents for the first time publicly to their duties toward the teachers, and enumerated what he conceived to be the mutual duties of each.

The address was heard with the greatest interest and enthusiasm. At its close, Horace Mann arose to commend it. He called it the greatest educational document ever read before the American Institute of Instruction. He went further, and declared it the greatest address on practical educational matters ever delivered before any body of educators. He measured it by its probable influence in bringing about the coöperation that was so much desired. He admired it for its insistent boldness. To-day it would not be remarka

ble for that quality, but in 1838 it was a remarkable address.

Its influence has fulfilled Mr. Mann's prediction. It has been a powerful agent in the advancement of the schools to their present position; and so long as there is need of coöperation in school work, the address should continue to live and exert its influence.

Mr. Mann recognized the value of giving it widespread attention, and moved, at the close of his remarks, that 5000 copies (a large number for those days) be printed and distributed by the Institute. The motion prevailed; and in the same year Ticknor, of Boston, published it. Only a few copies of the original pamphlet are now in existence. The copy from which extracts have been made for this book belongs to the daughter of Mr. Page.

Since the time of the Newburyport meeting, a new factor has come into prominence in school affairs. In nearly all the States, the educational affairs are administered by school boards, trustees, directors, or committeemen, as they are variously named. In the early times, the school affairs were governed directly by the citizens, acting in town meeting or in some other way, or the management of the school was the minor duty of another officer; but it is now almost universally the custom to give its care to officers chosen mainly for that purpose. Instead of its being a matter of coöperation between two parties, there are now three who must work together harmoniously and enthusiastically for the good of citizenship. To secure this coöperation where it does not exist, it is only necessary to point out its need and to suggest duties which may not be clear at first sight.

If the parties to this mutual understanding have been increased in so important a measure, the subjects with which they have to deal have been vastly extended, as well. The common purpose, common understanding, and cordial coöperation must be applied in our day to many phases of educational development which were unknown or little

considered in the time of Page. To present these to the consideration of teachers, school officers, and parents is but to carry out to their logical conclusion the all-important suggestions of Page's remarkable address.

This book has been prepared with a view to bringing down to the present date the doctrine of coöperation in school interests, with all that it implies of enlightened, harmonious, and effective work in the interests of popular education. This being its plan and purpose, the writer has drawn freely from all sources which have presented themselves. The progress of the cause of popular education is nowhere more clearly shown than in the discussions of our leading teachers and in the various special reports and manuals issued from time to time by school officials and State departments of education. The extracts from the works of Longfellow, Whittier, Lowell, Emerson, Holmes, Aldrich, Lucy Larcom, and Bryant are used by permission. of and special arrangement with the publishers, Messrs. Houghton, Mifflin & Co., and D. Appleton & Co.

Acknowledgments are due to Chancellor Payne of the University of Nashville for permission to use extracts from his works in the chapter on Teachers' Institutes; and to Commissioner Harris of the National Bureau of Education for the privilege of using material from the bulletins of the Bureau, especially in the chapters on School Architecture and School Hygiene.

As the work has been compiled with a special view to the needs of Teachers' Reading Circles, it is divided into parts corresponding to the months of the Reading Circle year and provided with Outlines of Reading Circle work.

INDIANAPOLIS, March, 1895,

R. M. K.