LIKE MANY OTHER DISCIPLINES, THE FIELD OF SPEECH IS IN NEED OF A REAPPRAISAL AND DEFINITION OF ITS CENTRAL GOALS AND FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPTS. ON THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LEVEL, ALL TEACHERS ARE LANGUAGE TEACHERS BECAUSE LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT IS CRUCIAL TO THE LEARNING PROCESS AND TO THE SOCIAL GROWTH OF THE YOUNG CHILD. ON THE SECONDARY LEVEL, THE SPEECH TEACHER ATTEMPTS, IN CONJUNCTION WITH OTHER SPECIALISTS, TO AID THE STUDENT IN BECOMING CONGNIZANT OF AND CONTROLLING COMMUNICATION AS AN EXPERIENCE CENTRAL TO THE REALIZATION OF FAMILY, VOCATIONAL, AND PROFESSIONAL GOALS. FINALLY, ON THE COLLEGE LEVEL, SPEECH DEPARTMENTS PROVIDE A TRAINING GROUND FOR SPECIALISTS IN THIS DISCIPLINE AND PLAY AN IMPORTANT PART IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF ARTICULATE HUMANISTS. (THIS ARTICLE APPEARED IN "THE SPEEECH TEACHER, " VOL. 17 (MARCH 1968), 91-100.) (DL)