office go vastly farther and still render a larger service. Take statistics. I had occasion not long ago to want statistics of a certain kind, and I called the Department of Agriculture for the ones they could provide. They said they would get at it, and within two hours I had those statistics by messenger. I called the Federal Board for similar statistics at the same time, and they said they would see about it-this is not meant as a criticism-and the next morning they called to say they couldn't send those statistics, that they didn't have a statistical division. Now, there is a statistical bureau in the Bureau of Education, and by the natural unification of those two great activities each would profit from the service which the other has built up. Take the reading and distribution of publications. It is costly to duplicate the processes that go to the handling of this matter, from the printing to the distribution over the country; the things that are handled in the chief clerk's office; then there are various studies in which there is a definite duplication, which the research division will probably tell you something about. It is just plain good business sense to draw those activities together, so that the leaders in those various agencies could have the benefit of each other's experience, could have the inspiration that comes out of associating strong men together, so that they can discuss the policies and plans. that they desire to work out. I wish to present just one other point. In the development of the Journal of the National Educational Association and in seeking to bring the facts to the great body of teachers throughout this Nation we present each month one page of statistical facts, large facts needed to guide the American educational policy, and over the years that we have been working on that project at no time have we been able to get the facts that we wanted, simply because they did not exist, and even the facts that we did have we have gotten, in many cases, so late that they could not be essentially useful in guiding educational policy. Here is a table of the growth of the National Congress of Parents and Teachers, a body that has grown during the period it has been supporting this bill from 189,000 to more than a million and a quarter. The membership in that body this year, which became known on April 15, is now in the printing office going into type to appear in the Journal of the National Education Association, so that we will have that for 1927-28. The latest table that we could get on enrollment in the American public schools, concerning some 28,000,000 people that are in these schools, is published here and it is for 1925-26. I wish, Mr. Chairman, that I might insert these sample pages in the record to show something of what the educational facts in a large way mean in interpreting educational needs and in suggesting some of the fields in which research and the gathering of facts is needed. The CHAIRMAN. If there is no objection they will go in the record. (The matter referred to is as follows:) Growth of National Congress of Parents and Teachers 1918-1927 [From the Journal of the National Education Association, October, 1927-Prepared by the research divi. sion of the National Education Association] United States... 118, 627, 645 98, 844 189, 282 401, 308 651, 133 967, 766 1, 133, 357 0.96 Obtain the figures for your State by reading table as follows: In 1918 Alabama had a membership of 504 in the National Congress of Parents and Teachers; in 1920, 556; and so on. The membership for 1927 had increased to 13,026 (column 8). At present, fifty-one hundredths of 1 per cent of the total population of Alabama, or one person in every 1,957, is a member. This gives Alabama a relative ranking of 38. Similarly read figures for other States. Sources of data: Figures as to population for 1927 from United States Bureau of Census estimates. Those for membership in the National Congress are from statement of treasurer's receipts of the National Congress of Parents and Teachers for the various years concerned. The percentages in column 9 are obtained by dividing the figures of column 8 by those of column 2. Members of the association will wish to give the figures covering their respective States to the local newspapers. Teachers may well make arithmetic problems from this page for solution in school. Such problems are also good lessons in civics. For example, what is the per cent increase in membership in your State from 1918 to 1927? How much would the membership of your State have to be increased in order to rank first among the States in the percent of population members? What per cent increase would this be? The five associations having the largest absolute membership in 1927 are: First, California; second, Illinois; third, Ohio; fourth, Michigan; fifth, Missouri. Educational workers wishing to organize parent-teacher associations for their schools may obtain full information from: National Congress of Parents and Teachers, 1201 Sixteenth Street NW., Washington, D. C. The parent-teacher associations of the Territory of Hawaii have been organized into the first territorial branch and for the year 1926-27 had 1,357 members. This table is one of a series of carefully planned presentations of facts that are of importance to every teacher and to the Nation as a whole. They deal with large matters that concern everyone. Among the fields that will be covered during 1927-28 are growth in summer school attendance, growth in professional and technical organizations other than teachers, number of graduates of teacher training institutions, growth in State and national education associations, and data covering enrollment in schools and expenditures for them. Growth of summer school attendance [From the Journal of the National Education Association, November, 1927-Prepared by the research division of the National Education Association] The figures as to number of teachers in 1926-27 are estimates, based upon the latest and most reliable data available; they include teachers, principals, supervisors, and administrative officers. The number of institutions in this column is that reported in the Educational Directory for 1927, United States Bureau of Education, Bulletin, 1927, No. 1. All institutions listed in this directory were given two opportunities to report. Of the 662 institutions conducting summer sessions 596 reported, or 90 per cent. A complete report was received from all institutions in 27 States and Territories. The rank of a few States is considerably lowered because some of their institutions failed to report. Such States may be identified by comparing columns 5 and 6. 105682-28-13 Read table as follows: In Alabama there were 15,800 teachers, principals, supervisors, and administrative officers in public elementary and secondary schools in 1926-27. In this State 15 institutions conduct summer schools. A complete report was obtained from all 15 of these institutions as to summer school enrollment in 1927. These 15 institutions reported a total summer school enrollment of 10,913. Of this total 8,883 were enrolled in teacher training or education courses. In Alabama the ratio of summer school enrollment in education courses to number of teachers in the State is 56.2 per cent. This per cent gives Alabama a rank of 2 in this regard. In interpreting the figures of this table it should be kept in mind that some States offer fewer and less attractive opportunities for summer-school work than others. Consequently many teachers attend summer schools outside the States of their service. This and other factors probably combine to give a few States a considerably higher rank than is deserved and correspondingly reduces the rank of others. Many teachers now gain their professional advance in extension courses during the regular year. This table takes no account of such work. Considered as a whole the table indicates a healthy desire on the part of teachers throughout the nation to improve their professional preparation. |