COMPARATIVE STATEMENT, BY COUNTIES, OF TEACHERS RECEIVING $800 OR MORE NUMBER RECEIVING $800 OR TOTAL NUMBER OF TEACH- MORE THE IMPROVEMENT OF TEACHERS AND SUPERVISION Our greatest problem is to discover and inaugurate better methods of classroom teaching in all schools from the kindergarten to the high school. The improvement of our teaching is, in my judgment, the foremost consideration for teachers and school administrators everywhere. It is true that the public will tolerate poor or inefficient teaching because the public-and the most intelligent public-has no way of ascertaining the enormous difference between a good school and a poor one. The greatest weakness of the schools is the self-satisfied teacher and the self-satisfied superintendent with reference to the kind of teaching that is done. Tradition has a very strong hold upon American teachers. And some of these traditions are unfortunate from the view of the progress of children. Children get more sound training in a given time in one school than they would in twice the time in another school. In schools of the latter type teachers are without the vision of what the children. might accomplish. Their standards are low and they are without knowledge of what good teaching really means. The Department has striven throughout the year, as it has in the past, to improve the quality of teaching and to improve the quality of the supervision in the State. Owing to the numerous changes in teachers, which are too common in New Jersey-and elsewhere as well-the work in this field is never done. The Department has encouraged the superintendents and helping teachers to hold numerous teachers' meetings. These meetings. have been beneficial. There have been probably five times as many meetings of teachers held in the State during the past year as were held formerly. The county institutes have been more productive of good results in teaching, as a result of the endeavor to make these institutes more worth while. We need a larger appropriation for these institutes so that they can be held in practically every,county in the State. As heretofore, the State was organized into three sections for superintendents' and principals' meetings, each of which was two days in length. Following is a program provided at one of these meetings. It is typical of the other two programs. There is so much testimony as to the value of these meetings that similar meetings will be held this coming year. THURSDAY, JANUARY 23 11:00 Address-Commissioner Kendall Discussion 12:00 Responsibilities of the High School of To-day-Dr. A. B. Meredith, Assistant Commissioner of Education Discussion W. F. Little, Rahway; E. D. Wagner, Pennington 2:15 Tangible and Helpful Results of War Work in Our Public Schools, and How They are to be Capitalized for the Future, as Illustrated in Long Branch Schools-Christopher Gregory Discussion Jesse Selover, Sayreville; J. W. Alexander, Hamilton 3:15 A Consistent Policy of Education as Determined or Affected by Recent World Events-Dr. George D. Strayer, President National Education Association Discussion-Ira Chapman, New Brunswick 4:15 What is Progress in School Supervision?-Dr. A. L. Johnson, Elizabeth Discussion-R. G. Sanford, Leonardo; Mrs. Sara B. Hernberg, Ocean County; W. A. Ackerman, Somerville 8:00 Measuring Pupil Achievement in Red Bank Schools-Paul R. Radcliffe Discussion-C. A. Deveney, Jamesburg; W. J. Bickett, Bernardsville 9:00 Address-Dr. Frederick Maroney, Director of Physical Training Discussion-R. J. Eilenberger, Clinton; S. E. Shull, Perth Amboy FRIDAY, JANUARY 24 9:00 Problem Teaching as Illustrated in Lambertville Schools-J. H. Herring Discussion—E. J. Nelson, Lakewood; L. D. Deyo, Roselle 10:00 Problem Supervision as Illustrated in Westfield Schools-C. A. Philhower Discussion-Miss Jennie Haver, Hunterdon County; D. F. Aungst, 11:00 Motivation—Z. E. Scott, Assistant Commissioner of Education Discussion-C. J. Strahan, Freehold; F. E. Spring, Highland Park PARENT-TEACHER ORGANIZATIONS The organization of parent-teacher associations, or similar organizations, has gone on in practically every part of the State. There are probably three hundred of these organizations in the State outside the large cities. And there are many similar city associations. The parent-teacher organizations have been beneficial to the schools of the State. They have as a rule assisted in creating a healthy public sentiment in the various communities and have been an asset in bringing about the improvement of school conditions. They have enlisted the sympathy, interest and support of many communities where these were lacking before. In many instances they have effected improvement of school conditions. They have been an influence in the securing and retention of good teachers. They have helped to increase teachers' salaries. They have brought about the supplying of schools with necessary equipment, such as books, phonographs, pictures, and physical training apparatus both indoors and outdoors. Not the least part of their usefulness has been the bringing together of fathers and mothers in the neighborhood and the creating of an interest in the community as a whole. The helping teachers, supervising principals, and county superintendents have borne abundant testimony as to the helpfulness of these organizations. I regard them as of great value to the New Jersey school system. In some counties there is a county organization which is composed of representatives of these parent-teacher associations, and which meets annually. There is also a State organization entitled "New Jersey Congress of Mothers and Parent-Teacher Associations," which has an annual meeting. Below are extracts from reports rendered to me by superintendents of schools and helping teachers, which show what some of these associations have accomplished. Our many local parent-teacher associations and the County Council have been very active during the year. I have attended several of their meetings, made suggestions and taken part in their discussions. In Camden County these associations are functioning quite effectively.—Superintendent Charles S. Albertson, Camden County. One of the big accomplishments of the past three years has been the awakening of the people of the county to the needs of their schools. Country people are beginning to see the value and necessity of cooperating more closely with school boards, teachers and community leaders. Teachers are beginning to see the value of securing assistance from the parents. Both teachers and parents are happier because of this new feeling of confidence, and the children profit mightily because of it. The parent-teacher associations have played a large part in creating this active and enlightened public sentiment in educational matters. At the present time there are fifteen very much alive parent-teacher associations in the northern part of the county. These associations held seventy-eight community meetings during the past year and raised $898.68 for school improvement. In July of this year a school community voted to build a two-room consolidated school at a cost of $10,000. This was a direct result of the work started in the first parent-teacher association organized three years ago in October. Among the results due to the combined work of the parents and the schools are the following: cooperating with school nurse, securing better heating arrangements for one school, assisting with hot lunches in seven schools, providing new window shades, purchasing flag and flag pole, creating sentiment in favor of new school furniture, purchasing new song books in two schools, securing sufficient seat work supplies, influencing school boards to purchase modern textbooks, providing individual towels and drinking cups, beautifying and grading school grounds, buying playground apparatus, purchasing framed pictures, paying $2 for State traveling library in three schools, raising $10 to be duplicated by State for school libraries in ten schools, buying paper cutter and hectograph for school, raising money for piano in two schools, raising money for phonograph in six schools, purchasing phonograph records and cabinet, assisting with Junior Red Cross, assisting with all war drives, encouraging work in school clubs, assisting with school entertainments, making costumes for school pageants, assisting with school festivals, providing lunch for children attending school festivals, influencing teachers to stay in their present positions, encouraging teachers to do better work.-Jennie M. Haver, Helping Teacher, Hunterdon County. Three years ago only those under contract to do so visited the rural schools. To-day the school is fast becoming the center of interest in a major part of our rural communities. Just as soon as a teacher developed to the point where her work was worthy of commendation and when she was ready to have a parent-teacher association in her school, Mr. Hoffman and I suggested that she |