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THE FIRST ANNUAL MEETING.

Of the thirty-eight signers of the constitution at the time of its adoption only five were present at the first annual meeting. Appropriate arrangements, however, had been made by Mr. A. J. Rickoff, superintendent of the Cincinnati public schools, as chairman of the local committee, for the reception of a large delegation.

When the time came for calling the meeting to order it was found that only five of the constituent members were present, viz., the president, the first vice-president, the secretary, and two counselors.

These few members, however, were heartily welcomed by a very large audience, who were then, and have always been, in blissful ignorance of the small representation of actual members.

After the usual welcome by the dignitaries of Cincinnati, the president called his four coadjutors into service by keeping the secretary by his side on the platform, and by assigning special duties to the three other members, who were located in different parts of the large audience.

Upon the motion of one of these members the secretary was called upon to read the constitution of the association for the information of those present who might be disposed to become members.

After the reading of the constitution and some explanatory remarks by the president, another of these members moved that an opportunity be given for any person to become a member. The opportunity was granted, of course. The secretary and, in the absence of the treasurer, one of the three others acting as treasurer, were kept busy for some time in receiving fees and in recording names of applicants, until the number of new members had reached about seventy-five.

This movement, fortunately, furnished a good working body, and prepared the way for other additions. The president, thus being relieved from apprehended embarrassment in consequence of the small number of members, at first proceeded to deliver his inaugural address, in which he pointed out the causes and the demands for forming a national teachers' association, and urged the following important ends to be aimed at in its future work:

First. The union of all teachers, North, South, East, and West, in friendly associated action, for strengthening the cause of education.

Second. To create and permanently establish a teachers' profession by methods usually adopted by other professions.

Third. To secure the examination of all teachers, by making the examining boards to consist of competent, practical teachers.

Fourth. To increase the number of normal schools, and establish departments of pedagogics in connection with all schools which send out persons to teach.

During the sessions of this first anniversary there was a full attendance, a deep interest and close attention to all the exercises of the programme.

Among the large number of representative teachers and educators present, besides the officers, were the following persons: Hon. Horace Mann, Supt. J. D. Philbrick, John Hancock, A. J. Rickoff, I. W. Andrews, William Russell, W. E. Crosby, John Ogden, C. E. Hovey, Rev. J. N. MacJilton, Prof. Daniel Read, Anson Smyth, O. C. Wight, and others.

LECTURES AND PAPERS.

First. The inaugural address of the president.

Second. "The educational tendencies and progress of the past thirty years," by Prof. Daniel Read.

Third. "The laws of nature," by Prof. John Young.

Fourth. "On.moral education," by Supt. John D. Philbrick.

Fifth. "The teacher's motives," by Hon. Horace Mann, of Massachusetts.

ELECTION OF OFFICERS.

For president, Andrew J. Rickoff, Cincinnati, Ohio.

For vice-presidents, T. W. Valentine, New York; D. B. Hagar, Massachusetts; B. M. Kerr, Pennsylvania; J. F. Cann, Georgia; J. S. Adams, Vermont; B. T. Hoyt, Iowa; C. E. Hovey. Illinois; I. W. Andrews, Ohio; A. Drury, Kentucky; Daniel Read, Wisconsin; J. N. MaeJilton, Maryland; Thomas Bragg, Alabama. For secretary, J. W. Bulkley, New York.

For treasurer, C. S. Penuell, Missouri.

For counselors, James Cruikshank, New York; William E. Sheldon, Massachusetts; S. R. Gummere, New Jersey; J. D. Yeates, Maryland, S. I. C. Swezy, Alabama; J. B. Dodd, Kentucky; N. D. Tirrel, Missouri; C. C. Nestlerode, Iowa; L. C. Draper, Wisconsin; Isaac Stone, Illinois; E. P. Cole, Indiana; R. W. McMillan, Ohio; O. C. Wight, District of Columbia; H. C. Hickok, Pennsylvania; C. Pease, Vermont.

One of the most prominent questions discussed at this first annual meeting was that of "Parochial schools." The leading thought of the discussion was that "moral training, without sectarianism, is necessary." The inspiring influence of woman in our educational meetings was welcomed and emphasized by the association.

After the adjournment of the association, the board of directors met and agreed to hold the next annual meeting in the city of Washington, D. C., and appointed Mr. Z. Richards, of Washington, as chairman of the local committee, to make all local arrangements.

As proof of the genuine national spirit of the originators of this association, we may refer to one of the first resolutions, passed at the time of its organization, as follows:

Resolved, That there shall be six lecturers appointed for the next meeting-two from the Southern, two from the Western, one from the Middle, and one from the Eastern States.

As this resolution was offered by a true-blue New Englander, it shows the characteristic modesty of the Eastern States in not assuming honors which belong equally to the other States. This liberal spirit has at all times characterized the operations of this association. It started out with high patriotic purposes, and to its honor it may be recorded that there has never been a single manifestation in any of its official operations of a spirit of sectionalism or of partisanship. Its officers and its managers have generally been selected, first, from its most faithful and best qualified workers, which should always be the case; and, second, as representatives of all sections of our country.

Its friends have worked assiduously for the general cause of public and universal education, and not for pecuniary advantage, nor for office, nor for personal honor.

NAME AND PLAN OF ORGANIZATION CHANGED.

At the Cleveland meeting, in 1870, the constitution was so amended as to admit cooperation and combination with two other educational associations: First, the American Normal Association, which was organized in 1861; second, the National Superintendents' Association, organized in 1865. At the same time the constitution was so amended that other departments could be organized, and immediately two other departments were organized, viz, the department of higher instruction and the department of primary or elementary instruction. A full set of subordinate officers, viz, a president and secretary for each department, was chosen, who were to provide their own programme of exercises for their annual meetings.

Until 1870 all the educational topics were discussed before the whole association as a body. While this method of performing educational work has many superior advantages, it would be hazardous either to abandon the plan of departments or to proportionately extend the length or number of sessions so that the whole membership could have an opportunity to listen to all papers and discussions.

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In 1875 the industrial department was organized and admitted under the constitutional provision.

In 1880 the National Council of Education was organized as a department, but under a constitution of its own which required its sixty or more members to be chosen from the general association and from the several departments.

Very few persons are aware of the important work performed by the National Council of Education, unless they attend its sessions or read its papers and discussions from year to year.

But its meetings and deliberations were to be held so as not to interfere with the general association and the department meetings.

During the first twenty years of its operations its officers were often obliged to put their hands down deep into their own pockets to meet the annual current expenses. This had to be done in addition to the regular membership fee and the often very heavy traveling expenses.

But in 1881 a new era dawned upon the association. It is true that the enlargement of the association's field of labor in 1870, at the Cleveland meeting, by engrafting upon itself the more specific work of the departments of superintendents of normal schools, of higher instruction, and of elementary training, besides providing constitutionally for creating other departments, has done much to broaden the sphere of its work and inspire confidence in its plan of operations.

But no organization in this age of the world can work or exist long without money. Many of the real friends of this association found that the constant draining of their pockets to keep the ponderous wheels in motion was also draining their patience and weakening their faith in its perpetuity.

See the constitution of the National Council of Education for 1891, pp. 1508-1510

Some of the hopeful members had heard of an Eastern man who had come to the rescue of the American Institute of Instruction when it was almost ready to perish. This man was made president of the institute, and he made a grand rally, which gathered together such a multitude of educators at the White Mountains of New Hampshire that the increased income has been sufficient to keep that institute in a prosperous condition ever since.

This gratifying succe-s inspired some of the almost despairing members of the National Educational Association to call to its leadership the Hon. Thomas W. Bicknell, of Massachusetts. The grand success of the Madison meeting, in Wisconsin, in 1884, inaugurated a new financial era by largely increasing the number of members. Since then, by making the annual meetings attractive, and by lessening the expense of attending them, the membership has so increased that the funds of our treasury, now safely invested in interest-bearing bonds, are sufficient, with prudent management, to forever insure the association against financial embarrassment. This financial security serves to increase the usefulness of the association, and to guarantee its permanency. At the close of the Madison meeting Hon. E. E. White offered the following resolution, which shows how highly the association appreciated the services of President Bicknell. The resolution was passed unanimously:

Resolved, That the unparalleled success of this meeting is chiefly due to the energy, devotion, and organizing ability of Hon. T. W. Bicknell, the president of this association, whose wise and comprehensive plans, enthusiastic and self sacrificing efforts, and directing hand have inspired and guided the great undertaking from its inception to its present triumphant close, and no formal words can properly express our thankful appreciation.

Historically, let it be added, that not one dollar of these funds has ever been added to the emolument of an officer, nor furnished him any "boodle" for speculation.

In 1884 three new departments were organized and entered upon their peculiar work. These were the Froebel or kindergarten, the art, and the music departments. In 1885 the department of secondary education was added to the list, making the whole number ten.

INCORPORATION OF THE ASSOCIATION.

At a meeting of the board of directors of the National Educational Association, held at Saratoga Springs, N. Y., July 14, 1885, the following resolution was passed: Resolved. That a committee of three be appointed to secure articles of incorporation for the National Educational Association, under United States or State laws, as speedily as may be.

N. A. Calkins, of New York, Thomas W. Bicknell, of Massachusetts, and Eli T. Tappan, of Chio, were appointed such committee.

Under the authority of the resolution quoted above, and with the approval of the committee, and by competent legal advice, the chairman obtained the following:

CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION.

We, the undersigned, Norman A. Calkins, John Eaton, and Zalmon Richards, citizens of the United States, and two of them citizens of the District of Columbia, do hereby associate ourselves together, pursuant to the provisions of the act of general incorporation, class third, of the revised statutes of the District of Columbia, under the name of the National Educational Association, for the full period of twenty years, the purpose and objects of which are to elevate the character and advance the interests of the profession of teaching, and to promote the cause of popular education in the United States. To secure the fall benefit of said act, we do here execute this our certificate of incorporation: as said act provides.

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In witness whereof we severally set our hands and seals this 24th day of February, 1886, at Wash-
ington, D. C.
NORMAN A. CALKINS. [L. S.]
JOHN EATON.
ZALMON RICHARDS.

L. S.

L. S.]

Duly acknowledged before Michael P. Callan, notary public in and for the District of Columbia, and recorded in Liber No. 4, acts of incorporation for the District of Columbia.

The action of the committee on incorporation was submitted to the board of directors at Topeka, Kans., July 13, 1886, and the act of incorporation was duly approved by the board of directors."

A committee was appointed to prepare the changes in the constitution necessary to meet the requirements of the charter. At the meeting of the National Educational Association held at Topeka, July 15, 1886, the chairman-E. E. White, of Ohio-presented the report of the committee on amendments to the constitution, and the report was unanimously adopted.

These departments are all legitimate children, though two of them have been adopted and are older than their parent. But they are a harmonious, hard working, and a thriving family. If anyone needs to be convinced of the truth of this statement, let him undertake to read and thoroughly digest even one of the late volumes

The constitution of the National Educational Association may be found on pp. 1503-1503.

of the annual proceedings. If one copy does not convince him, let him procure a full set of the twenty-two copies from our custodian at Washington, and he will have one of the best pedagogical libraries, especially if he will add to it the twentyfive or thirty volumes of Barnard's Journal of Education.

The amount of original educational matter now presented at each of our annual meetings is some six or eight times greater than it was for each of the first fifteen or eighteen years of its work. What still adds to the value of these volumes is the generally improved character of the papers and discussions. While very many of the early papers read before the association can not be excelled in value and importance, still, during these later years, the officers have taken sp cial care to let nothing but new and original matter be presented to the various departments from year to year. As the authors of these papers are generally selected from the large number of first-class educators in our growing country, the papers are becoming more and more elevated and valuable, and contain the best and ripest thoughts of this educational era. The same may be said in regard to the character of the discussions in these various departments, which are quite fully published in these volumes.

The influence of this national educational association is diffusive and permeating, and is giving character to the systems of education and of school work in all parts of our own country and in other countries-as in South America, Japan, and the Sandwich Islands, and perhaps in some of the old countries of Europe. There is not a State, county, city, or town in all our country where the influence of our associational work is not more or less felt. Even the colleges, the universities, and private educational institutions are perhaps, unconsciously to themselves, feeling this diffusive influence.

Though the influence of the association is more plainly, effectually, and promptly felt in the newer portions of our country, yet those States and cities which have been pioneers in educational work so long as to be sometimes chargeable with "old fogyism" have felt, and are now feeling, the transforming influences of the papers and discussions of this great body of educators.

ITS MEMBERSHIP.

The membership of the association is made up of annual members, who pay $2 a year; of life members, who pay $20; of life directors, who pay $100; also of perpetual directorships, which are usually secured by boards of education, or associations, through the payment of $100. This perpetual directorship confers the privilege of sending any one of its members to the meetings, as its representative, which representative shall be entitled to all the privileges of the association, during his attendance, that elong to a life director.

It will be readily understood that the annual memberships of this association are changeable because of the migratory meetings-from Boston to St. Paul, Philadelphia to Chicago, Baltimore to St. Louis, San Francisco to Nashville, Saratoga to Topeka, Atlanta to Toronto. During the past ten years the attendance at these meetings has varied from 500 to 10,000. The largest attendance was at Chicago in 1887, the next was at San Francisco in 1888. The meetings at St. Paul in 1890, and at Toronto, Canada, in 1891, were both very large meetings. The constant and unchangeable membership is made up of life members, life directors, and about an equal number of regular and active annual members.

It would be a wise and an economical move if the younger members, both male and female, who wish to retain their working membership should add $18 to their annnal membership fee at once, and thus constitute themselves life members.

The great advantages of these large migratory meetings are not confined to the financial benefits of this association, for it is a generally acknowledged fact that their influence has been essentially beneficial to the cities and States where they have been held, and that the cause of education and public school instruction has been elevated and greatly improved in every section of our country,

This association has been, and now is, the bodyguard of public school instruction in our country.

THE SCHOOL EXPOSITIONS.

Since the organization of the industrial, the art, and the kindergarten departments and their auxiliary combination with the general association, the interest in the annual meetings has greatly increased. The school exhibits in many instances have been of a remarkable character, and it must be admitted by every careful observer of their influence upon the practical life of our youth that they have contributed essentially to the educative power of the public school systems.

The readers of the annual proceedings will find the reports of these exhibits highly suggestive and instructive.

THE WORKERS OF THE ASSOCIATION.

A merciful Providence has kindly watched over the friends and supporters of this association. Thirty men have been called to preside over and direct its interests during the thirty-four years of its existence.

No meetings were held in 1861, 1862, 1867, and 1878. Twenty-one of its presidents are now living. Nine honored men have been called to go up higher, viz, John W. Bulkley, of Brooklyn, N. Y., the third president; John D. Philbrick, of Boston, Mass., the fourth president; William H. Wells, of Chicago, Ill., the fifth president; S. S. Greene, of Providence, R. I., the sixth president; S. H. White, of Peoria, Ill., the fourteenth president; Gustavus J. Orr, of Atlanta, Ga., the twenty-first president; Eli T. Tappan, of Ohio, the twenty-second president; J. P. Wickersham, of Pennsylvania, the seventh president; and John Hancock, of Columbus, Ohio, the eighteenth president.

These were all men of educational faith, who performed the work of their life nobly and have gone to their graves greatly honored and beloved by all who knew them. We have good reason to believe and expect that the twenty-one surviving presidents will be able to go to their final reward, when it is to be rendered, with equally untarnished honors and with a revered memory.

We feel also constrained to express our high appreciation and commendation of one of our most faithful and indefatigable secretaries, W. D. Henkle, of Ohio.

At our second anniversary in Washington the association was called upon to express its deep sorrow and regret at the death of the Hon. Horace Mann, who gave a valuable lecture at our first anniversary. Other true and valuable members have closed their educational work on earth to engage in a higher and nobler work, we trust, in the spiritual mansions of the Great Teacher.

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THE NATIONAL EDUCATIONAL ASSOCIATION: ITS ORGANIZATION AND FUNCTIONS.1

By Hon. WILLIAM T. HARRIS,

United States Commissioner of Education.

Thirty-three years ago last August there met in the city of Philadelphia a handful of men to organize a national teachers' association. The movement started in New York and Massachusetts. A call had been issued and widely circulated the year before (1856) inviting "all practical teachers in the North, the South, the East, and the West who are willing"-these are its significant words-"who are willing to unite in a general effort to promote the general welfare of our country by concentrating the wisdom and power of numerous minds and by distributing among all the accumulated experiences of all; who are ready to devote their energies and their means to advanco the dignity, respectability, and usefulness of their calling." A constitution was drafted and adopted, and officers were elected for the following year. The directory of the newly formed association voted to meet in Cincinnati in August, 1858. The noteworthy feature in the constitution adopted is the government of the association by a board of directors elected at the annual meeting. This board was to consist of a large number of counselors, one from each State, district, or Territory, together with the president, secretary, treasurer, and twelve vice-presidents. It also became the practice, even from this early meeting, to appoint a large nominating committee-one member from each State represented in the convention. Inasmuch as it has frequently happened that only a single delegate was present from a State, the nominating committee has been obliged to fill out its extensive list of officers by naming its own. members. The first president of the association, as well as seven of the vice-presidents and two of the counselors, ten in all, were members of the nominating committee that reported their names. While this strikes us at first as bad form, or even as dangerous to the usefulness of the association, a moment's reflection convinces us that the danger is imaginary and affects the form rather than the substance of the thing. If an entire assembly appoints itself on a nominating body, and then names all of its members to one office or another, it amounts to the same as a committee of the whole for the nomination of officers and a distribution of offices to all.

In later years, since the association has grown to gigantic proportions, it is true that this large committee has dwindled in comparison to the size of the body it represents. But the fact that the rule requires that all the States, districts, and Territories shall be represented on the board of directors secures a variety of interests in that board, which prevents the possibility of clannishness or misrule.

Should, however, it be deemed desirable to provide even a wider participation of the rank and file of the association in the election of its directory, this could be easily Read before the meeting of the department of superintendence, at Philadelphia, Pa., February, 1891.

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