EDUCATION 



1953 



EDUCATION 



ciations sent out a call for a general association 

 to "advance the dignity, respectability and 

 usefulness" of the teaching profession and the 

 science of education, "by distributing among 

 all the accumulated experience of all." 



With so general an aim the association grew 

 but slowly, and it was not until 1870, when it 

 began to divide into departments and to spe- 

 cialize, that growth became rapid. This spe- 

 cialization made the organization much less 

 unwieldy and increased its usefulness. The 

 association includes the National Council, an 

 advisory body of 120 members, the Department 

 of Superintendents, and eighteen other depart- 

 ments, covering practically every phase of edu- 

 cational work. Excepting those of the Depart- 

 ment of Superintendents, the annual meetings 

 of these departments occur at the time of the 

 annual meeting of the association, which is 

 usually held the first week in July. The De- 

 partment of Superintendents includes in its 

 membership all the leading, educators of the 



country. It holds its regular meeting the last 

 week in February or the first week in March, 

 and most of the other departments hold special 

 meetings at the same time and place. 



An Annual Report, a comprehensive account 

 of the work accomplished, is also issued. This 

 report records some of the most important 

 educational advances and discoveries which are 

 being made. Some of the reports which have 

 promoted much discussion and have had far- 

 reaching effects are an investigation and report 

 on the secondary school course (1892) ; on ele- 

 mentary schools (1895); on rural schools 

 (1897); on college entrance requirements 

 (1899);- and on teachers' salaries (1913 and 

 1914). 



There are about 10,000 active members of the 

 association, but a great many more than that 

 number attend the annual July meetings, for 

 the larger proportion consists of associate mem- 

 bers, who are permitted to attend meetings but 

 may not hold office. A.C. 



Education for the Home 



The difficulties and trials of wives and 

 mothers in remote rural -districts, far from post 

 office, school or library, for years have been 

 the special problem of the United States Bu- 

 reau of Education. Pathetic appeals for help 

 in the care and education of their children, 

 sent by thousands of women throughout the 

 country, have brought vividly before the offi- 

 cials of the Bureau the need for a special de- 

 partment to take care of these isolated moth- 

 ers. Accordingly, a home-education division 

 has been organized in the Bureau. The objects 

 of this branch of the work are stated as follows 

 in a recent bulletin: 



To help parents in the home education of their 

 children with reference to health, games and 

 play, early mental development and formation 

 of moral habits ; to interest boys and girls who 

 have left school and are still at home, by direct- 

 ing 1 their home reading and study, and to further 

 the education of the parents in the home. 



In the hope of reaching as many homes as 

 possible, the Bureau cooperates with the Na- 

 tional Congress of Mothers and Parent-Teacher 

 Associations (which see). County superin- 



tendents were asked to furnish names of women 

 in their communities on whom the Bureau 

 could rely for aid in securing mailing lists; in 

 this way, and through other channels, the 

 Bureau obtained the names of about 40,000 

 women who desired help in the care and home 

 training of children. This number will, of 

 course, be constantly increased. Assistance is 

 given through the medium of helpful bulletins 

 on "home matters" for example, material for 

 home study, literature on moral training, plans 

 for reading courses and suggestions for organ- 

 izing sewing and cooking classes and parent- 

 teacher associations. In some states efforts arc 

 being made to reach isolated people by means 

 of traveling libraries and similar agencies, but 

 these do not usually meet the needs of mothers 

 who are trying to train their children according 

 to sound principles of development. To these 

 women the home-education division is a timely 

 and special aid, and with their help must be- 

 come valuable. See PARENT-TEACHES ASSOCIA- 

 TIONS. See subtitle below, United Statin Bu- 

 reau of Education. B.M.W. 



United States Bureau of Education 



This Bureau in the Interior Department was 

 created by Congress in 1868 to gather and dis- 

 tribute information on education. Owing to 

 the strong objection by Congress and the states 

 123 



to any interference with the state educational 

 systems by the national government, the work 

 of the Bureau has always been of an advisory 

 nature. The chief officer has the title of Com- 



