The Texas Standard, Volume [39], Number [5], November-December 1965 Page: 11
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New President-Elect And U. S. Senator Monroney
• t Clash Over Teacher Role In Politics
The president-elect of the National
Education Association and a United
States senator from Oklahoma don't
agree on the role that teachers should
take in politics.
Mrs. Irvamae Applegate, dean of the
school of education, St. Cloud College,
Minn., says that teachers should get
involved in politics because they can't
avoid being "caught up in the passion
of our times."
Sen. A. S. Mike Monroney urges
teachers to stick to teaching and "avoid
the pitfalls of pressure group tactics."
Monroney's talk kicked up a flurry
of debate among some 350 conferees
attending the three-day Oklahoma
City Political Clinic for Teachers here
Nov. 19-21.
The teachers came to the clinic look-
ing for ways to become more political-
ly active and, despite Monroney's re-
marks, left in high spirits.
While Monroney praised educators
for participating in "well organized
campaigns to point out the need for
improved education in America," he
urged them, at the same time, to take
the "route of persuasion" rather than
the "route of power."
Mrs. Applegate, in a speech closing
How The Public
Views The Schools
Americans believe their schools and
their teachers are doing a good job,
according to two recent nationwide
surveys by Louis Harris. In response
to one poll, 76 percent of those ques-
tioned said they would rate the quality
of the public schools in their com-
munity good or excellent.
But when it comes to spending
money on the schools, Americans are
less enthusiastic, according to the Har-
ris poll.
Nationwide, only 32 percent thought
their community spent too little on
the schools. In the cities, 43 percent
agreed that not enough was spent on
the schools.
^ Source: "NEA Journal"-—November
1965. Louis Harris survey published
in September 1965.
NOVEMBER-DECEMBER, 1965
the conference, argued that teachers
have an obligation to expand their
roles as teacher-citizens and as teacher-
statesmen.
"Once the pressures and concerns
of our community and our society
swirled by us, leaving us uninvolved
and our personal lives relatively un-
touched," said Mrs. Applegate.
"But today, as the largest single
group of people in almost any com-
munity with a high level of education,
we have an obligation to contribute
our intellect in seeking solutions to
the problems of education and to the
problems our society faces," she as-
serted.
Mrs. Appelgate's views were sup-
ported by two NEA leaders, J. L. Mc-
Caskill, assistant executive secretary
of State and Federal Relations and
T. M. Stinnett, assistant executive
secretary for Professional Develop-
ment and Welfare, who addressed
the clinic earlier.
"Education's freedom and progress
cannot be achieved and maintained by
the timid," declared McCaskill. "Un-
less you and your colleagues in the
profession are practical in your poli-
tics, effective in your precincts, identi-
fying your friends and your enemies
on your ballots—our work at the legis-
lative levels could collapse in futility,"
he added.
Stinnett urged delegates to continue
in their efforts to see that "schools
get a fair shake; that unless someone
speaks for education the school will
have to give bargain basement serv-
ices."
Monroney, in urging a softer ap-
proach to political action, said:
"I know there are those who would
like to follow a harder, faster and
more disciplined organizational pro-
gram." The senator added, however,
that he didn't think such tactics as
"tell em don't ask em" would work.
"Catch phrases and spectacular driv-
es to show 'em the ungloved hand of
power by claiming voting strength at
the polls in my book are more apt to
anger than persuade," he declared,
"and even for the best, the art of
politics in a democracy is still the
gentle art of persuasion," said Mon-
roney.
Stinnett told the delegates that poli-
tical clinics during the past three years
have shown a growing realization that
teachers and administrators are inter-
ested in becoming politically involved.
"In the future," he said, "teachers
just won't sit and get what the power
structure wants to give them." Teach-
ers will be heard as groups represent-
ing a big force, he added.
In addition to Oklahoma, the clinic
was sponsored by the state education
associations of Texas, Kansas, Missouri
and Arkansas.
The clinic was organized by the
NEA Citizenship Committee in coop-
eration with the Oklahoma Education
Association, Oklahoma City Classroom
Teachers Association, Tulsa Classroom
Teachers Association, Tulsa Education
Association, Putnam City Classroom
Teachers Association, Midwest City
Teachers Association, and Bethany
Classroom Teachers Association.
Holiday Fun
A Chance To Learn
The holiday season offers many op-
portunities for children to discover
and develop their creative talents. You
can help by encouraging your young-
ster to design his own greeting cards
and thank-you notes, and to make gifts
for family and friends. All it takes is
a little imagination and everday items
that can be dressed up with paints
or child-inspired trimmings. Your
child can have a hand in producing
decorations for the home, too.
And now is a good time to help
increase your boy or girl's appreciation
for art, music, and drama through the
many holiday presentations designed
especially for children. They, along
with activities at home, offer a chance
for children to grow—and have fun
doing it.
Source: "How To Help Your Child"
—Booklet published by the Depart-
ment of Elementary School Principals
and the National School Public Rela-
tions Association, departments of the
NEA.
11
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McDaniel, Vernon. The Texas Standard, Volume [39], Number [5], November-December 1965, periodical, November 1965; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth193827/m1/11/: accessed May 7, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Prairie View A&M University.