In Atlanta

Public-school-teaching members of the National Education Association, 6,000 strong, opened last week in Atlanta's municipal auditorium what they proudly called "the most important educational conference in our history."

Propaganda. For many a month N. E. A. members have waited for their association's formal statement about propaganda in the schools. Chief alleged propagandizers: public utility corporations, which have been accused of bribing teachers, changing text books to make private ownership of such utilities seem desirable to students, future voters. Last November, the N. E. A. appointed a committee to investigate. Last week the committee's chairman, Philadelphia Superintendent of Schools Edwin Cornelius Broome. reported that "efforts are being made from a wide variety of sources to advertise commercial products, advance special interests, and to propagate particular theories, in the schools." Such efforts Dr. Broome deplored. But he named no names, cited no definite instances.

Prohibition. The conference was opened by N. E. A.'s President Uel Walter Lamkin. His message and plea: there should be no Federal dictation in educational matters. Thus, curtly, was dismissed the suggestion that all U. S. educators use Prohibition propaganda in their schools and text books (see p. 10). That Federal project had given N. E. A. members something new to think about. For years the N. E. A. has advocated the establishment of a U. S. Department of Education with a representative in the Cabinet. How much more likely, wondered observers, would the Government be to "dictate" in educational matters if the chief Federal pedagog were raised from, the lowly rank of Commissioner to be a full-fledged Secretary.

Keynote Speech. Dr. William John Cooper, U. S. Commissioner of Education, keynoted. Avoiding mention of Prohibition he pleaded for an undogmatic reorganizing of U. S. education, pointed to the "inevitable responsibilities which progress imposes upon education." He suggested more experimental education, commended the Experimental College at Wisconsin, the house-plan at Harvard, the segregated Freshman plan at Yale, the year-abroad-for-Romance-language-students at Smith, the Antioch plan of combining in five-or-ten-week shifts study and business or professional work. Lastly he pleaded for "individuality in a world steadily being leveled by standardization."