The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-12-20
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION.
The President of Earlham Gives Rea-
sons Why 1t Should Be ReOrganized.

To the Editor of the indianapolis Journal:
First-Under the present organization of
the board the State University is placed
practically under private control while re-
ceiving exclusive support from public funds.
This is wrong in principle as well as in
practice The university is controlled by a
board of eight trustees. Three of these are
elected by it's alumni and the remaining five
by the State Board of Education, which is
composed of the following members, be-
sides the Governor of the State; viz, the
president of the State University itself, the
president of the State Normal School, the
president of Purdue University, the state
superintendent of public instruction (who is
ex officio a trustee of the State Normal
SCHOOL,, city superintendent who is a
graduate of the State University and a con-
spicuous promoter of its interests as a
lobbyist of the Legislature. and tn, perrin
tendents of two other cities This posi-
ton of the board is admirably &C ID to
the mutual promotion of individual Ia erests
among the three state schools which domi-
nate it. In such matter as the appoint
ment of trustees of the State University it
is only natural to suppose that the nominal
tons of it's president will receive the unani-
nous Endorsement of the officers and friends
VI TIC ObiCA lIolllullOuS Represented III TIE
board. This, in effect, places the appoint
ment Of five out of eight trustees of the
State University in the hands of it's presi-
dent. That is to say the board of control of
the State University Is practically the crea-
ton of its president and alumni. At the
same time the public is called upon to sup
ply the money for the institutions support.
Satisfactory reason has not yet been Of
fered why the State University should not,
like other state institutions, be under the
management of board which in fact
well as in name represents the people of
the State. This, however, can only be
brought about under the present method of
delegating the election of the State Uni
versity trustees to the State Board of Edu-
cation by so reorganizing the state board as
to divorce its membership from all official
connection with the two universities and the
membership of the board while continuing
the present large ex officio membership of
representatives of the state colleges, as has
been proposed by the state board itself,
would be wholly inadequate to the purpose.
Second-Under the present system the
State University, the Normal and Purdue
State of their expenditures of public funds
In this respect they enjoy an exemption
from responsibility to the public in the adj
minstration of their financial affairs which
is accorded to no other state institution in
Indiana, far is known to the writer
On what grounds is this discrimination
made? Why should not the public know, for
instance, the salaries of officers and men,
bers of the faculties of these institutions
State Reform School for Boys at Planfied
and the State School for Soldiers Orphans
at Knightstown? Can there be anything un-
reasonable in the suggestion that the peo-
pie of the State ought to be informed to
what proportion of the funds appropriated
to its universities and the Normal School
go towards maintaining the legitimate edu-
cational work for which these institutions
were established and how much goes into
advertising eXpedients and campaign work
for the purpose, in part at least, of secur-
ing patronage which would otherwise go
to other schools of recognized standing to
swell the attendance at the state schools
and afford plausible ground on which to base
claims for new and increasing appropria-
tions from the Legislature? Many
Of public interest. This fact that
no adequate accounting is made to the
state by the state schools affords of itself
a good and sufficient reason for the creation
of a State Board of Education composed of
DISTINGUISHED educators, charged with the
duty of carefully examining into the finan-
cial administration of the States three in
situations of higher learning as we'll as of
making textbook contracts and of directing
the work in admirable system of COM
mon schools.
Third-The retention of the three state
school presidents upon the state board is
defended by the board itself on the ground
that the duties of the board require that it
be made up of professional educators. Is
the public to conclude from this argument
that Indana's higher state educational in
situations, after all the long years of their
| existence and the expenditure of millions Of
dollars from the public treasury, have
far failed in their mission that outside of
the present membership of the board. no
available citizens can be found whose
scholarship, moral character and profess
sional skill fit them to be entrusted with the
important and responsible work of directing
our system of public education? The I'M
dersigned does not believe that such is the
case But, coming as this argument does
from an official bulletin OF the state board
itself, dated Nov. 10. 1898, it constitutes an
urgent occasion for the creation by the
Legislature of new Board of Education
whose members shall have no official con-
nection with the state colleges and Normal
School, and which may be exp cted to dis
cover and remove the cause of such in
efficiency in the work of the state schools
if it really does exist. ]. ]. MILLS.
Richmond Ind, Dec. 49,