The San Francisco call., 1898-04-10
INSPECTION OF HIGH SCHOOLS Professor Brown Com mends Californla'S
 System. Is Efficient Although Nowhere Recognized in the School
 Law.
Declares, However, That the Plan Is Very Expensive
 One.

Professor Elmer E. Brown, in lecture to teachers class at the State Unlvers- 1ty yesterday, gave an interesting expo sition of the tendency on the part or various States to establish a unified sys- tenn of education. He said in part:
 'The development of secondary educa- ton under the control of the State has been attended with many difficulties. We have seen, on the other hand, running through our educational history, a grow ing demand for a complete and unified educational system. By this unifcation l do not understand the subordinating Of the lower schools to the universities and making them merely preparatory to the universities. It is a unification which aims at rendering complete every intrinsic part of the system.
 We have seen that many high schools have been established by municipalities and by local districts. Though not pro vided for by State laws, these schools have been sustained by the courts. let such schools, excellent though many or them are, do not constitute a complete State system of secondary education Such a system can only be attained by statutory provision for the establishment of secondary schools, financial support of them, determination of the course of study, licensing and appointment or teachers and the inspection of the schools, all by the central authority.
 These conditions are as yet but par tially realized. Our statutes have made extensive provision for local control, but they exhibit a strong tendency toward a centralized State system. This growing tendency is exhibited most strongly at present in the States of Maine, MaSSa- chusetts, New York, Indiana, Minnesota, North Dakota, California and Maryland.-
 'In Minnesota since the year 1881 there has been noticeable development toward a centralized system. In that year the Governor of the State, the Superintendent of Public Instruction and the president of the University of Minnesota were con- stituted a State High School Board. An act of the State Legislature provided for pecuniary aid to any preparatory school offering free tuition to pupils of both sexes from any part of the State. Two conditions were imposed that courses should be given sufficient to prepare the students for the University of Minnesota, and that inspection of the schools by State authorities should be permitted.
 One of the glorieS of our California system is that provision is made for eX- pert supervision of the high schools. Ours is, believe, the most thorough system of inspection to be found in any State, even those that have the accrediting system.
 The system of visitation of high schools by university professors is very expensive system, and, strange to say, it is entirely unprovided for by law The arrangement is purely voluntary one between the university and the high schools, and not a word can be found re- lating to it in the school law of California from beginning to end
 "At present the various high schools of this State are largely supported by local funds. The State furnishes, approximate ly, 45 per cent Of the financial aid for sec ondary schools, the rest being raised by the locality. It is really surprising how freely California communities have voted to tax themselves to raise funds for high schools"