OST boys and girls are headed for jobs that require little training. These youth need and want an invigorated education that relates to their everyday lives. So, as a matter of fact, do the youth who are bound for college or for the skilled occupations. For tomorrow all youth-however they earn their bread-will be struggling against the social, economic, and emotional tensions that headline modern life. All youth need instruction in human relations, civic obligations, consumer education, work experience, physical and emotional health, and international affairs. Such studies help smooth the continuing perplexities adults face in trying to be effective workers, citizens, and family members. Such studies face up to the de mands made upon all persons who would live whole and significant lives. Today the traditional curriculum of specialized courses frequently offers thin and unsatisfying fare. It must be reinforced. And for the majority of our youth-those who would stand to benefit most from a general education-the traditional curriculum is far below subsistence level. All over the Nation, boys and girls are protesting against the unrealistic offerings of the traditional curriculum in the only way they know: They are dropping out of school at an alarming rate. Only 45 Graduate Of every 100 youngsters who start to school, 45 stick long enough to graduate from high school. Investigations clearly show that the great majority of drop-outs leave school because they can. not see that education is getting them anywhere. What to do about this problem? Educational leaders have been concerned with possible solutions for the past generation. During the past 2 years leaders in both vocational and general education have made a fresh attack. A special Commission on Life Adjustment Education for Youth was organized to help crystallize the planning for Nation-wide action that could make educational offerings more attractive and meaningful to young people preparing to take their places in society as citizens, workers, and family members. Latest step toward action that could furnish helpful guides to school administrators and teachers desiring to serve to the fullest the young people at the secondary school level was the calling of a work conference on Life Adjustment Education. Eighty-three educators from 28 States, in addition to consultants and members of the Commission on Life Adjustment Education participated in this conference at Washington, D. C., in October. Galen Jones, Director, Division of Secondary Education, Office of Education, reviewed the work of the Commission. Superintendent Benjamin C. Willis, of Yonkers, N. Y., Commission Chairman, and Ward P. Beard, Assistant Director, Office of Education Division of Vocational Education, addressed the conference. Thirteen hours of working time were devoted to each of the nine problem areas which the conferees decided to consider: 2. How can citizens, parents, and community groups contribute to the successful development of the program? 3. What should be included in the curriculum? 4. What teaching techniques and materials are needed? 5. What kinds of organization and administration are essential to facilitate the program of Life Adjustment Education? 6. What special pre-service and in-service training will the teachers and administrators need? 7. How can guidance services be utilized? 8. What types of services can the following agencies provide: Commission on Life Adjustment Education, Office of Education; State Departments of Education; State steering committees; 1. How can a Life Adjustment Program be initiated in a given teacher-training institutions; and local administrators? school? 9. How can the program be evaluated? Robert S. Gilchrist, Assistant Superintendent of Schools, Minneapolis, Minn., and a panel of six high-school principals discussed at one of the seven general sessions of the conference the topic "Progress Which Has Been Made in Life Adjustment Education." Samuel P. McCutchen, New York University, discussed the topic "Lessons from the Eight-Year Study for Life Adjustment Project." Marcella Lawler, Teachers College, Columbia University, spoke on "Utilizing Significant Facts About Youth in Planning a Program of Life Adjustment Education." Galen Jones, Raymond Gregory, and Harry Jager, Office of Education, also directed general session discussions. The conference recommended that the Office of Education urge Chief State School Officers to take steps to stimulate within each State the development of Life Adjustment Education Programs. The Commission on Life Adjustment, meeting as a part of the conference, suggested the following criteria for schools that want to take part in the program. To become a cooperating school, evidence related to the following criteria should be presented to the State steering committee: 1. Guiding principles of Life Adjustment Education should be understood and accepted by the school's administration and staff. 2. A plan of action in accordance with these principles should be proposed by the school's administration and staff. 3. Willingness to change the school program-to adapt it to Life Adjustment Education goals should be expressed by the administration and staff of the school. 4. The community should be ready to accept changes in the school program toward Life Adjustment Education goals. 5. Necessary resources for carrying out the proposed plan of action for Life Adjustment Education can and will be made available by the school. S Health Education Pioneer Honored EVEN years ago James Frederick Rogers, M. D., Office of Education Consultant in Hygiene, retired from Federal Government service. For 21 years he had worked for the Government, first as a surgeon in the Office of Industrial Hygiene, Public Health Service, and later as a pioneer health education specialist on the Office of Education staff. His research and publications stimulated State and local health edu cation programs between World War I and World War II. His interest in an organization of State leaders in health and physical education led to the formation of the Society of State Directors of Health, Physical Education and Recreation. On behalf of this Society, Dr. Thomas C. Ferguson, Supervisor of Physical Education, State Department of Education, Baltimore, Md., on September 24 in the Federal Security Acting Commissioner of Education Rall I. Grigsby congratulates Dr. Rogers after presentation of citation. 1 Building, presented to Dr. Rogers a citation "in grateful recognition of inspiring leadership and outstanding service to our profession." Many of Dr. Rogers' publications are still available as authoritative reports in the health education field. Others are out of print but are still available for reference in school, college, or public libraries. Among his better known publications are the following: What Every Teacher Should Know About The Physical Condition of Her Pupils (104); Welfare of the Teacher (10¢); Physique of the School Child (54); Student Health Services in Institutions of Higher Education (10g); Instruction in Hygiene in Institutions of Higher Education (10¢); School Custodian (10¢); State-Wide Trends in School Hygiene and Physical Education; The Health of the Teacher (out of print); Safety and Health of the School ChildSurvey of Conditions (out of print); Physical Education in Institutions of Higher Education (out of print). Order from Superintendent of Documents. School Fire Drills From a bulletin which Milwaukee's Superintendent Lowell P. Goodrich sent to his State's principals and teachers in September, we learn, "The pamphlet 'School Fire Drills No. 103' issued by the U. S. Office of Education is enclosed. This pamphlet has been thoroughly checked by Deputy Chief Johnston, in charge of the Bureau of Fire Prevention and Protection, and he assures us it meets Milwaukee standards." The author of the Office of Education pamphlet "School Fire Drills" is Nelson E. Viles, school housing specialist. A What the States Require in "Education for Freedom' To preserve and perpetuate the ideals and principles of American democracy it is essential that they be understood. This publication, based upon research, brings to the school administrator, the teacher, or the layman an opportunity to further understand these ideals and principles. It presents a concise analysis and compilation of State laws which require instruction in schools concerning the Constitution of the United States, American history, and matters related to American freedom. -Oscar R. Ewing, Federal Security Administrator. YEAR AGO former Commissioner of Education John W. Studebaker, in addressing the convention of the National Council for the Social Studies at St. Louis, Mo., called for a step-up in high school social studies courses "to bring up young citizens who really understand and cherish American democracy, who are well informed and skillful in thwarting the purposes of totalitarians, and who understand and accept their responsibilities in today's shrinking and increasingly interdependent world." More recently, when General Dwight D. Eisenhower was installed as President of Columbia University, his forthright inaugural address called for liberal education in the school and university to strengthen democratic government and to preserve human freedom. He said, "I deeply believe that all of us must demand of our schools more emphasis on those fundamentals that make our free society what it is and that assure it boundless increase in the future if we comprehend and live by them." Statements such as these tend to stimulate review by schools and colleges of their educational offerings aimed at providing full understanding of the American way of life and what we must do to preserve it. Taking stock of progress made and planning steps toward further progress call for availability of basic information the type of which is presented in a newly-published bulletin of the Office of Education, "Education for Freedom as Provided by State Laws." This democracy education inventory handbook, prepared by Ward W. Keesecker, Specialist in School Legislation, answers such questions as, How many States require instruction on United States history? Do all States require teaching concerning the United States Constitution? What are the provisions in State laws governing the use of the American flag in public schools? SCHOOL LIFE offers the following review of Dr. Keesecker's publication. Review Dr. Keesecker points out that his study "is limited to a summary analysis and compilation of State laws which provide for instruction in American history; the ideals and principles of American government, including Federal and State constitutions; and for the teaching of patriotism." He says, "the term 'education for freedom' denotes the objective of those laws which provide that the history and the ideals and principles of our form of government be taught, that our system of government be understood, that its characteristics be explained, and that some comparisons be made with other systems. It means imbuing the mind with the knowledge of our government and a devotion to its principles.' "The heritage of American youth includes a thorough understanding of the ideals and principles of American constitutional government so that he may become an intelligent, loyal and devoted citizen," says Dr. Keesecker. "He should know the facts of history-that our Federal and State Governments have doubtless provided more human rights, to more people, and over a longer period of time, than has any other system of government yet established. He should also know the verdict of history regarding other systems of government. Regarding instruction concerning the history and systems of other governments, Dr. Keesecker indicates that "it is of course vital that a pupil should have the freedom to learn and to be inquisitive about various forms and philosophies of government. That freedom, however, ought not to be construed and applied so as to deny or abridge the right of pupils to full benefit of history in the development of the principles of American liberty." On this subject he quotes George Washington: "We ought to deprecate the hazard attending ardent and susceptible minds from being too strongly and too early prepossessed in favor of other political systems before they are capable of appreciating their own." "To educate for the preservation of American principles of freedom is the antithesis of indoctrination as it exists under totalitarian governments. Instruction in these principles of freedom tends to keep the power in the hands of the people, which is the reverse of totalitarianism," Dr. Keesecker says. History. The analysis made by the Office of Education of State laws reveals that at least three-fourths of the States require the teaching of United States history in public elementary and secondary schools. While many of the States give considerable discretion as to content of such history courses, several States, including Arkansas, Illinois, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Oregon, To teach youth the ideals and principles Director School Administration Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington, give specific provision in the law as to the time, content and purpose of United States history instruction. Excerpts from the principal provisions of State statutes requir ing instruction on United States history, the Constitution, ideals and principles of American government, and patriotism, appear in the Office of Education publication. The Constitution.-All States, except Kentucky, Maryland, Texas, and Vermont have statutes which require instruction in elementary schools concerning the Constitution, according to Dr. Keesecker. All States, except Kentucky and Maryland, by law require such instruction in high schools. Many States which do not have statutory requirements provide for teaching on the Constitution by State department regulation or course of study. A majority of the States, according to the Office of Education, have deemed it appropriate to determine somewhat specifically what must be done with respect to the teaching of the Constitution of the United States. The American Flag.-Digests of State laws governing the use of the flag in public schools, as well as those requiring observance of special days in public schools, are offered in the new Office of Education pub- the flag. Fifteen States require Flag Day observance or flag exercises in public schools, and about half of the States require instruction relating to the flag. Copies of the Office of Education publication, "Education for Freedom-As Provided by State Laws," Bulletin 1948 No. 11, are available from the Superintendent of Documents, U. S. Government Printing Office, Washington 25, D. C. The single copy price is 20 cents. Appreciating Good Teachers THIS ARTICLE, by G. Kerry Smith, Chief, Information and Publications Service, Office of Education, may serve as a stimulus for State and local action in efforts to enhance the prestige of teaching and to recruit able teachers. SCHOOL LIFE welcomes reports of "teacher appreciation" and teacher recruitment activities which will be shared with all SCHOOL LIFE readers. M Whatever the form of organization for ANY FINE boys and girls who should local and State groups of lay and profes SCHOOL LIFE is interested in making a more complete checklist of such suggestions. If you have ideas that might be helpful or if you know of activities that have been successfully carried out, SCHOOL LIFE would be pleased to hear from you. Many communities already have in exist. ence a citizens committee on education, made up of representatives of business, including editors of newspapers and directors of radio stations; and representatives of women's clubs, civic and service organizations, farm, labor, PTA, veterans, and other groups. If your community has such a citizens education committee, ask it to sponsor "appreciation projects." If not, ask people in whom the community has confidence to assume responsibility for organizing and serving on a committee. Choose these nuclear people carefully and emphasize the importance of their selecting an able and well-balanced group to round out the committee. 1. A series of short articles or interviews by the president of the local chamber of 3. A series by teachers on "Why I like 4. Another series by teachers on "How I 5. A series by parents with the general theme: "What the school is doing for my children." 6. Human interest stories on well-known teachers. Other Community Activities 1. Ask local merchants, banks, and business houses to use the ads prepared by the Advertising Council or to have their own ads prepared on such themes as: What qualities do you want in your child's teacher? Which of your teachers do you remember best? What are the challenges of teaching? ers. 2. Arrange occasions for honoring teachDon't always wait until a teacher retires to say "thank you" for some significant achievement. The simplest plan is to have a dinner given by a civic or service organization or by a citizens' committee on education. One community invited a much-loved teacher to participate in the laying of the cornerstone of a new building. Some chamber of commerce groups give receptions for new teachers. It might be appropriate for a university to award an honorary degree to a teacher who has achieved unusual distinction. The mayor of one city proclaimed a day in honor of a school teacher who had spent 55 years in the profession. A scroll of appreciation and gifts donated by local merchants were presented in a special cere mony. 3. A 1948 film, "School House in the Red," 42 minutes, 16 mm, color, available from most State departments of education and the Kellogg Foundation, presents a contrast of modern and older patterns of education. It might serve as a general background for a discussion of the varied types of abilities needed in the teaching profession. 4. One chamber of commerce committee on education appropriated $50 for a supply of materials on the teaching profession to be circulated among high school students. 5. Quiz-type radio programs might be arranged to bring out the beliefs of those questioned on what they want the schools to do and the kinds of teachers schools should seek to employ. 6. Provide a scholarship fund for future teachers in case the need is not covered by State or other sources. |