The Texas Standard, Volume 35, Number 2, March-April 1961 Page: 2
27 p. : ill. ; 29 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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President's Message
T. V. GLOVER
TSAT President
1960-196!
^pHE INCREASING NUMBER of
articles on education appearing
in the daily newspapers and magazines
of national circulation and the increas-
ing number of current programs
slanted toward education being pre-
sented on radio and television attest to
the success which the teaching profes-
sion has achieved in interesting our
leaders in social and economic life in
education. This awakening has been
accompanied by some critical thinking
on the part of our leaders. This critical
thinking has in turn posed some prob-
lems for the individual teacher as well
as teacher groups. The demands and
requests of individuals representing ed-
ucational interests have not been ac-
cepted without question. On the other
hand, more often than not, these
champions of the cause of education
have been faced with additional prob-
lems growing out their requests.
The problems can be placed in five
categories, viz: the problems of frugal"
ity, the problems of competency, the
problems of understanding, the prob"
lems of unity and the problems of new-
ness. For purposes of this discussion,
we shall label these problems chal-
lenges. I would suggest that some of
these challenges come from without the
profession and some come from within
the profession, while others come from
the situation itself.
Addressing ourselves to the challenge
of frugality, we find that this challenge
is usually "triggered" by someone out-
side of the profession who is afraid of
the cost of education to him as an in-
CHALLENGING HORIZONS
IN EDUCATION!
dividual. It is common practice for this
type of individual to accept normal in-
creases in the cost of the production of
other commodities without complaint
but when he is privileged to survey the
normal increased cost of education, he
is mostly likely to cry "waste." Fre-
quently, requests for funds for educa-
tional programs are met with demands
for more frugality in spending. It is the
business of the profession to protect
itself and its students from exploitation
in the interest of economy.
The second challenge, the challenge
of competence, is related to the first in
that it usually comes from the same
group that demands frugality. The
critics of the schools have been quick
to exhibit poor achievers as the stand-
ard product of the education program.
Upon this basis, the schools have been
charged with doing a poor job and
teachers have been labeled as relative'y
poor examples of competence. Al-
though we cannot accept these charges
as wholly true, on the other hand, we
cannot say that all charges of this type
are wholly unfounded. There exists a
crying demand that we "step up" the
quality of the product that we are now
turning out. The fierce competition
which the products of our schools must
face in the market places of the world
in the years immediately ahead forces
us into a recognition of a justifiable
concern about the quality of our prod-
ucts. The world scene is such that our
products can no longer anticipate a
life of security without competition but
must be geared psychologically, emo-
tionally and literarily for the economic,
philosophical and social conflicts ahead.
However, it is not considered unwise to
point out that competency, as meas-
ured by the product of a process, can
be and often is a correlative of condi"
tions that exist. The greatest efficiency
is generally obtainable when the best
conditions are supplied. Efficiency is
rarely attained in over crowded class"
rooms, meagre supplies and shoddy ma-
terials for the instructional program.
Such conditions affect negatively not
only the attitude of the teacher but the
morale of the students. The los no
battle which education has been fight-
ing with various other agencies for its
fair share of the tax dollar constitutes
a problem for the profession that mustl
be solved if it is to shed the label of in-
efficiency and poor production. The in-:
dividual teacher can do much to help"
eliminate this problem working through!
groups with similar goals.
The third challenge, the challenge of|
understanding, poses a problem in the
area of human relations. The area ot
human relations in associations was!
never more important than now. With|
the assistance of wise counseling and
the strength of other professional j
groups it will be possible to relieve
some of the tension that accompanies
identification with the profession bv
promoting planned programs in human !
relations. By following this course
peaceful promotion of understanding
of our problems as teachers we shall
be able to relieve tensions and achieve!
a great measure of security in the pro-
cess.
The fourth challenge is the challenge
of unity. It is conceded that lack oi
bickering, lack of conflict and absence
of programs to promote the interest
of some special group frees one to
pursue constructive endeavor. Lack of
unity among teachers of d:fferent levels
constitutes a weakness that is a chal-
lenge. There are common interests or
unifying interests for all teachers re-
gardless of the level of operation. Anyl
other viewpoint leaves its author openl
for serious criticism. The materials witlif
which all teachers work (boys and|
girls) should constitute one of the mosig
forceful unifying influences.
The fifth challenge to teachers isf
the challenge of newness. It has beer
said that the instruments needed to
operate the world today are not in
books but in notebooks of the labora-
tories and research centers of the coun-
try. Information accumulates so rapid-
ly that books become out-dated beforel
they are off the press. This ever increas-
ing store of information is a challergfj
(See President's Message, page 9)
TEXAS STANDARD
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McDaniel, Vernon. The Texas Standard, Volume 35, Number 2, March-April 1961, periodical, March 1961; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth193804/m1/2/: accessed June 11, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Prairie View A&M University.