Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1899-07-21
POOR BUSINESS METHODS.
Boards OF Education in Large Cities
Should BE Less Cumbersome.

port, which was submitted To Gov.
Pingico to-day superintendent of
Public Instruction Hammond devoles
much attention To the subject of city
school organization. He heartily in.
torseo the long-term ,cachel's Institutes
that were entered upon last year. IN.
proyement in the work of the State
Teachers Reading circle is noted. but
attention Of the management is Sesip
called to the necessity for ESTABLISHING
some system whereby the credits gained
in this work shall ba SC recognized as
to furnish the tuaoheSs strong incen-
tive to pursue it.
fhe fact that all textbook egisla-
a., ton, except the bill repcAlng he uni
form textbook law a..ed to year,
ago, was defeated this yer sc mment-
ed upon, Supt Hamm nd r lrking
that in most cases the Iii v , either
an honest one with ,honest lobby
lurking behind it, or dishonest bill
/ per sc with, Of course, I'll ,honC 81 lob
by accompaniment The coutending
forces have left the state with an OPP
rioAol Tree textbook law by districts
the .aw o! 1889. There are ?4i dis
tr!t;' remaining under the free text
b0o& Ian.
- bill that involves the creation
Of textbook board or commission
should be looked upon with dslrust,
he 7a] 9, % absolutely unsafe and liable
to unscrurrious manipulation.
In dismissing the question Of city
school organization. supt Hammond
says people have right to expect to
tiHd the business management in the
hands Of expert lnanclers, the educa.
tonal management in the hands of
persons wEo understand all the work
ing OF this vast, Intricate machine,
ana that hey shall have full power re- |
garding their subordnatcs. They have |
a right To expect that no person shall !
have authority to dicatc in any of these
matters unless he be skilled in them
himself. The superintendent reluctant
ly admits. however, that these expecta-
tlons are rarely realized, politics and
personal deals serving to thwart them
POLITICAL FOOT BALL.
Supt Hammond proceeds to set
fourth the conditions that actually ex-
ist in most cities, and says: Thus we
see how, under our present system, it
Is possible to violate every principle
Of business management and barricade
The path OF advanced ideas, making
hat sacred thing-the public school
A political foot ball. All this because
people are apathetic and negligent re-
yarding their own interest. Primarily,
he boys and girls pay the penalty;
'econdari!y, the taxpayer.
The election OF the school trustee is
arcc. In most of our cities not more
han one-tbird of the qualified voters
axes the trouble to stop at the polls
md drop ballot, while in many wards
he vote is so small a fraction of the
ntire credence."
The superintendent urges that the
ollowing changes, or some modified
orm OF them, be made:
l The board of education IN large
ities should be less cumbersome.
2 The members of this board should,
n part at least, be appointed
3 Those elected, should be elected at
arge.
4 The board should consist of two
ommittees only,the business committee
nd the education committee. The
BUSINESS committee should have entire
ontrol of the financial politely of the
chools, and the education committee
( the educational policy. The men,
ers of the latter should possess certain :
EDUCATIONAL qualifications or have had j
Experience in teaching. .
3 The superintendent Of schools !
Mould be elected for not less than three
ears, and should have general control
( the school work. No teacher should :
e appointed against his protest, and
fter bis first year OF work in any city \
e should select and place every prin- 5
pal.
6 There should be no subcommittee I"
Scept the building committee. Each =
ember of the board should receive
ir remuneration for the services rem