Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-03-20
SAFETY N EDUCATION
Superintendent Barrett Speaks
Before Quarterly Conference
ofInstitution Managers.
The State Owes the Child a.
Practical and Complete
Education.
Connecting Links Between the
Various Grades Of Schools
Are Needed.
Special to Times-R Republican


Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines, March 2O.-The quarterly
conference of superintendent of state
institutions. held Yesterday and today.
has been Well attended and the matters
discussed are of general interest. The i
purpose Of the conference seems to be 10
have papers and discussions on those
phases of institution management
which are of public interest and thus
far the conference idea has been. pro-
ductive of good results. This morning
superintendent Barrett, of the state ed
ucational department. appeared before
the conference and read an interesting
paper on the relation between the pub
lie schools and the schools in state in
stitutions This is matter seldom con-
sidered and so far as the legislatures
are concerned seems never TO have been
thought of in law making circles Cor
;rectly Speaking, he said there is no
governmental system of schools in the
United States. tho we otter refer 10 the
American educational system as the
lscongress had provided a system of
schools. Each state acts for Itself and
the federal government attempts no
supervision In fact. the federal con-
stitution makes no direct provision for
education, nor are the words s.e,luca-
tion" and schools to be found in athe
fundamental law But education was
thought of by the founders of the GOV
ernment In the congress of the secer-i
iation Thomas Jefferson made a report
iin May, lisa, in favor of setting apart
one section in each township for school
purposes and the ordinance of 1877 did
provide for setting apart land for school
purposes. Acting undar the general
Welfare clauses congress has given
| away nearly So.C0oo0o acres Of the pub
| lie domain for education
But the states make it their affair in
the carrying out of educational policies
| Inc duties of the state are mary 1t
ewes 1T TO the child itself to provida an
articulated educational system that b.,
gins at the Very lowest depart rsent and
l5continues 10 and includes the University
and schools IN other state institl,tions.
Iowa las no sucn perfected system.
The system, If such ii may be Gated. is.
lsdisjointed. disconnected and fats 10
give the child an linbrol1en educational
pathway a common school is Trayidea
In every district, bur no connecting link
exists between the rural school a id the.
graded school. Towns of a certain pop
ulation and cities have schools of a
higher order, but there is no close legal
relationship between them and the
higher state Institutions. There are
many very excellent points in our so-
called educational system. but tbs dis
jointed parts should be artiouiated. The
duties of the superintendent IF public
instruction 60 not extend TO the schools
In state Institutions. The duties cf the
Icounty superintendent rels5e 10 the.
common schoois. Public schools are SUI
pervisee by state and county sube,in-
tendents. are open for al Least GER
tain fixed period each Year and are
taught by teachers licensed by author-
lied persons. In at least these three.
particulars they differ from schools in
state Institutions. The latter may be
taught by the most competent teachers
the state is Wiling to employ super
vised by pedagogical or professional ,ss-
perts and open fo, a longer period than
the public schools Neither state nor.
county superintendentss nor local boards
lof directors have any Voice. in their cor
duct. except the former may serve as a
member ex-officio of the three eGlica-
tionai institutions and make a tour Of
Clearly there is no legal
connection between these classes of
schools. In conclusion Professor Bar,
rett said:
That there is lack of oneness. is evi-
dent BY this I do rot mean that a
state OF general good feeling does net
exist. There is mutual understanding.
harmony, concord; in fact we dwell to-
gether in unity. Notwithstanding the
lack Of centralized power or authority
there is unity Of purpose. The highest
good of the state and its citizens is
sought by all executive officers
charged With the supervision of e,iuca-
tional institutions. | believe there is a
surprising amount of ignorance regard
ing the schools in state institutions and
that wider publicity OF their purposes
would result in great good. The state
can do whatever it deems best for its
children. The state does not demand
that children shall attend the public
school for any given length of time each
year. nor is attendance upon schools in
state Institutions compulsory except in
the industrial. schools. The right cf the
state. however. to compel attenaanee
upon both public schools and schoois
in state institutions is unauestioned If
a Close relationship between the public
schools and the schools in state institu-
tions is desirable legislation is neces-
sary"
So =
Warden Henry Wolfer, of the Mime
sofa state prison, was present and read
a paper on indeterminate sentences for
prisoners He took the ground that in
sentences the crime should be consiti-
cred only in so far as it reflects the
maximum criminal tendency of the of
fender. The criminal, his previous his
tory and character, whether criminal
from chcice or accident or by stress OF
circumstances under which his weak
nature gave way. and finally his CON
duct and progress in character building
after he has been committed and under
going impris isonment, should be consid-
cred. He may be much better or worse
than the degree of the crime he has