The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-02-06

1 tAe tNIltoE OF lne indianapolis Journal:
There were two editorials in the Journal
OF Friday well worthy the serious consider
alton of members of the Legislature. Both
we're in reference to educational matters.
The first showed the comparative cost of
educating students in the State and the
nonstate colleges, being, according to sta
tistics. $l29.S0 for each student in the state
schools and $70.97 per student in the nonstate
schools. If the record of attendance were
carefully examined the difference would be
greater than is shown above. The numer-
Gus special courses provided and the new
system of giving marks in the state
schools has drawn a great many teachers
and others to these schools for the spring
and summer terms. These are all counted,
and swell the number in the catalogues.
As an example, 1 can refer to Hamilton
county. Last year it was credited with
nineteen students at Bloomington. Only
four of these were in attendance during the
entire year; ten were there only eleven
weeks. The total number of weeks of the
nineteen students was $50, which makes an
average of nineteen weeks for each student
from this county. This is only one week
more than half of a college year of thirty
six weeks. If this is a fair sample of the
attendance from other counties in the State,
the number of students at the three state
Institutions, the State University, Purdue
and the State Normal, will be about 1900 in
stead of 2506, and the cost per student in
the state schools is about $3.50 instead of
SlZ9.6V. Ihis would make the per capita
expense of state-school students more than
three times as much as nonState students.
The Journal rightly says: "EXtraYaganc
does not necessarily argue efficiency, and
educational institutions which receive state
aid should be held to the same accountable
ity in business methods as are other state
institutions" If the taxpayers must sup
port state colleges at all, it is nothing more
than right that a strict and economical ac-
counting should be made of the expendi-
lures. A biennial report to the Governor is
not Suttlcient. The people who pay the taxes
would like to see by items where the
$4,000 spent annually for salaries of officers,
trustees and contingent expenses for In
diana University goes; and they would like
TO see an itemiZed statement of the $50, 724.62
for administrative expenses for Purdue.
One great trouble with the state schools and
universities is that the professors do not
earn their salaries. Their great object is
to increase their salaries and reduce their
work. 1t is getting to be the fashion in
these schools for the specialists to teach
but from one to two hours a day. They do
not work as hard as the teachers in the nom
state schools, nor nearly so hard as our
city, town and district teachers. No wonder
these well-paid officers and professors fight
q royal battle for supremacy and for a con-
tlnuatlOn OF the present order OF things. If
the great cause of education as now man
aged cannot stand on it's own good works
and merits without maintaining a lobby and
promoters over the State it had better fall
10 the ground. The people will take care of
the common schools, and they will not suffer
if we had no state schools at all.
The second editorial in the Journal was
in reference to the truant officer. | firmly
believe that such an officer is entirely I'M
necessary. Too much is claimed for this
officer in connection with the compulsory
educational law. The 81, 600 extra children
were not added to the schools last year by
ALA tnHsa 1f 900 - ~ SIT M @Aa.1A
are law-abiding and obeyed the law with
cut the interference of the truant officer.
In this city there was an increase in attend
ance, but not a single child was put into
of this county. Under the law all that the
truant officer has to do can he better done
by the township trustees. Last year truant
officers of the State cost over 1885, 900. The
work can be done better by township truss
tees for one-fourth the money. The trustees
have the enumeration of school children in
their control have the record of attendance.
From these records it is very easy to find
out the children that are out of school. A
little moral influence of teachers and trus-
tees is much more effective in bringing in
the missing children than threats of truant
officers. AS q last resort the trustees can
enforce the law the same as the truant Off
Ger does now. In dealing with these school
questions the most important questions now
before the Legislature, members should
consider them dispassionately and sincerely,
and with a purpose TO do the greatest good
TO all the children Of the State. All should
be treated fairly and alike. The influence
of the lobby should have but little effect
enc way or the other. Legislators should
remember that the officeholders and those
having special and selfish interests at stake
are on hand with their promoters, while the
great mass of the people are not present to
plead their cause. The member are elected
by the masses to represent them, and 1T is
their duty and should be their privilege to
carry out the wishes Of their cqnstditgents.
Nnh1nGEi1In Ind Lnh