The Indianapolis journal., 1898-11-25
DEFENSE OF THE BOARD
sUPT. GEETING's PARTING SHOT AT
ANTI-STATE COLLEGE MEN.
Opinions from Noted Educators as to
the Indiana EducatiOn-
al Department.

work of the State Board of Education and
the opinion people in other States have of
it, The body of the report is as follows:
After eight years of official connection
its clerk and then as as president, covering
eight of the last twelve Yeats, ] wish, in
this my last official report to the General
Assembly to express a deep conviction as to
the essential elements in the organization of
this board and TO raise my voice in solemn
caution against any sweeping movement
Whicn, 10 remedy an incidental grievance,
real or fancied, would throw to the winds
the correct principles of organization which
nave carried this board. and this alone OF
the many general administrative boards of
this State, through a generation of our his
tory free from distrust and Generalization,
people.
"I'he Legislature of 1865 stands without an
equal in its record on educational questions,
Van Buskirk, Allison Dunning, Cason, Car
son and Douglas; O1ouse): Messrs. Gregory
OF warren, Rhoads, ,Stucky. Chambers and
GlaZebrook, names that suggest TO the stu
dents Of our history those persons whose
laborS IN the cause of education have borne
wonderful fruit. This Legislature, after the
most careful and exhaustive inquiry in COM
mittee, and with insight that has dis
tingulshed our State in education, provided
that the board should be entirely eX ottcio
and almost entirely professional, and that
while responsible to public opinion it should
be absoiutely 1ree from personal ana p9rt-
san influence Only two members, the Gov
ernor and the state superintendent of public
instruction, are chosen by the same cleo
torate, ]. e., the people in general election.
Every other member of the boaru is chosen
to administer a great educational SYSTEM by
different body of school trustees, which
are in turn subject to the General Assembly
of the State, both for the form of their
organization and even for their existence.
1.-THE integrity Of the State Board of Edu-
cation, its efficiency and the general respect
it has commanded for a generation, while all
other administrative boards of the State rose
and fell with the actions and reactions OF
DartV notifies. not dcpi0pntS-SllGn things
do not happen. This board exercised it's
functions with the entire confidence of the
profession and the people even in those days,
when men feared to trust their friends and
relatives to the care of the insane hospitals
and benevolent institutions of the State haV-
ing political boards. When Indiana wanted
the uniform textbook law, the General AS
sembly, rather than trust a commission of
its own appointment or one nominated by
the Governor chose to intrust to this board
the tremendous responsibility involved in
the execution of that enactment. Let it be
have made complete failure of the text
book law by refusing to advertise for bids
the second time, after publishers had COM
bined to offer no books under the first bid.
The board again attempted to secure books
by advertising for bids the second time con-
tracted for the only ones offered. and thus
received the pIaudits of the friends of the
law by daring to do its duty. If the ex ofticio
organization of the State Board of Educa-
tion stood it in good stead in the delicate
and difficult duties devolving upon 1t pre-
vious to the enactment of the uniform text
DOCK law, Il proper eX OIlclO organization Ol
the board subsequent to that enactment has
become a condition absolutely essential to
its moral existence The textbook law was
the reaction of the State against the cor
rupt practices of county authorities in the
adoption of textbooks, as the state
library law reaction against the unseemly
political and partisan management of that
institution. These laws intrusted to the
State Board of Education have justified the
wisdom of the General Assembly in their en-
actment.
BACK TO PARTY CAUCUS.
Certain individuals now ask that the
State Board of Education be appointed
wholly or in a large part by the Governor of
the State. If we are to judge the future
by the past how long would a Legislature
politically adverse to the Governor leave
the appointing power freely in his hands?
The one step being taken to appointment
by the Governor, the second step to ap-
pointment by the legislative caucus will fol-
low. Then will the state library have gene
back to the party caucus, carrying with it
the State Board of Education and the
adoption of textbooks for the State rescued
from the irregularities of county adoption
by the law of 1889, taken from state board
of educators buttreSSed by six various
boards of control, each different from all the
others in it's source of appointment, to the
state conventions Of the political parties,
carrying with them the appointive or cleo
tive board of education and one million of
dollars i'm contracts These statements are
not expressions Of vague fears or morbid
imagnations. They are drawn from the
concrete and obvious examples of the work.
ings of textbook laws in other states of tho
Union under appointive commissions Aside
from Indiana there is not a State which
possesses the uniform textbook law that
is working We'll or the administration of
which is worthy of, or enjoys the confidence
Of the people. For every textbook COM
mission there are two sources of destruc-
tiOn-bribery and intimidation. Indiana has
retired forever let us hope from both. She
has sought refuge in one central commits
elected by the people, and six school men,
to control or circumstance whom any force
must gain possession of a majority Of the
following: The Governor and board Of
ernor and board of trustees of the State
Normal School. the State Board of Educa-
tion and the alumni Of Indiana University,
the mayor of Evansville and the School
Board, the school commissioners of Indian
apolis. the city School Board Of Fort
''Fhe workings of this commission are a
part of the history of the state for the last
ten years. You will be asked to substitute
for this a commission with a single con-
stituency. which will be at first the Cow
ernor and second the Legislature The pro-
posed commission cannot promise increased
publicity Of action or greater professional
responsibility of membership. 1t can only
promise narrower security, concentrated
target for the briher and a freer field for the
play of peculation. From 3. full view of ali
present facts and forces in our State and
being informed as to the disappointing fail
my completed eight years of the most in
innate experience with the workings of our
statute, ] would solemnly enjoin upon you,
gentlemen, that before you take from the
State Board of Education the sustaining
power of its ex Offlcio relation, you repeal
the law of 1889, providing for the uniformity
of textbooks for the State. ! advise that
you do neither. Generally there IS no eX-
pressed desire from public school teachers,
superintendents and officers that either be
done. You have witnessed for two years in
q certain quarter the unprecedented spec
tace of a number of persons demanding the
abolition or reorganization of the oldest adj
mnistratiVe board of the State without a
single accusation of misdoing, without
single impeachment of efficiency being
brought. Institutions that work we'll are
too rare to be unjustly asSalled or qulcksaly
changed. You are entitled to specific
charges before being asked to apply
remedy.
What I have said proceeds not from any
personal vanity, it is no preacnment from
any assumed moral elevation or any mem
Der Of the State Board of Education.
Neither do / say that no additions 10 It's
membership should be made | believe
representation of our efficient county super
intendents and our school trustees should
be added to the board without violating the
principle of it's present organization.
I'm these words / have aimed 70 utter
only my earnest conviction, born or long e&-
perience with this board and of close study
of the board of other States that the men
of 1865 in the matter of the States educa-
tional organization built both wisely ana
better than they knew. In evidence or TINS
Judgment | append expressions from men
whose opinions must carry with them great
weight"
SUPERINTENDENT Geeting a short time ago
o=7t tho following circular letter 10