of our country, that cost so much and is so dear to every true American citizen."15 New Hampshire leaves the display of the flag to the judgment of the school board. It directs the board: To "purchase at the expense of the city or town in which the district is situated, a United States flag of bunting, not less than five feet in length, with a flagstaff and appliances for displaying the same, for every schoolhouse in the district in which a public school is taught not otherwise supplied. They shall prescribe rules and regulations for the proper custody, care, and display of the flag; and whenever not otherwise displayed, it shall be placed conspicuously in the principal room of the schoolhouse. Any members of a school board who shall refuse or neglect to comply with the provisions of this section shall be fined ten dollars for the first offense and twenty dollars for every subsequent offense."16 According to the law in Wisconsin, the flag may be displayed from the schoolhouse or flagstaff, or in each schoolroom: "Every board of education or district board shall purchase at the expense of the city, town, village or district to which it belongs and display in each schoolroom or from a flagstaff on each schoolhouse or on the grounds thereof, a flag of the United States, and purchase in like manner whatever may be needed, for the display or preservation of the flag." Connecticut, Hawaii, New Mexico, New York and Rhode Island, have established a flag day, which must be observed in the schools with appropriate patriotic exercises. Three of the states. provide for a salute to the flag. Thus the Arizona law requires: "It shall be the duty of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction to prepare for the use of the public schools of the state a program providing for a salute to the flag, and such other patriotic exercises as shall be deemed by him to be expedient, under such regulations and instructions as may best meet the requirements of the different grades of such schools."18 In Kansas the law directs the State Superintendent to make proper provisions for this: "It shall be the duty of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction of this state to prepare for the use of the public schools of the state a program providing for a salute to the flag at the opening of each day of school, and such other patriotic ex 15 Maine School Laws, '13, p. 57, sec. 1. 17 Wisconsin Sch. L., '11, p. 94, sec. 436a. 18 Arizona School Laws, 1912, p. 48, sec. 118. ercises as may be deemed by him to be expedient, under such regulations and instructions as may best meet the varied requirements of the different grades in such schools."19 Similarly this is made the duty of the Commissioner of Education of New York. "It shall be the duty of the Commissioner of Education to prepare, for the use of the public schools of the state, a program providing for a salute to the flag and such other patriotic exercises as may be deemed by him to be expedient, under such regulations and instructions as may best meet the varied requirements of the different grades in such schools."20 A recent law of Indiana, approved March 8, 1909, demands: "The state board of education shall require the singing of the 'Star Spangled Banner' in its entirety in the schools of Indiana upon all patriotic occasions, and that the said board of education shall arrange to supply the words and music in sufficient quantity for the purposes indicated therein."21 Eleven22 of the states require the proper observance with appropriate exercises of certain days commemorating important historical characters or events. Thus Arkansas requires: "That the nineteenth of January, the birthday of Robert Edward Lee, shall be observed in all the public schools of the state as a day for patriotic exercises and the study of the history and achievements of Arkansas men. The State Superintendent of Public Instruction is hereby authorized to prepare and publish annually for use in all public schools of the state, a program of exercises dealing with events in the life of General Lee and other distinguished men, giving attention also to the achievements and work of eminent men who have served this state in civil and military life. It shall be the duty of county examiners, city superintendents and principals of schools to aid in carrying on this work, and they shall arrange the exercises of their various schools in accordance with the provisions of this act."23 The law in New York declares: "It shall also be his duty (i. e., of the Commissioner of Education) to make special provision for the observance in such public schools of Lincoln's birthday, Washington's birthday, Memorial day, and Flag day, and such other legal holidays of like character as may be hereafter designated by law."24 19 Kansas School Laws, 1913, p. 170, sec. 507. 20 New York Education Law, 1912, p. 146, sec. 712. 21 Indiana School Law, 1911, p. 117, sec. 1472. 22 Ariz., Ark., Conn., Kan., Md., Mass., N. H., N. J., N. Y., R. I., Vt. 23 Arkansas School Laws, 1910, p. 123, sec. 1, 2, 3. As to the value of these exercises Dr. Armstrong, of the Mosely Commission, said, in 1903: "Much has been said of the importance attached in the American schools to the teaching of patriotism and to the practice of saluting the flag which prevails therein. This involves the recitation occasionally of the formula: 'I pledge allegiance to my flag and to the Republic for which it stands-one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.' This appeared to me to be a somewhat perfunctory exercise when I witnessed it. Thinking Americans with whom I discussed the question seemed to regard the practice as of some value in cities like New York and Chicago, where a large alien element has constantly to be absorbed into the population; but apparently they were of the opinion that it was undesirable as a general practice." Doctor Dunker, of the Royal Prussian Commission, in 1904, spoke of it in these terms: "The national character of the American school is further indicated by the widely diffused custom, in many instances fixed by state law, of hoisting the flag of the Union over public school buildings during periods of instruction. It is especially significant that certain Southern states that heretofore had not forgotten the civil war and the evil days of reconstruction, under the direct influence of the victory over Spain, began to hoist the Stars and Stripes over their schools instead of the State flag."26 Later on he refers to this again in these words: "The American schools are pronouncedly national educational institutions. This, as already mentioned, is even externally indicated by the fact that public instructon is imparted under the shadow of the national flag. The great national anniversaries of the Declaration of Independence, of the birth of Washington and Lincoln, are celebrated with suspension of school exercises and with school festivals. The geography and history of the United States are thoroughly studied in all kinds of schools, so that the pupil may learn to know and love his people and its heroes and become familiar with his country. 1927 ARBOR DAY. Another school exercise, though not strictly a part of the school curriculum, should be referred to in this connection. For some years, those interested in forestry, seeing the rapid destruction of the forests of the country and the dangers resulting there 25 Report of the Mosely Ed. Com. to the U. S. of Am., p. 9. 27 State School Systems, Bulletin No. 2, 1906, p. 12. from, have urged the need of forest reservation and tree planting. It was not, however, until 1872, largely through the efforts of J. Sterling Morton, of Nebraska, that the first systematic tree planting on a given day by organized efforts of schools and citizens began. This movement has been followed by other states, until today Arbor Day is being observed in most of the schools of the country. In thirty-three of the states and the territory of Hawaii28 the law requires this observance. Though in some states the intention is largely to improve the attractiveness of the school and its immediate surroundings, in others it is to reach the wider interests of forestry and nature in general. The immediate result has been to change many a dreary, cheerless school surrounding, into one of attractiveness and even beauty. The law of Arizona is illustrative of the effort to reach these wider problems as well: "In order that the children in our public schools shall assist in the work of adorning the school grounds with trees, and to stimulate the minds of children towards the benefits of the preservation and perpetuation of our forests and the growing of timber, it shall be the duty of the authorities in every public school in the Territory of Arizona to assemble the pupils in their charge on the above day in the school building or elsewhere, as they may deem proper, and to provide for and conduct, under the general supervision of the County School Superintendents, to have and to hold such exercises as shall tend to encourage the planting, protection and preservation of trees and shrubs, and an acquaintance with the best methods to be adopted to accomplish such results; and that the trees may be planted around the school buildings, and that the grounds around such buildings may be improved and beautified; such planting to be attended with appropriate and attractive ceremonies, that the day may be one of pleasure as well as one of instruction for the young; all to be under the supervision and direction of the teacher, who shall see that the trees and shrubs are properly selected and set. BIRD DAY. 29 In a number of the states, through the interest aroused in birds and their preservation by the Audobon Society, bird day is 28 Ariz., Ark., Cal., Col., Conn., Del., Fla., Ga., Hawaii, Ida., Ill., Ind., La., Me., Mass., Md., Mich., Miss., Mo., Mon., Nev., N. J., N. Mex., N. Y., Ohio, Okla., Ore., R. I., S. C., Tenn., Tex., Va., Wis., Wyo. observed as well, either in connection with arbor day or as a separate day. Thus the law in Louisiana requires : "The State and Parish Boards of Public Education are directed to provide for the celebration, by all public schools, of 'Bird Day,' on May fifth of each year, being the anniversary of the birth of John James Audobon, the distinguished son of Louisiana. On the recurring anniversary days, suitable exercises are to be engaged in, and lessons on the economic and esthetic value of the resident and migratory birds of the state are to be taught by the teachers to their pupils."30 HUMANE EDUCATION. Closely allied to this is humane education, i. e., the teaching of kind treatment of animals, which is required by law in fourteen of the states, and in Hawaii. The law in South Dakota requires : "There shall be taught in the public schools of this state, in addition to other branches of study as now prescribed, a system of humane treatment to animals. Each school supported wholly or in part by the public funds of this state, in any county or city thereof, shall instruct all scholars in the laws of this state as embodied in the penal code, or other laws pertaining to the humane treatment of animals, and in such studies on the subject as the board of education having supervision thereof may adopt, such instruction to consist of not less than one lesson of ten minutes each during each week of the school year. But no experiment upon live animals to demonstrate facts in physiology shall be permitted in any school in this state.”32 Similarly North Dakota requires: "There shall be taught in the public schools of North Dakota, in addition to the other branches of study now prescribed, instruction in the humane treatment of animals; such instruction shall be oral and to consist of not less than two lessons of ten minutes each per week.”33 In this connection, reference should be made to the important movement to teach in the public schools, laws of sanitation and the nature of communicable diseases and their prevention. The Massachusetts law provides for special instruction in tuberculosis and its prevention. Michigan requires that the methods of pre 30 Louisiana School Laws, 1912, p. 64, sec. 14. 31 Cal., Col., Del., Ill., Mich., N. H., No. Dak., Okla., Fa., So. Dak., Tex., Wash., Wis., Wyo. 32 South Dakota School Laws, 1911, p. 41, sec. 144. 33 North Dakota School Laws, 1911, p. 85, sec. 272. |