New-York tribune., 1903-03-16
CHANCELLOR MAcCRAcKEH's VIEWS.
Desirsbility Of Eon-Paztisan Control of Edu.
cation Through the Regents.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Str: favor the bill Of the Regents Of the Uni
versfty for the unfhcation OF the State educs-
tionaI system / have abored HndeT the Regents
the executive officer of New-york University
for nearly eighteen years. II not mis-
taken, I the senior college president
under the Regents of the State Of New-York.
I had served az a teacher before coming to
Eew-York, in the two great States Of PennsyI-
vania and Ohio, Iaboring college president,
high school teacher and public school superin-
tendent. 1 may venture for this reason to say
a word upon comparative school organization.
without hesitation pronounce that any advsn-
&a&e that have found possessed by New-York
State over her sister States which have named
- due to the Board OF Regents They have
justified their existence by what they have done
for secondary and higher education. Some
things pertaining to universities which 1t has
seemed to me they ought to have done they
have failed TO do, and why? Mainly because
they could not accomplish them without the
consent Of the State legislature. and the State
legislature is not I'm office primarily 20 carry
on schools. Repeated experiments have proved
to me the incapacity Of State legislature of
the larger States to give continuously for many
years, the time and attention needed to create
ana maintain an educational system Of the
highest order.
None of the States in which have labored
possesses system OF schools from kindergar-
ten to college and university such as 1t ought to
enjoy for the amount Of money that is expended
upon it. It is utterly hopeless to expect IN
our larger States ideal system from direct
legislative management or from direct choice
by legislatures OF State commissioners or super
intendents of education. Politics makes our
legislatures We want that they should be
made up of at least two great opposing political
parties We believe that this is the only way
to keep citizens alive and awake to their duties
az voters The ultimate authority Is the peo-
pie.
Entirely consistent with this view is the po
sition asserted ebove that they choose the
educational officers Of the State more wisely
through Board OF Regents than by direct cleo
ton In the halls Of the legislature. The legis-
Iature of its own volition has made the tenure
Of ONCE Of the State Superintendent OF Public
instruction three years. It might have limited
his term to the life Of the legislature which
elects him BIT 1t has removed the Office to
this exteat from the control Of the people He
fs put beyond reach for three years, just as
the City Superintendent of New-York is put be-
yond reach for the long term OF eight years.
Why this seemingly undemocrettc dtstrust or
the people? Because of the fact that other
wise the superntendency would be subject 10
constant changes for party reasons according
been ashamed to ask any citizen to become
superiutendent of State education on such con-
ditions It has recognized after crude fashion
that the State superintendent should not De
subject to party control in the came degree
with the majority of State officials. He can
he reached in any thoroughgoing way only
after a period Of three years In this he has
the advantage Of any college or university presl-
dent In the State OF New-YofE Every one OF
our number can be displaced by his corporation
at the end Of any year.
Right hare advocate the transferrence OF the
appoiutuent of the State superintendent 10 the
Board of Regents in order that he may hold
o4,ce uDon the same tenure with the presidents
Of our leading universities. namely during Eooo
behavior Thus when q mistake has been
made in the choice OF the educational executive
of the State we shall not have to wait until
he has fulfilled contract Of three years, put
he VIII be liable to be removed at the end OF one
year or even of half year. TINS rule, Wnlca
is found q good rule for the president OF 6a1-
ward or Yale, or Chicago University. were
better rule for the superintendent OF education
in the state Of NeW-York than cast iron
statute assigning him term OF three years.
In this particular the Regents conuo! WI Ttans
the adEainsgtraticn Of the elementary SCHOOLS OF
the state nearer 10 ths heart OF the people than
4 = unaveadahls &hRs the composition Of the
TrNEaut dtacnRHsna. People win b dtV1esd into
fkr9e claaaaaL TRg&, those who DeneTs tn6t the
eupak4a1andaney q puShc tnSrSoceson ~ =
tHnroVed ff psSesG undsr the Board OF Regents
s~1Ft@ssfSstn6 81 ff exists Go-dsy; second, those
WIo 6eHhk TITS proposition. bat ce1eve taa1 the
$50 gnpaEintendsney would % edvaataSeo ey
rrI1bf - franeoved by al act Of the legislature;
fIafrd thGse who want the supertntehnent 20
c0nfInue 60 Be eleessd by the iegtsleSuFs. either
rlacfng hing undeF tie direction Of tas Ae6sn1
f~estrr RsSa aylesunaIk asT eE0Na relation 20 the