The Indianapolis journal., 1898-12-22
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION.
President Mills Gives Additional Rea-
sons for Its REORGANIZATION.

sons for Its REORGANIZATION.
| To the Editor of the indianapolis Journal:
In the Journal of Dec. 20 1 gave three
reasons why the State Board of Education
should be reorganized, and 1 herewith sub
init others. My fourth reason for desiring
| reorganization is based on the fact that
| the policy of the present State Board of
Education ignores the existence of nom
! state schools. This, in my view, affords
| forcible reason why the board should be re-
/ organized. In it's recent bulletin it has
| given the public plainly TO understand that,
| in its official capacity, it is oblivious to the
existence of any private educational agen-
cies within the State. The United States
| Bureau of Education maintains no such
| attitude In many ways is actively fosters
| the progress of -denomina tional and other
| private education throughout the country.
| 1t carefully gathers and annually pub
! fishes the same statistics concerning nom
state colleges as it collects and distributes
concerning state colleges. For instance,
when a new chemical laboratory is erected
at Hanover College, a new library at Wa
bash and new gymnasium at Earlham
they appear in the report of the United
States commissioner of education alongside
the new library building at Indiana Univer-
| sity. The same report to the national gov
| ernment presents statistics of attendance.
| equipment endowment and other informa-
| tfon concerning the work and growth Of
| nOnstate colleges faithfully and fully
| ii presents the work and growth Of the
| state colleges. DR.. VIM T. Harris the
| United States commissioner of education
| SO we are informed by our state superin-
| tendent of public instruction, has expressed
| himself as not unfavorably disposed toward
| the appointment. in the capacity of private
| citizens, of nonestate college presidents
| upon State Boards of Education-a recog-
| milton far beyond all that the Indiana nom
| state colleges have ever asked for or
pected. Notwithstanding the fact that
the United States government main
tains West Point Military Academy
for the education of army officers,
the inspector general of the army,
ia his recent report, extends substantial
| encouragement to private schools which
give military training by including them
among institutions whose graduates he Will
annually recommend for appointments In
| the army.
In the presence of such conspicuous ex-
ampleS of governmental recognition of nom
| state education Ii must be something of a
1 surprise to the people of our State to learn
| from the State Board through its recent
| announcement that it is Indianas policy to
entirely ignore the existence of institutions
| which at present are doing approximately
| work of the State. Surely a protest against
such policy from the friends of nonstate
education should neither be interpreted as
demand for State financial aid church
| schools, nor as an attack on the States
| colleges, nor as ecclesiastical interference
| with the States system of public schools.
The time has fully come when the three
1 state school presidents should retire from
the State Boar, Of Education in order that
| 1t may be untrammeled in extending legiti-
| mate protection and the same encourage
| ment which the general government gives
to all valuable educational agencies within
| the State.
Fifth-The membership of the State Board
should be changed because. under it's pres
| leges who apply for positions to teach in the
public schools are liable to be placed at a
| disadvantage by being required to pass ex-
| aminatons at the hands of the faculties of
| the State Normal School. the State Univer-
sity and Purdue University. The State Nor
NAL, for instance, justly enjoys distinction
for the exceptionally high grade of it's work
| in the philosophy of education. Platos
| writings are very properly favorite author
| ity with the members of its faculty. That
much substantial benefit is thereby conferred
upon the educational service throughout the
State is freely granted. But the, too free
! injection of this distinguishing character
! istic of the work of the State Normal School
| into the lists of examination questions sub
| mitted to prospective teachers in the COM
mon schools is liable to work hardship upon
| graduates of other institutions who apply
! for license to teach. A single illustration of
the possibilities involved wilt suffice. In the
| State Board examination conducted by
peared the following list of questions under
| the head of Science of Education" The
list is give, given in % full and f verbatim E; p,,t
! 'Phaedo) show to be the main argument
| for Immortality?
- What is the argument from reminis-
cence?
80 What bearing has the conversation
concerning Evenus upon the argument?
"a. What IS the argument from harmony?
80. What is the object in giving a picture
of the world beyond?
value of the 'Phaedo?
| In consideration of this standard fixed by
| the State Board of Education Tor the exam
| ination of common-School teachers in the
| science of education 1t may, perhaps, be not
without reason that the board has found
| it necessary to recommend thar in future all
answers from applicants for license through
out the State be forwarded to the state cap
ital by the county superintendents to be
graded by the State Board itself.
The foregoing arguments In favor of the
reorganization of the State Board of Educa-
schools of higher learning. The writer, both
as a citizen interested in the cause of gen.
eral dHea3n ana cbol as roreT n1naeht OF
testimony to the great value of the work
which it has done and is doing for the State
He is on record as cordially friendly to the
State University in all the lines of its legit-
innate educational work. He joins sincerely
in the general Endorsement given by the peo-
pIe of the State to Purdue University as a
great technical school. But true loyalty to
the States educational institutions and per-
Sonal esteem Tor the eminent educators VINO
stand as their presidents is in wise in
consistent with an honest and outspoken OPP
position to the present organization of the
State Board of Education. As a friend of
the two state universities and of the State
Normal School. the writer believes that their
highest interests would be subserved by
such reorganization of the State Board
of Education as to wholly divorce its men,
bership from official connection with any
university, college or normal school in the
State. j. j. MILLS.
Richmond, Ind, Dec. q.
VITlI CTlTICTICC-nE d