Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-09-19
State Superintendent Riggs Il
a Firm Believer In CONSOLE
dation Where Possible
NOW COLLECTING INFORMATION
A Preliminary to Thorough Study OF
the PerpIexing ProbIem-Troubles Of
Legislative Committee Appointed to
Investigate Plan For Reform in the
Management of State Colleges.
Special to Times Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines, Sept. 19.-State Super
intendent John Il. RIGGS will make 9.
special study of the country school
problem during his administration OF
the office Of superintendent Of public
instruction. 1t would seem that it iD
a problem" which ought to have beeil
solved long ago, or rather that all
phases of the question should have beer
considered before this time.
But the problem is one which changes.
with changing conditions, and as Prof.
Riggs predecessor has pointed out or
numerous occasions, the field for the
than 1t was In other years. AS pre-
liminary to the study of the problem of
what to do with the rural school Prof.
Riggs is securing information in regard
to present conditions in all the schools
of the state--information as to the tax
levies for different funds, as to the
school attendance, and more especially
as to consultations that have taken
place, the effect OF consolidation of rur-
al schools, and the success attending
such consolidation. Prof. Riggs is q.
great believer in consolidation. He is
not urging township Capitalization es.
pecially, but favors consolidation OF
districts that are contiguous wherever
the sentiment will support it. This:
J,x1o ,&ov tn dtraO
tion tf township unity. but it is easier
and applicable in many places where
the township system could not be ap-,
piled. As 1t is very probable that Prof.
Riggs will have six years In his office,
following custom, he will have album
dant opportunity to make use Of all the,
he can gather in regard to
the schools and to put into force any OF
the plans for reform which may seem
available.
The committee OF the legislature ap.
pointed to investigate and report on 6.
plan for effecting reform in the man
agement of the state colleges has in
vited the cooperation of the state ed
ucational department, and Prof. Riggs,
is engaged now in securing from othei'
states sets of the school laws and othe.
which will be Of use to the
committee. A dozen or more sets of the
laws have already been received by
Prof. Riggs. A hasty examination OF
these laws shows that they will throw
very little light on the problem ahead
of this important committee. So far as
Prof. Riggs has been able to discover
no state has adopted the plan which
was approved by the last two general
assemblies Of Iowa, and when the
Thirty first general assembly puts 1t in
force 1t will be an original innovation
in state college management. There
are no precedents to follow, and but.
very little for guidance. In relation to
the strictly business features of the
plan the board of control system may
be followed with safety, but in other
respects the committee will have to fol.
low unbroken paths. Prof. Riggs, al
tho ex-officio a member of the three
boards that will be abolished by the
next legislature, is giving hearty sup
port to the committee in making all in
to the end that the com
mittee shall have every facility for pre-
Some effort has been made to arouse
antagonism to the work of the legis-
lative committee by an attempt to
have the board Of regents appoint q,
committee to combat" the legislative
committee and make a fight against
anything it may do. Members of the
board of regents declare that this is,
preposterous and that there will be no
organized fight against the legislative
committee proceeding from their board
nor from the university or colleges. The
followed that of making it
appear tha. the purpose Of the legisla
tive committee is to secure and fur
nish ammunition to demolish the pres
ent boards and that the committee is
in fact a committee to make war oa
the present system. This was not the
the members of the COM
mittee had Of their duty The com
mittee is rather one to devise a plal
for carrying into effect a Legislative
intent. The Twenty ninth general as
sembly virtually placed it's approval OIL
the one board idea for colleges by re-
ferring with favor to it's successor thu
Thirtieth general assembly showed
very plainly that it was fully commit !
ted to the idea, but felt that the detail:
of the plan should be carefully work
ed out before the bill goes on the stat
ute books. 1t is to do this detail WORK
that the legislative committee has bee
named and is at work Members are
not going to consider whether they are
for or against the plan, but will de-
vote thems elves to the development {
a plan which, if adopted, will be the
best possible.
1t is learned that an effort is to he
made this week at Council Bluffs to
have the United States grand jury in
dict asome of the Des Moines news
papers for publication of lottery adver-
tisernents, the same being announce
ments Of the gift enterprises In con.