The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1871-03-03
THE SUPERVISION OF STATE INSTI-
1UTIONS.

The practice which prevails in mos
of the States of providing a separate
board for the management of the seve.
raj educational, charitable, reformatory
and penal institutions seems to be capa-
BILE of improvement in some particulars
There has not been $50 far as our infor-
nation extends)an approximation to the
plan of placing groups of institutions
under one general management, with
the single exception of the State of New
York in the instance of the board of re-
gents of the State University.
1t is mott to be supposed that such SUI
pervision can properly be extended to
institutions of an entirely diverse char
acter, bRt.st1z1lsal, State institutions, and
charitfesz3lss5y be placed in two or three
groups, seems to be quite evident, and
that such may thus be rendered more
efficient, and their management more
economical.
The reasons for the propriety of such
plans may be stated as follows: The
several boards appointed by the State
usually come from distant places, and
in some instances connot, or do not
give such care in the supervision as to
render their services of much value.
And in order to avoid personal atten-
ton to matters, they are quite likely to
entrust the work which is supposed to
belong to the Office they have accepted,
to those whoa in immediate charge.
They are thus quite likely to degenerate
into mere figure heads themselves, and
to allow to become the agents for carry
ing out the plans of those who have
personal or local interests to subserve.
This may relate to the direct manage
ment, as well as to the pecuniary inter-
ests which may be involved in the SUI
pervision.
If these statements are correct, it may
be proper that the supervision of the
several interests be placed under three
one board once in each year, in order
that their several claims for appropria-
lions may be more carefully analysed
and compared. We would suggest that
the boards, if as many as three, be con-
stituted as follows: 1st. A board of
for the care of the Uni0ersi-
ty, agricultural College and Normal
and any others that may be or
ganized under the care of the State, and
that they cooperate with the State Su-
perintendent in matters that relate to
schools. Such superintendent
being a member of the board.
I'd. A board for Charitable I3aStitk-
tons, including the Hospital for Insane,
the asylum for the blind, and the deaf
and dumb, &c.
Sd. A board for Penal Institutions,
OF prisons, including the PenitenttaTy,
the Reform Schools, and their charge to
extend to the management and disci-
pline Of diIs and city prisons.
Reference is here made to some that
are not yet organized, but win ere long
have place in this, as in most other
States. 1t seems obvious that an eff
Gent board for the purposes here stat
ed, composed Of persons who have the
necessary qualifications for the dis
charge of their special duties, and with
just compensation for the care they may
bestow, may render such supervision of
so much value to the State as to render
the outlay measure of real economy.
Such plans have been at different
times proposed in other States, but they
have uniformly been defeated, and their
defeat has been accomplished through
the opposition of those who were con-
neeted with the work of instruction, OF
the immediate work or management.
A board that is properly paid for it
services, and then held more directly
for its acts, will not be like
ly to be so easily managed by those
whose work they are expected to have
the oversight of.