The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-11-28
REPLY TO Mr.. GETTING.
FalIacies in His Article on the State
Board Pointed Out.
the Tditor of the Indiananolis Ionrnal:


Parthian arrow which my friend Superin-
tendent Geeting has placed upon his bow,
and which / trust you have not permaturely
discharged for him. For certain good rea-
sons | feel confident that / have not the
honor of being that zone president of a
cenominational college now agitating the
reorganization Of the Board Of Education
with the intention of reopening the question
at the next meeting of the Legislature,
whose influence has been so greatly feared
as TO call for the sending out to prominent
educators III various parts of the country of
circular letter seeking expressions of opin-
ION, among other things as to the best
method of forming state board of educa-
ton. The arrow therefore has not hit me,
ana venture to express a few thoughts
which casually occur to my mind.
First of all, cannot but regret that Mr..
Geeting is feeling compelled ito express
deep conviction" and to raise his voice lin
solemn caution" before the coming General
Assembly while in so pessmistic a mood re-
garding the people of Indiana and their
representatives, the Legislature 1t is pc
culfarly sad, too that this must be done
by one of the only two members (of the
state board) chosen by the people in general
election" l wish that Mr.. Geeting had not
told US that he was endeavoring Ito judge
the future by the past" when the dismal
vision rose before him of a Legislature
despoiling the Governor of his appointing
power of the state library going Ito the
party caucus carrying with it the State
Board OF Education" of the two sources
of destruction-bribery and intimidation
successfully endeavoring to control or cir
cumstance" the Single constituency, which
may be at first the Governor and second the
Legislature that shall be back of a reor
ganized state board, a board which is to be
the concentrated target for the briber and
freer field for the play Of peculation." L
would much rather have thought that these
visions We're expressions of vague fears or
morbid imaginations'' or even the outcome
of much Thanksgiving mince pie as good
as that which Mr.. Geeting and myself ate
together year ago. Still, L must confess
| am glad that in that sad past, when men
feared to trust their friends and relatives
to the care of the insane hospitals and
benevolent institutions Of the State having
political boards" the Legislature of 1866 did
not build both wisely and better than they
knew, and constitute an eX officio board of
state charities, placing upon 1t the heads of
these institutions, thus making them self
supervising in order to remedy the ills of the
time. The past was not so bad as 1t might
have BEEN Possibly the future may not be
so bad as Mr.. Geeting fears. How gladly
would l have heard Mr.. Geeting say that no
longer should the Legislature of 1865 stand
without equal in it's record educa-
tional questions" and that once more, after
"a generation of our history" that insight
that has distinguished our State in eduCa-
ton might be hoped to again assert itself
In the Legislature of 1899 that once more
the reaction of the State" might be known.
Mr.. Geeting must not be so respondent be-
cause he has "a full view of all present
facts and forces in our State" He has
given admire BILE administration, for
which am personally thankful to him, and
Ti.h i'm to nff of Ofeyl1f
years official connection with the State
Board of Education" thinking hopefully of
the State, its people and it's lawmakers.
Speaking seriously, L am pleased to know
that the State Board of Education has so
well administered the state schoolboOk law
Of 1889 during the past ten years, and If this
is the sole reason why the organization of
that board should not be changed, as would
appear from Mr.. Geetings argument, per-
of the desired change in the organization of
the board taking place, in the creation of
state schoolbook commission composed of
eX offcio members and constituted as is the
Board of Education at present. Possibly
others might object if So these must speak
for themselves. Why does not Mr.. Geeting
suggest to the coming General Assembly the
creation of such commission rather than
'solemnly enjoin" upon it to repeal the book
law of 1889? Would not this course be wiser
AS to the statement that "a number of per-
sons" have been demanding the reorganiza-
ton of the state board, without a single
parchment of nef1icieney being brought" L
heartily thank Mr.. Geeting for the high
and, l believe, deserved, compliment which
he thus pays the nonstate presidents. These
have not and they will not come down to
the level of personal criticism of their
friends, the members OF the state board,
although by some their own requests have
been repeatedly misstated and their motives
misrepresented and impugned. From first to
last their objection has been made to the
organization of the state board as inimicHl
to the interests of their institutions. They
faulty in construction it must work in
faulty manner, whoever may run it. They
know whereof they speak, and have a6un-
dant reason for the conviction that is in
them They prefer, however, to point not
to the past or the present, but to the pos
stbihties: even certainties as It seems to
tional interests and of advance along all
educational lines which lie before us ALL
provided we can have board, impartial In
its organization; upon which neither state
nor nonstate higher institutions shall be Off
cially represented. Why is nothing said by
prospect? Are combined efforts and har
monious advance entirely alien to their
thought? Surely not. 1t is true that the
nonstate presidents have been asking why
the Indiana board is absolutely unique in
its organization among the boards of the
answer. Most people know good thing
when they see it. Why is 1t that board
absolutely free from personal and partisan
influence" which has commanded general
respect for a generation, while all other adj
miniStrative boards rose and fell with the
actions and reactions of party politics., a
board "buttressed by six various boards of
CONTROL" carried by its correct principles
of organization through a generation of our
history, free from distrust and demoraliza-
tion'-why has such a board as this not
been duplicated during this period else
where? A good moving machine is not con-
fined in its use to Indiana acres, an Oliver
ploW to Indiana soil a Studebaker wagon
to Indiana roads. Why has the Indiana
state board organization not taken root else
where? And now even certain individuals"
even "a number of persons" within Indiana
are not thoroughly satisfied with things as
they are.
| am thus led to a few remarks regarding
the opinions of prominent educators which
Mr.. Geeting quotes. Their names are those
of men well known and highly respected,
whose opinions must carry with them great
weight" Let US then, weigh them. These
gentlemen are thirteen in number Two have
been presidents of Indiana University ana
ex officio members of the Indiana state
board a third was for some years promi-
a fourth and a fifth are presidents of state
universities in adjacent States. But what
do these gentlemen say? To what point are
they speaking? One need not be much OF
higher critic of epistolary literature TO
come to the conjecture, shall ! say, that
sent to these gentlemen is not given us by
Mr. Geeting or that other individual letters
were also sent, at least in certain cases
Will Mr.. Geeting kindly tell us how TINS
was? Professor Brambaugh, DIR. Han, DR..
Coulter. and notably Commissioner Harris,
are writing not to the point of the reorgan-
ization of the state board which is desired
by the nonstate presidents, but are discuss
ing representation on that board on denom-
national colleges. May not this be the fact,
la awarF NIn% .fDrra