Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1900-12-20
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A Proposed Change.

I& A Proposed Change. 3
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A plan 10 divorce tie public schools
Of the slate from politics, radically
different from that Of State Superin-
tendent Harvey to make county sup
eriutendents appointive officers, may
be presented to the next legislature
in the form OF a bill changing the
manner Of electing those officials.
Ia brief, the plan is to have the
county superintendents OF public in
! trgeii n deed at the school district
meetings. When the annual school
meeting i. held, the school district Of
fcers would, under this plan. provide
ballot box n which would be deposit
ted the ballots of all those persons
qualified to vote at the school meet
ing for candidate for school super
intendent Of the county ia which the
4 district was located.
These ballots would be sealed up by
the school district officers, and sent
IN some safe manner. possibly by
messenger, to the county clerk That
official, after the votes from all The
school districts in the county had
been received, could notify canvass
ing board to be provided for under
the law to meet and canvass the votes
and the candidate receiving the high
est number of votes would be declared
elected as county uperintendent.
One feature OF the plan which has
not been settled upon very definitely
IS how the candidates for the office
are to be selected. However, the law
might provide that they be placed up
on the ballot by petition of a certain
number Of school teachers. That or
SOME other provision would have to
be incorporated in the law, to restrict
the number Of candidates within rea-
sonable bounds.
Under the present plan of electing
county superintendents in connection
with the regular elections, the office be-
comes involved in the contests of the
political parties. and the nominee of
the dominant political party receives
the votes of his party regardless of
fitness or qualifications. In Grant
county this rule does not hold good
however, Supt, Nye with his popular
ity in all parties together with his fit
ness for the place making him the
unanimous choice of a large ma jority.
The proposed plan, it is
claimed, would entirely eliminate
political considerations from
the election of county superinten-
dents, and would make the election of
these officials an entirely non-partisan
affair.
another advantage this plan would
be that women, being entitled to vote
at school meeting, would also be en-
titled to vote for coutny superinten
dents. And if women are entitled to
vote on other school matters, there is
just as much reason why they should
have voice in the most important of
school questions, the selection of the
men who are to have charge of the
management Of the schools.
1t is believed that this plan could
be carried out with a minimum ex-
pense to the state. and its benefits
are apparently positive and of char
acter to be greatly desired in connec-
tion with the development Of the pub
lie school system.
The school superintendent of many
Wisconsin counties and others inter
ested in educational questions have
been discussing this plan for a long
time past and it is very probable that
a bill embodyirg the features herein
enumerated will be prepared and pre-
scented to the coming session of the
legislature.