The Anaconda standard., 1895-01-11

Mr.. STEERE'S IDEAS.
He Writes In Defense of His Course Mt
the STATE Association.

the STATE Association.
To the Editor Of the Standard:
In the Butte department; OF the STANDARD
OF the issue Of Dec 80 appears an article under
the caption OF ''Steere's scheme Slaughtered.
] would respectfully ask permission to reply TO
the same through the columns OF your paper.
First, Mr.. Hendricks seeks TO convey 10 the
people at large and especially the Butte school
board, that the teachers of Butte were sighted
on the programme OF the state Teachers asso-
citation lately held at Livingston
Prof. =. A. Merritt of the Helena high school
was the chairman OF the executive committee
and Mr.. Hendricks of Butte and Mr.. Monical or
Livingston we're the other members. II | am
correctly informed, and believe that am. the
conduct OF Mr.. Hendricks IN the preparation OF
the programme for g he recent association was
too puerile 10 bear repetition. read all the
correspondence between MIR. Merritt and Mr.
Hendricks. Anyone who will but investigate
the facts In this case can readily see where the
blame lies. know that Prof. A. {: Newall OF
Butte will not deny that he was invited TO pre-
pare paper upon one OF the most important
subjects now before educational bodies, w: "A
Review OF the Report OF the Committee OF Ten.'
but declined as he thought he would be in salt
Lake City at the the time OF the state Teachers
convention. Another letter, so Professor MeT-
the High school, Butte, Montana, in care of
Miss Fannie Corbin." This was intended Tor
Professor Mckay, but what became OF Il is not
known, as 1t was never answered. Another
letter was mailed to Miss Fannie Corbn. the
assistantant principal of the Butte high school,
and her reply is given herewith IN iull, which
should any one wish to see the original, he may
do so by calling at my office.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS,
BUTTE. Mont, Nov. 81, '9i.
Mr.. s. A. Merritt, Helena, Montana:
DEAR >IR:-Your letter received. regret
that my sister and are not able TO comply with
your request. There is hardly time Tor prepa-
tion as our time is occupied with other work.
Hoping that the association may prove a sue
cess, and thanking you for your courtesy, re-
main, yours respectfully, FANSIE CoRBIN,
In regard TO the school law have this to say:
Early in the morning OF the last day OF the
teachers convention some one made motion;
which was carried, "that the discussions on all
papers be limited to 10 minutes" Then came
Mrs. Howey's paper, followed by Professor Bee.
man OF Miles City, and President Danf0rlh OF
Deer Lodge. When the association convened
In the afternoon your humble servant gave his
assigned paper on Needed school Legislation. ~
After two or three had spoken upon the subject
and consumed the allott time, Mr.. Hendricks
asked the consent OF the assembly for five min
utes' time. IL was voted and the president
"pOlitey informed him to that effect. After
speaking seven minutes about the code COM
misson-a subject that had not been previously
mentioned Professor Merritt moved that THE
gentleman's time be continued indefinitely"
which was carried. The gentleman wanted 10
annihilate the state board of education because
he did not want said board TO have control of
our state Institutions. Our state constitution,
in article Nl., section H., is as follows:
The general control and supervision Of the
state university and the various other state cd
ucational institutions shall be vested in a state
board OF education, whose powers and duties
shall be prescribed nd regulated by law. The
said board shall consist of IL members. the
governor, state superintendent of public instruc-
tiOn and attorney general being members eN-
OfficiO, the other eight members thereof shall
be appointed by the governor, subject to the
confirmation OF the senate, under the regula-
tionS OF and restrictions to be provided by law"
had advocated and still maintain that the
textbook question be placed in the hands OF
the said state board. Mr.. Hendricks held that
this should not be done, as the board was 'pO-
litical body from bottom to top" such men as
Suuerintenpent Kern of Anaconda. Superin-
tendent Young and Professor Merritt OF Heiena,
Sul erintendent Harmon of BoZeman. Superin-
tendent Largent of Great Falls, Superintendent
of Miles City. and all others, except Mr.. Hen
bricks, believe that the textbook question
should be left to the state board Louisiana,
New Mexico, North and South Carolina, Texas
Virginia, West Virginia, Georgia, Delaware,
Connecticut. Nevada, Washington, Oregon, Cal
iforna and Montana include nearly every state
in the union that has a state board of education
and most of them have lately revised their laws
in regard to this textbook question. In Wyo-
mngs recent state constitution Article VII,
Section II. may be found the following restric-
ton: Neither the legislature nor the superin-
tendent OF public instruction shall have power
to prescribe text books TO be used in the public
Schools" out OF these 16 states Montana alone
leaves the settlement of this question to lhe
legislature. Does this look like montana will
not do what no other state has done?" On the
contrary, by the adoption OF the plan suggested
by this department. Montana will be but follow
ing in the lead Of other and older states in the
practice OF system that is universally COM
mended. f A. STEERE,
Superintendent Of Public Instruction.
Helena, Jan. 8, 1895.