The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-02-10
SCHOOL BILL DISCUSSED
SENATE EDUCATIONAL COMMITTEE
HAS LONG SESSION.
Nonstate Colleges State Reasons for
Opposing It-State School Not
Pressing 1t.

There was q Session VI the SENATE euuCd-
ton committee last night from o'clock
until midnight, at which a number CT rep
resentatives of the nonstate colleges and
several teachers of the State We're heard
with reference to the educational bill.
There were also present representatives CT
the State University. State Normal and
Purdue, University There was less of sensa-
tional character at the meeting last night
than has characterized other meetings, and
at the adjournment il seemed that the
whole fight made against the bill by the
nonstate schools had narrowed down to
two propositionS-that the State Board of
Education should be reconstructed on a
plane that would eliminate representation
of any of the colleges and that the life
license feature should be removed from the
diplomas of the State Normal School Ow-
ing to the lateness of the hour there was
no attempt on the part of the committee
to come TO any decision as TO amendments
to the bill. Senator Duncan, chairman of
| the committee, admitted that the fight
| seemed to have narrowed somewhat but
| preferred not to anticipate what action the
| committee might take.
| Getting down to specific complaints, he
said that they were complaining that the
GENERALIZATION OF power in the State insti-
|
| cation, as now constituted is an agency
| that is working harm to the nonstate
| schools. The bill made discrimination
| against the graduates of their schools by
| placing less requirements on the graduates
| of other schools who were applicants for
| places as teachers. President Mills said
| they regarded it as unreasonable that I,
| graduate of a reputable college should be
| put at a disadvantage by statute.
| There was no objection to educational
| qualifications for county super ntendents he
| said. On the contrary ne and his colleagues
| were in favor of raising the standard. The
| objection was TO the method of raising the
| standard.
Senator Duncan said at the opening of
! the meeting. that the publication of a
| statement TO the effect that he was a
| champion of the bill, was all news to him.
| He thought that II was only due to the
| representatives of the schools that he
| should make such a statement If order to
purge himself of the suspicion of having
| prejudged the merits OF the bill.
President Mills. of Earlham. spoke first.
| He spoke of the legal obligations to bene-
factors that rested on the schools and then
| schools, which, re said, owed much to men
and women educated in the nonstate
| schools. Even the State Teachers Associa-
ton. from which it had been said the bill
| emanated. he regarded as an outgrowth of
the nonstate schools TO a great measure.
| The theory that the nonstate schools were
| asking privileges granted to State schools
| without being subjected to the same super
| vision. he characterised as inaccurate. He
| declared that they WERE counting such SUI
| pervision- So far as he knew voice had
| ever been raised against the endowments to
| the State schools from the State even
| though the other institutions We're com
| PEELED to rely on private endowments.
| The endowments would cease if it came TO
| be understood that the nonstate schools
| were about to sink into gradual decline on
| account of Determinations in favor OF the
| other class.
! By placing the power in The hands of the
| State Board, in which representatives of
| the three State institutions dominate.
| they would have the power to discriminate
| against candidates for County superintend-
| ents and city school superintendent. were
they so disposed. This fact was already
| working to the disadvantage of the nom
| state schools as subordinate officials were
| urging students TO enter the state colleges
| on account Of the prestige it would give
| them IL they desired to teach when they
| returned home
Let me say it so plainly that / MAJ not
be misunderstood" said DR.. Mills in conclu-
! sion, that do not want representation
| upon that board. Our contention is that
the board ought not to have members of
DR.. Burroughs. of Wabash, spoke i'm the
same strain. He made the distinction of
| however, that the State No NAL is unique in
its characteristics. He said that they were
only asking that they have the same pro-
| lection as that given to other schools and
that would not prevent competition. DIR.
Fisher. of Hanover. spoke particularly
board. confirming himself to a review of the
laws of the sister States. none of which
have such a system as that of this State.
u. IL,
of Moore's Hill Col eye. DIR. Stott, of Frank
lin and Dr.. Goblin. of De Pauw. Dr. Goblin
said he had heard students complain of
the unfair arguments that We're brought
TO bear 10 induce them To enter the State
institutions He did not blame the presi-
ii possible for such conditions to exist
| DR.. Sims, of the Meridian street Nj. Z.
Church, formerly connected with New
York university, spoke of the laws of that
State.
Rev. d. r. Lucas was something of an
interloper, he admitted. but he was there
with number of the provisions of the bill.
declaring that II would make of the state
board a very dominating power. Beside
this the bill conferred Legislative and judi
cial powers on the board. He objected to
the provision that no teachers could be a p
pointed without the consent of the city SUI
perintendent.
Dr. p. II. Jameson. of Butler College. also
versity. wanted to emphasize the fact that
the state board had not drafted the bill
but that IL came from the State Teachers
! Association. He also wished it understood
! that the state schools were not fighting for
the bill.
Professor ]. W. Carr. of Anderson city
schools: Superintendent Carnegie, of Co.
lumbus: Superintendent Douglass, of Lo-
gansport, and other instructors spoke in
favor of the provision that demanded edu-
cational qualifications for teachers and su.
! DerintendentS.
Robert Brown. deputy secretary of state
had been an interested spectator and begged
leave to make a suggestion. lie said that IL
! seemed to him that the controversy had
narrowed down TO two propositions and he
thought ii ought to be an easy matter tC
come to an understanding.
GRAND LODGE MEETING.