T

HE American public school system, perhaps the greatest contribution America has given to civilization, is based primarily upon the faith and belief of the people that education of the masses is essential under a democratic form of government. The American people believe in education. During recent years our educational system has become more complex, and therefore it is more difficult for the layman to understand the nature of our educational work. Educational progress rests upon public support and understanding. In order that the people may keep in close touch with the school, administrators and school authorities employ various methods of school publicity.

The citizens of every community as well as the different communities themselves may be roughly divided into three classes in regard to their attitude toward free public education. First, there is the progressive group who are in favor of up-to-date schools. This group feel that the best is none too good for their immediate community. They keep in touch with the activities of the school and are willing to support any progressive measures desired by the authorities. Second, we have the middle or doubtful group. We may find a whole community in which they take school affairs as a matter of course. Publicity is the thing that is needed in such a community. The people need to be awakened to needs of the schools and to the opportunities which their children lack compared with similar communities. There are many communities in America today that need a tonic in the form of a systematic and continuous publicity campaign. Third, there are some reactionary communities. Their attitude is either "what was good enough for us is good enough for our children" or they do not believe in public education at all. It is the duty of the school authorities in such communities to prove to the people the importance and necessity of public education. Publicity, correctly used, is the best and perhaps the only method to awaken interest in school work.

The administrator should be the director and leader of the publicity work. R. G. Reynolds says, "If the theory of democracy carries through, the schools of a community ought to be whatever the citizens of any school unit wish them to be-no better, no worse. The careful superintendent gives the community the kind of schools it wants. The wise superintendent uses his energy and ability in two ways. First, he gives the citizens the kind of schools they want as nearly as he can, and second, he makes them want better ones. To accomplish this he uses publicity."*

During the term of 1924-25 the writer became somewhat interested in the field of school publicity in fourth class districts. A short questionnaire was prepared and sent to fiftysix superintendents or supervising principals throughout the country. No limit as to the size of the city or the kind of school district was considered in sending out the questionnaires. Replies were received from the largest cities and districts of the country as well as from some of the smaller local districts.

The main points of the questionnaire were as follows: (1) Why do we need publicity? (2) Kinds of publicity: public meeting, public press, annual reports, co-operation with social and educational organizations, exhibitions, student activities, athletic contests, product of the schools, etc. They were asked to underscore the best types of publicity and to rank the ones which in their judgment were applicable to fourth class districts (5,000 population and under). (3) Effects of publicity: financial support-taxation and bond issues, securing progressive school legislation and policies-local, state and national. (4) Additional statements or remarks. Twenty-six replies were received of which six were eliminated from consideration because of insufficient markings and statements. Twenty replies were considered in the study.

We quote a few of the replies as to the need of publicity:

"To inform the public of educational needs and to sell the educational program to the public."

"Publicity is the directors' report to the stockholders. A people who know what is being planned and being done are better satisfied."

"It is not so much that the schools need publicity as that the paying public are entitled to information."

"We don't need publicity at all in the ordinary sense. The work and the products of the schools should be the limits of school publicity."

"Because the homes from which our children come do not understand the modern scheme of education. Because the teaching profession needs elevation."

"The average citizen knows very little indeed of the detail and of the general working of the school system or any particular course of study or of the work of any particular school. He is interested and should be informed."

"Because we are performing a public service."

Concerning the kinds of publicity the table below gives the ranking of the replies. A few did not rank the items, hence the discrepancy in the totals.

In analyzing these replies we find that five of a total of eleven give the public press as the chief avenue of publicity which is applicable to fourth class districts. Public meetings is a close second. As suggested public meetings is rather a broad term and some replies no doubt included such meetings as exhibitions and student activities under that type. The other types of publicity mentioned were quite well distributed according to the rankings given. Some of the comments which many gave to substantiate their markings may be quoted:

"Where the public press is free from bias this form of publicity is the best. In general the public has faith in the newspaper which it reads and the information which is printed is less likely to be considered as propaganda than that published in a special report. Small public meetings permit the personal element to enter in and allow for the answering and the mentioning of details that must be omitted in published matter."

"The public meetings are very valuable

No. 5

where all concerned are open minded on the propositions to be presented, but a somewhat dangerous experiment where the above conditions do not exist. The press is always powerful, but too frequently the printing is erroneous, and they have us say what we never intended to say. Annual reports are good; they are something tangible which the people can grasp."

"I consider the public press the best means of general publicity. The product of the school in connection with exhibitions is effective in many special lines."

"The most valuable publicity is through exhibitions of school work to which parents come because of their interest in their children's work."

"The most effective publicity grows out of things which pupils do themselves."

"All of the activities above enumerated have their place and may be employed at different times. Superintendents, principals and teachers ought to keep their names out of the limelight as much as possible and urge the activity as being a project of the public."

"The type of publicity used should be determined by the conditions of the occasions. Good schools will advertise themselves."

"I feel that the best form of publicity is through the Parent-Teacher Association, through special days for visitation of the schools and through the press."

Several gave the rankings without comments. One suggested the use of posters made by the children as an important publicity measure.

Miller and Charles suggest that *"the work of the schools is their best advertising." They also suggest a department of information, a school "house organ" and student publications as other means of publicity. These latter avenues are almost impossible in the smaller districts. Some mentioned the use of the radio in school publicity and one advocated musical organizations for publicity purposes. Moving pictures were mentioned as an important method. These suggestions, however, would hardly apply to fourth class districts.

Among the replies concerning the effects of publicity the following comments are noted:

"I candidly believe that if the public thoroughly understood the various school activities and purposes there would be no question in securing any support or legislation towards the end sought. This thought undoubtedly applies to local, state and national conditions."

"A secured bond issue for a Junior High School makes it easier to secure adoption of policies by the board."

"One of the results of publicity is the securing of the co-operation of the citizens, and this

"Publicity and the Public Schools"-Houghton, Mifflin Co.

of course means support in taxation and in the rational extension of educational work in the community."

"I believe that it is the opinion of the layman that most publicity is for the purpose of advertising the head of the system and probably that feeling keeps the publicity from aiding in any other direction."

"Aids in all the effects suggested in questionnaire plus co-operation in such activities as lunch-rooms, community center service, school beautification, etc."

From the comments noted previously and from the articles appearing in professional magazines and books on publicity we come to the conclusion that school publicity is an important feature of modern educational administration. If we are to succeed we must follow "big business" and advertise although to some extent we use different methods. The public has a right to know the schools which they support. This can be done best through the press and through reports which state the facts as they are. Effective school publicity

is not a matter of occasional drives; it aims to promote complete all-year-round support and sympathy between the taxpayer and the school by the use of every legitimate means-the press, reports, public meetings, exhibitions, student activities and co-operation with other organizations. In order that the public school may develop and expand in a sufficient degree to meet the educational needs under a democratic form of government, the progressive educator and administrator must keep the schools in close touch with the people. This can be accomplished best through a progressive program of school publicity.

A SOUND MIND IN A SOUND BODY To assure strong and healthy teachers in public schools of Connecticut, all applicants for admission to normal schools are required by the State Board of Education to pass a physical examination, and normal schools are authorized to exclude from attendance those who do not measure up to the required standard. In addition, at the New Britain State Normal School each student shortly after entering is given a thorough orthopedic and physical examination. This is primarily for corrective work, and the condition of students is constantly watched, special emphasis being placed upon posture. Minor defects are checked up at intervals until remedied.

Health is the thing that makes you feel that now is the best time of the year and that the thing you are doing is the most important thing in the world.

CONTINUATION SCHOOL

What is this school? You ask it e'en today Though seven years it's gone its humble way. 'Tis for the youth who quits between the ages Of fourteen years and sixteen; scorns the sage's

Advice that education means success.

The paltry pay is more and learning less.
Eight hours per week, by law, he, once again,
Is brought back to his books, and often then
By paralleling work and school, can see
How detrimental ignorance may be.
Does he learn much? Not much as lessons go
In regular school; he ne'er learned much, you
know

In all those years before he left the race,
And CHOSE to work, in almost every case;
For few there are who come because of needs.
A student e'er the voice of knowledge heeds;
He loves his books, his school will never end,
But some must learn to know a book a friend.
Some minds move slowly. Trailing on behind
The laggard's left; his pathway cannot find.
What's wrong, and where the broken bond
may be?

He's climbing slowly-cannot make the grade
On time. And now a new decision's made:
He'll leave his books and school. He hates
them all.

He stops, starts back. Shall he complete the fall?

And here the law steps in and gives him aid
Before his rash decision's fully made..
One day a week he's back again to heed,
And learn book's value in his daily need.
What kind of youth is he? You know him
well-

A little wilful, much inclined to tell
Just what he wants, and eager soon to see
What life may mean in its reality,
Free from restraint, for so he reasons life-
Freedom and independence. Soon the strife
Of competition in the world is met;
He realizes what he would forget:
Life's problems, found in work or found in
play,

Best solved by minds well trained in wisdom's

way.

To guide and to direct that he may see
This truth, to show that the community
Will welcome those who help-who aim to give
Their best; to help him learn ever to live
A life of service for his home and nation-
This, then, the aim of the Continuation.
For this adopted child I ask your grace;
Consideration for its humble place;
Esteem for its endeavors, day by day,
Help to enlighten it upon its way;
Pardon for its mistakes, and charity
For what it oftentimes may fail to be;
Concern in things that it may hope to do—
This is the plea that I would bring to you.

-Mrs. Blanche Dunn,
Erie Continuation School

One peculiar thing about life is that the ducks are always thicker across the river.

SCRANTON CONVENTION

While this number of the JOURNAL is being mailed, the annual convention of the Association is in session in Scranton (December 2931). The convention number of the PENNSYLVANIA SCHOOL JOURNAL containing the official program and several valuable committee reports was distributed to all who registered at the convention. A few copies are available and will be sent free to members upon request while they last.

A complete report of the convention with abstracts of the most important addresses and a summary of the proceedings of the House of Delegates will appear in the February JOURNAL.

WASHINGTON CONVENTION

The N. E. A. Department of Superintendence will meet in Washington, D. C., February 21-25, 1926. Three of the general sessions will be devoted to a consideration of the principal administration units of our public schools-namely, the elementary, the junior high and the senior high school.

S. D. Shankland, executive secretary of the N. E. A. Department of Superintendence, tells in the November number of Educational Review what to see in Washington, as follows:

"Washington, the most beautiful city in the world, is especially fortunate in exclusive possessions. It is unique, in that it does not belong to its own citizens. It belongs to all the people of the Republic. It does not govern itself. It is ruled by the representatives in Congress of all the states. As compensation, it boasts the White House, the Capitol, the Treasury and the Congressional Library. Here the Nation has built the Lincoln Memorial and the Within its bounds Washington Monument. are the New National Museum, the Smithsonian Institution, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, the Corcoran and Freer Art Galleries, the Pan American Union, the embassies of foreign countries and the offices of the great government departments. Near by is Arlington Cemetery, where sleeps the Unknown Soldier with distinguished heroes of other days. A few miles down the Potomac is Mount Vernon, the most beloved shrine in our country. All Americans have a desire to visit, at least once, their National Capital. Many of the younger generation of school workers will come here for the first time next February. It will be wise to plan to remain a day or two to see those things which only Washington can offer."

Pennsylvania Headquarters will be at the Washington Hotel and there the Pennsylvania dinner will be held Tuesday evening, February 23.

Those who have not secured hotel reservations should communicate with C. E. La Vigne, Convention executive director, Washington Bureau, 19th Street and New York Avenue, Washington, D. C.

Convention Paper