The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-02-01
IN THE SENATE.
Discussion of Bills Relating to State
decentralization Investigation.


N0rmaI-PrisOn Investigation.
One of the first things done in the Senate
yesterday afternoon was to read a resolution
offered by Senator Gwin. 1t recited the fact
that grave charges had been filed concern
ing gross mismanagement at the Michigan
City penitentiary, and asked that a nom
partisan committee of five Senators be APP
pointed to visit the institution, investigate
its management and report the result TO the
Senate.
The most important matter considered
however, was the two bills introduced by
Senators Early and Agnew concerning the
State Normal School. Both of them came
VI, on the report of the committee on edu-
cation. No y, Senator Earlys bill, was the
subject OF a divided report, a majority
favorng its passage. The other bill No. no.
was also handed in with a majority and
minority report, the majority favoring its
indefinite postpOnement. Senator Agnew
asked to have both bills considered together
in order to get the full sense of the Senate
on them. He explained that the first bill
amended the present statute while the last
one repealed it altogether.
Tn statute under which the State Normal
School was built provides that the board of
| trustees of the institution is authorized to
furnish certificates to all who have COM
pleted any of the prescribed courses of in
struction in the school and that they shall
be eligible to teach in any of the public
schools for life after first having taught for
| two years successfully in the schools of the
State
Senator Early, in explaining the purposes
of his bill, said that if the Senate acted
favorably on it, he intended to offer to
amend it so as to make life licenses issued to
| teachers by the Normal School void when
such teachers retired from teaching for a
| period of two years, except when such re-
| tirement was due to a desire to attend some
institution of learning. He further ex-
planned that the present statute restricts the
! eligibility of graduates to teach to the com
mon schools, and compels, as a requisite TO
| teach in the high schools, d university train
ing.
| CLASS LEGISLATION.
| Senator Asnew said that both the statute
| and Senator I1arlys bill were wrong in prin-
| ciple; that both were class legislation in
| that State Normal School graduates were
| given preferences over those of other
schools of the State. He urged, in response
| to a statement that the courses of study
are higher in the State Normal School, that
it would therefore be an easier matter for
! graduates from the State school to take an
| examination as to their ability TO teach
] than it would for the graduates of the pri~
vate schools and that if the private schools
were satisfied to have their pupils examined
as to their fitness to teach, the State Normal
certainly should be. He did not ask he
said, that the power OF granting life licenses
! should be extended to the private schools
| bat that the graduates OF the State Normal
should be put on the same plane as those Of
the private schools and take the same ex-
Senator Gilbert in opposing the BILL said
| that the principle was wrong, but that
| Senator Earlys bill would be Just one if
! the same priVueges We're extended TO the
! other normal schools which measured their
! studies up 60 the standard of the State Nor
mai He explained that his constituents
advised him when the bill TO reorganize the
SLate Board of Education was before the
/ Senate, that if ne would vote on the side
OF the State schools, some Of The State
school men, feeling that the life license
powers OF the State Normal School were
| unjust, would vote against the Eary bill.
| With this understanding, ne voted Tor the
! State schools but that IN spite Of this several
/ Of the Senators VINO pledged themselves to
| him refused 10 make their word good
Senator Drummond for the bill, said that
| the discussion was no new one but was tire
same Old tght dressed over" He made the
! assertion that the people around the State
| generally We're not worrying much about
! the problem, but that ''one person who
! perhaps, never read the sentence blessed
! are the peacemakers had caused all the
| trouble" He said that the State schools
! neeGeQ the fostering care OF the state and
that the secret OF the whole trouble was that
! the private schools wanted the same privi-
| legeS as We're given to the State schools
| without assuming any of the same RESPONSE
/ bity.
At this point Senator Agnew asserted that
! the protection extended to the State Normal
! School was in reality extended to a private
| school inasmuch as the State Normal School
was in reality owned by a private corpora
ton and held in trust by the trustees. 1t
was his opinion that the State could not
| assume ownership OF II because the statute
/ specifically stated that the property was
! held by the trustees lin trust" without
naming who IL held in trust for The
question being raised, the majority report
| was accepted and the recommendation that
| the bin be passed was coneurred in.
Senator Agnew' bill came next and Sena-
| tor Gilbert suggested that as Senatof
| Early's bin had been ordered printed. the
| same courtesy should be shown TO Senator
/ Agnew's. Senator Early objected. however
! 10 the bill having as good show" as hts