1. The problem of elementary education is the most important problem with which the state must deal. The progress and happiness of a people are in direct ratio to the universality of education. A free people must be developed by free schools. History records that the stability of a nation depends upon the virtue and intelligence of the individuals composing the nation. To provide for the universal education of youth is the duty of every state in the union. All the residents of the territory under the direct control of the general government, including the Indian Territory, Alaska, and our new possessions, must receive the benefits of free education at the hands of the government. We note with satisfaction the steps that have been taken by the present administration to place the blessings of American free schools within the reach of all the children of all the peoples under our flag.

2. The Bureau of Education, under the direction of William T. Harris, Commissioner of Education, has rendered invaluable service to the cause of education thruout the United States. It is the judgment of this association that the powers of this bureau should be greatly enlarged, and that the general direction of public education in all the territory of the United States not under state control, including our new possessions, should be part of the duties of the bureau. In no other way can the general government so quickly, economically, intelligently, and safely carry the benefits of popular education to the peoples for whose education it is immediately responsible.

3. We reiterate the statement that the public school should be the center of the educational life of the community in which it is located. Especially should this be true in rural districts. Here should be found the public library for the use of all; here the educational extension courses should draw the old and the young; here may literary and social meetings be held which will tend to uplift the mental, social, and spiritual life of the people. Freed from the ravenous influence of partisan politics, untouched by the narrowness of rigid sectarianism, the public school should become the real center of the broader intellectual life, the educator of men and women beyond the school age, as well as the guide of childhood and youth.

4. The subjects that may properly be taught in elementary schools include those that bear upon the ethical, physical, and aesthetic nature of the child, as well as his purely intellectual nature. Sober, industrious, intelligent, honest, cultured citizenship should be the result of public-school training in the United States.

5. Our system of education will not be wholly free until every grade of school, from the kindergarten to and including the university, shall be open to every boy and girl of our country.

6. The liberality of men of wealth in making large donations to institutions of learning is to be strongly commended and encouraged. At the same time it should be borne in mind that popular education rests upon the people and should look to them for its chief support and control. The relation between state and local support should be so adjusted that communities will maintain a deep and abiding interest in their schools.

7. The public school system of a state should be a unit from the kindergarten to and including the university, and all private institutions should endeavor to work in harmony with the ideals of public education so far as their special purpose will permit them. In order that public and private institutions of learning may more fully co-operate in the general work of education, the relation between these institutions should be more clearly defined than it is at the present time.

8. Legislation with respect to public education must not wait for public sentiment. It should lead public sentiment when necessary. Experience teaches that what people are compelled by law to do with respect to schools they readily learn to do without compulsion, but that they usually are slow to demand reforms which involve increased taxation. School legislation should, therefore, be under the general direction of educational experts.

9. The National Educational Association recognizes the principle that the child has

the same right to be protected by law from ignorance as from abuse, neglect, and hunger; and it therefore records with approval that many of the leading states of the union have compulsory-education laws upon their statute books.

10. While many cities have at least partly solved the problem of school supervision, in most rural communities the problem is almost wholly unsolved. Close, constant, expert supervision of schools in both city and country is imperatively demanded, not only on account of the large financial interests involved, but also on account of the supreme importance of the teacher's work and the lack of well-rounded preparation on the part of many teachers.

II. The National Educational Association watches with deep interest the solution of the problem of consolidating rural schools and transporting pupils at public expense, now attempted in many of our states. We believe that this movement will lead to the establishment of township and county high schools, and thus bring more advanced education to rural communities. We also believe that supplementary state support of rural high schools is in the highest interest of the entire state.

12. The state should support and control institutions whose object is the preparation of teachers for the public schools. Normal schools free to persons preparing to teach are an absolute necessity in a perfected system of education.

13. No one should be placed in charge of a school who has not been previously trained for the work of teaching. The plan of issuing teachers' certificates of low grade year after year is at best a makeshift and should be discontinued whenever the state is sufficiently advanced in education to warrant its discontinuance. There should be a limit to the length of time a person can serve as an apprentice in the vocation of teaching.

14. We believe that the standards for school architecture, including the proper seating, heating, lighting, ventilation, and ornamentation of school buildings, should be as definite as the standards for teaching. The law should fix the dimensions and all other requirements of school buildings, as well as the size and character of school grounds.

15. The National Educational Association declares in the preamble to its constitution that its objects are "to elevate the character and advance the interests of the profession of teaching, and to promote the cause of popular education in the United States," and we again promise that the best efforts of this association and its members shall be given to the furtherance of these objects, in the firm conviction that in no place can we serve our country better than in her schools.

E. ORAM LYTE, of Pennsylvania, Chairman;
JOSEPH SWAIN, of Indiana;

WM. O. THOMPSON, of Ohio;

L. E. WOLFE, of Kansas;

W. T. CARRINGTON, of Missouri;

WM. F. KING, of Iowa;

ROBERT B. FULTON, of Mississippi;

LIVINGSTON C. LORD, of Illinois;

Committee.

CHAIRMAN LYTE.—I am instructed by the committee to offer the following: Resolved, That the thanks of the National Educational Association are due, and are hereby most cordially tendered, to the residents of this beautiful city, whose openhearted, refined hospitality will long be remembered; to the newspapers, that have fully recorded the proceedings of the association from day to day; to the railroads and other transportation companies, whose hearty and well-directed co-operation in bringing the large membership to this city was essential to the success of this meeting; to the proprietors of the Remington Standard Typewriter, and their skilled representative, Miss

Orr, whose expert service was at the command of the officers of the association; and to the educators of the city and state, who have so successfully borne the burden of preparing for the great body of teachers and friends of education that have assembled here this week. The association desires to refer particularly to the services of Hon. James E. Scripps, chairman of the General Local Committee, and his associates; to Professor Oliver G. Frederick, chairman of the Executive Committee, and his associates; to the various department committees; to Professor W. C. Martindale, superintendent of schools of Detroit; to the teachers and members of the board of education; and to all others who have co-operated with them in making arrangements for this meeting and in carrying their carefully prepared plans to successful completion.

On motion, the resolution was adopted by a unanimous vote. Chairman Lyte then, on behalf of the Committee on Resolutions, offered the following resolution, which was, upon motion put by the Secretary, unanimously adopted:

Resolved, That we hereby convey to the retiring President, Dr. J. M. Green, of New Jersey, and to the retiring Treasurer, Professor L. M. Greenlee, of Colorado, our cordial thanks for the eminent ability and unswerving devotion with which they have served the association.

Chairman Lyte then offered the following, which was adopted by the association, without dissent:

The National Educational Association notes with satisfaction that an international exposition is to be held in St. Louis, in 1903, commemorating the purchase of the great tract of land known as the Territory of Louisiana.

It is a matter of general information that the Congress of the United States has appropriated five millions of dollars in aid of this exposition, and has set aside an additional two hundred and fifty thousand dollars for a government building and exhibit. The people of Missouri have amended their constitution and have appropriated one million of dollars for the state's exhibit. The citizens and municipality of St. Louis have raised ten millions of dollars for the exposition. Preparations are now being rapidly pushed forward in all directions, and the success of the enterprise is fully assured.

Resolved, That the National Educational Association is in favor of uniting with the citizens of St. Louis and of the Louisiana Purchase in making an educational exhibit that will fitly commemorate the progress of the nation for the past hundred years.

President Green then spoke as follows:

When, one year ago, at Charleston, I accepted the presidency, I stated that the success of my administration would depend upon the support given me by the membership, and asked that the association do what it could in the interests of this meeting. To this request you have responded most heartily, and whatever has been our success has been due largely to that response.

The people of Detroit have proven themselves a hospitable people, and we have been made to feel at home among them. The local committees have been so well organized and so efficient that the machinery of managing our great numbers has moved without a jar. We all greatly appreciate the local contributions to our program, espe cially in the line of music.

I wish to acknowledge the valuable support of the Executive Committee of the association, and of the heads of the different departments, in developing the programs, as well as to express my thanks to the individuals who have taken part in these programs. It now becomes my pleasant duty to present to you the President-elect. Dr. W. M. Beardshear, did I not know your personal qualifications as I do, the fact that this association has unanimously chosen you to preside over it would be to me a sufficient voucher of your ability. But my acquaintance with your qualities leads me to believe that you are the right man in the right place. May God prosper you, and make you an instrument, thru the National Educational Association, of greatly promoting the education of the children of our beloved land.

In response, President-elect Beardshear said:

Mr. President and Members of the National Educational Association:

The lateness of the hour forbids words from me at this time. My deep appreciation of the great honor you have bestowed upon me has already been expressed. In any event, it is not a time for words, but for action. I bespeak the united effort of you all for a great convention in 1902.

After the benediction, President Green declared the Fortieth Annual Convention of the National Educational Association adjourned.

IRWIN SHEPARD, Secretary.

MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE BOARD OF

DIRECTORS FOR 1900-1901

DETROIT, MICH.-TUESDAY, JULY 9, 1901

The annual meeting of the Board of Directors was called to order in Temple Beth El at 12 M. by President James M. Green.

The following directors responded to roll-call:

James M. Green, New Jersey; Lewis C. Greenlee, Colorado; Albert G. Lane, Illinois; William T. Harris, District of Columbia; Board of Education, Nashville, Tenn.; Nicholas Murray Butler, New York; Newton C. Dougherty, Illinois; Aaron Gove, Colorado; J. M. Greenwood, Missouri; E. Oram Lyte, Pennsylvania; F. Louis Soldan, Missouri; Teachers' Institute, Pennsylvania; John S. Locke, Maine; Frank A. Fitzpatrick, Massachusetts; Charles H. Keyes, Connecticut; A. S. Downing, New York; M. B. Stephens, Maryland; George J. Ramsey, Virginia; Miss Clem Hampton, Florida; McHenry Rhoads, Kentucky; M. M. Ross, Tennessee; William M. Slaton, Georgia; John W. Abercrombie, Alabama; J. M. Fendley, Texas; N. H. Chaney, Ohio; T. A. Mott, Indiana; J. H. Collins, Illinois; D. W. Springer, Michigan; L. D. Harvey, Wisconsin; W. M. Beardshear, Iowa; C. M. Jordan, Minnesota; W. T. Carrington, Missouri; E. E. Collins, South Dakota; C. G. Pearse, Nebraska; Frank R. Dyer, Kansas; Miss Estelle Reel, Wyoming; H. S. Philips, Colorado; Mrs. E. R. Jackson, New Mexico; E. D. Ressler, Oregon; Irwin Shepard, Minnesota.

Number of directors present, forty.

On motion, the reading of the minutes of the previous meeting, held at Charleston, S. C., July 12, 1900, was omitted, and the minutes were approved as printed in the annual volume of proceedings of the Charleston meeting.

The annual report of the Treasurer was presented by L. C. Greenlee, of Colorado, in printed form, and copies were distributed to the directors present.

On motion, the reading of the full report was omitted, with the suggestion that questions be asked by the directors as they might desire.

In response to a question by Director Lyte, of Pennsylvania, the Treasurer explained the entries, showing that, contrary to the general expectation, the proceeds of the Charleston meeting had paid all the expenses of the year, leaving a net balance of $316.37, which, added to the balance of $3,796.67 received from the Los Angeles meeting, made a total balance in the treasury of $4,113.04.

Secretary Shepard called attention to the further fact that, in addition to meeting all the usual expenses of the year, an unusual expense of nearly $800 for accrued interest and premium on bonds purchased by the Board of Trustees had been met. While this was properly chargeable as an expense, it was in one sense an investment which would be returned to the Treasury. Were this taken into account, the real balance of receipts from the Charleston meeting over the actual expenses of the year (excluding the items referred to) was over $1,000.

On motion of Director Greenwood, of Missouri, the Treasurer's report was received and approved, and ordered printed in the proceedings.

Director A. G. Lane, chairman of the Board of Trustees, presented the financial report of that body. Printed copies of the report were distributed to the directors.

In explanation of the report CHAIRMAN Lane said: You will note that the report indicates the amount of the permanent fund July 1, 1900, as $88,000. There have been no additions to the permanent fund during the year. The investments, however, have changed somewhat. The investments in Kansas bonds have been reduced $3,790 by the payment of matured bonds. Those that are indicated as delinquent became so, with one