The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-25
PRESIDENT SWANS VIEWS.
His Side of the Board OF Education
Controversy


Dr. Joseph Swain, president of the State
University, was in the city last night and
gave expression to his views on the present
controversy regarding the reorganization of
the State Board of Education as follows:
THE present educational controversy is
not simply or chiefly between state and nom
state colleges, but between the public
schools OF Indiana and the presidents %. on
some church colleges. AS evidence OF the
proposition | make the following statement
of fact: 1t began between the State Teach
ers' Association and the eight presidents OF
as many church colleges. So far as the
state side IS concerned 1t still remains with
the workers in and many other TRENDS OF
the public school system. The eight church
schools include only part or the nonstate
schools of Indiana and not even all OF the
church schools In fact there are more IMAM
three times as many students in nonstate
schools in Indiana outside or institutions
which these presidents represent as are
found in these institutions. On the SIMPLE
mathematical principle that the whole is
greater than any of it's parts, 1t is not rea-
sonable that the attack on the present or
ganization of the State Board of Education
should be made in the name of the nonstate
schools of Indiana.
IAN overwhelming majority of the public
school people of the State favor the pres
ent constitution of the board, or the pres
ent board with two or three additions 1t is
a matter of comparatively slight Importance
to the schools of higher learning under ex-
listing conditions how the state board Is con-
stituted but it is a matter of vital impor-
lance to the elementary and secondary
schools. If the Legislature is to consider the
interest of these schools, and not the clamor
of a few, the Legislature should consider
this view of first Importance. In all the
clamor for change of the State Board OF
Education not a single charge is made that
the board, or any member of 1t. has failed
to comply with the law has done any injury
to the church school or is in the least inefi-
cient. When an institution has been tested
for a long period of years and is satsfac-
torily carrying out the purposes for which
it was created, any demand either for its
extinction or material modification. should
reason has any one given for so modifying
the present state board that it will be dis
connected by law from part of our public
school system? In all that has been written
concerning the State Board OF Education il
has not appeared. so far as / have seen. that
there is any evidence that any member of
the State Board OF Education has committed
a single act that Is unfriendly to the church
schools 1t has not appeared that the board
has been inefficient, that the public schools
Of the state in all departments have not
grown and prOspered, that any member OF
the board has not done his duty under the
law. 1t has not appeared that the board Is
not nonpolitical, nonsectarian or profession
al in character.
"rhe present organization of the board
has not been until recently criticised, to my
knowledge during the thrty-three years OF
its existence. If il Is wrong now. II must
have been wrong during these years. Re
Gently however, few persons not In any
way connected with the common-school sys-
TEN have dgitated reorganization of this
board on the ground that II Is inimical TO
the interests of church schools - schools