The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-11-14
they LIKE u.s..
English Educators Finish Their
Topeka Inspection.
Western Portion Of Their Tour
the Most Instructive.
PRAISE OUR
Have Seen Nothing Better Than
Those in Topeka.
Have Good Words for Superin-
tendent Davidson.
PRAISE OUR SCHOOLS

IF 1 should propose to the city OF
Leeds that it erect such school build
ings as you have in Topeka, 1 would
lose my job. I could not be reelected"
This sums up in a nutshell the opinion
of G. j. Cockburn, president of the
board of education of the city of Leeds,
England, who for six weeks has been
in America with the other British com
missioners investigating our educational
systems.
Friday was spent by the five commits
sioners in Topeka, and at 1850 today
they left for Denver, after visiting the
high school, three of the graded schools,
Washburn college. the Santa Fe shops,
and the state house. Each of the COM
missiOners will write a very detailed
report of his American trip when he re-
turns to England, and if hey write like
they talk, Topeka will come in for q
send off that ought to start emigration
this way in a hurry.
Glad we came out here? Well, 1
Should say So" declared Mr.. Cockburn.
There were 80 OF US when we landed in
New York on october IL. We visited
New York and the eastern schools, spent
a week in Chicago, and there the eom-
mission dissolved. But five of us in
sisted that we must see the west and
south before returning. And 1 can as
sure you that we feel that the best part
of our trip, and the most instructive,
has been down the Mississippi valley.
Back east they are more like England;
you westerners are different. You are
full of freshness and enthusiasm; you
are not bound down by ~precedents of a
hundred years; you are not afraid to try
experiments. In England everything
educational is in ruts; everything is
crystallized and can be moved"
Mr.. Cockburn is perhaps the most dis
finguished educational authority in the
British Isles. He was selected as chair
man of the commission of 30 appointed
by Mr.. Mosley for the purpo of finding
out the secret of the success of the
American educational plan. He holds
numerous distinguished honorS in Eng
lish educational work. The five men
who stayed with him to tour the west
are Rev. A. w. Jephson, member of the
London school board: c. ]. Hamilton
professor of economics at Cardiff uni
Versity, Wales: c. J. Fletcher, principal
of Liverpool educational institute and H
Rathbone, vice president of Liverpool
educational council. They are accom-
panied by r. w. Atkinson, of Boston
PRAISE FOR TOPEKA.
II can say t~ruthfully," said Mr.. Cock
burr this morning, that during on
whole trip 1 have seen nothing which
could excel the management and meth
DDS of the Topeka high school 1t Il
admirable and the sympathy betweei
teachers and pupils is Inspiring.
Nor can 1 say too much in prais
Of the work Of your superintendent. W
NJ. Davidson. You owe much of thi
splendid school system of yours to TIL
ability of that one man. 1t is the per
sonal equation which is making Topeka
schools What they are. Mr.. Davidson /
q man OF extraordinary ability; of grea
breadth Of mind, and Topeka is to b
highly congratulated that it has such
man for the head of its ~educationa
system.
Yesterday we visited three of tn
graded schools. We visited Polk, I be