The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-09-07
ANOTHER USELESS BOARD

derStood, to place the educational 1nSu-
tutions of this state under state board
of education. Opposition to having
them under the state board of control
has from the first been strenuous and
we'll founded. When Minnesota made
her public institutions to the politi-
clans under the guise of a board of
control she did not intend to go to the
length of including the educational in
terests. This, however, was done,
either inadvertently or through some
fine work by the politicians, and the
people of the state have justly re-
scented it ever since. The legislature,
however, still regardful of the impor-
lance of political pull, has refused to
remedy the situation. Now it is sug-
gested that the educational concerns,
the university, the normal schools and
others, may exchange King Log for
King Stork in the shape of another
state board designed expressly for
their management
We hope that this proposition will
be resisted with all the might of intelli-
gent public opinion. To consider the
university alone, it would be an insult
to that great institution and a dis
credit to Minnesota, which neither her
pride nor her interest could safely bear,
to put the state university under the
complete direction of some mongrel
board. to be constituted sooner or later
of political hacks. Because we have
made one bad blunder Is no reason why
we should go on in the same mistaken
path. Rather let us frankly acknowl-
edge our error and retrace our way as
speedily as possible.
There is not the slightest need, prac-
tical or theoretical, for any kind of
board to control our educational insti-
tutions. AT its best it could be only a
nuisance, and at its worst a curse.
Fancy the experienced educators now
in control of the state university, fancy
a man like DR.. Northrop, who knows
more about educational needs and in
terests and methods than forty boards
rolled into one, practically deposed
from the management of the concern
and obliged to submit himself to the
demands of a board Of politicians
Fancy such state board as would
necessarily be created having the di-
rection of university affairs, selecting
professors for it and for the other in
stitutions as we'll, adapting courses OF
study and generally making a laugh
ing stock of Minnesota. Surely this is
the limit of Grass ignorance and i'm
pudent meddling with affairs scarcely
less than sacred.
If the legislature should do the right
thing it would abolish the existing
board of control altogether 1t would
authorize the creation of a board OF
audit, to which accounts of all the pub.
lie institutions should be submitted
The legislature would then appro.
pirate in lump such sums as it thoughl
ton. A local board having charge O.
that institution would direct the ex.
penditure of the money. The business
OF the state board of audit would bt
to see that accounts were. correctly
kept, bills properly made out, and tina
purchases were made on fair terms il
the open market and no favoritism al
lowed. 1t would not have control o.
direction of expenditures in any othe
way than this. Such an arrangement
would be doubtless of much benefit +,
the state and would give to the board
all powers that it ever ought to have
or could exercise without abuse.
If the people are not yet sorry enough
for the ill-censidered experiment of tn,
board of control that has brough
shame upon them, the least that the,
can do is to, except the educational in
situations Of the state, or at any rat
the university, from its Jurisdiction. I
is reflection upon our sanity tina
they should ever have been included
1t would entitle US to admission to tn
violent ward in any hospital for state
afflicted with acute dementia were w
to create another board, inevitably DO
lftical, and hand over educational in
stitutions to its special charge.
Such measure as this, backed as i
will be by politicians who see add
tional offices and salary and pull in thu
multiplication of boards, might readil,
slip through if it were not exposed an,
denounced in time. we call upon tn
people of the state without regard t,
party TO rescue their educational in
stitutions from the rather humiliatin,
position in which they have beel