The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1906-01-11
NORTH DAKOTA EDUCATORS.
Nineteenth Annual Convention a,
Grand Forks Is Well Attended.

OAkOTA EDUCATORS.
Nineteenth Annual Convention at
Grand Forks Is Well Attended.
The nineteenth convention Of the
North Dakota Educational general as
sociation was convened in the high
school building at Grand Forks.
The attendance at the several meet
ings of the departments of the asso-
citation were considerably larger than
usual on the opening day Of the an
uual educational meeting.
The principal address before the
general association was delivered by
Joseph Carhart, president of the May!
vile normal school, and president. Of
the association.
I'M his address,. President Carhart
Endorsed the plan of afiliating relig-
fous schools with the University of
North Dakota, and spoke at some
length on the liberal provisions for
education provided by the state. He
recommended some changes in the
present high school board by the Gre
alton of an administrative board of
education, consisting of the heads OF
the several educational institutions,
the superintendent of the two largest
public schools in the state, a county
superintendent appointed by the gov
ernor from a section of the state not
otherwise represented, the state super
intendent as the executive officer OF
the board, and the governor. This
would make a board, President Car
hart claims, that would be educational
rather than political.
The organization of the state high
school board has been a fruitful sub
ject of controversy for years. The
board as at present constituted con-
sists of the governor, the state super
intendent and the president of the
university. Advocates of a change
hold that the board is not sufficiently
representative of the various educa-
tional interests Of the state, and that
it's tendency is to emphasize the uni
versity at the expense Of the other
educational institutions.
The present plan is defended on the
ground that the normals and other
special schools maintained by the
state are not in any proper IN a
part of the high school system, and
that If there is to be uniformity and
logic in the arrangement of the school
work the high schools and the univer-
sity must be considered as one, the
former leading naturally to the latter,
while the normals are schools exist
ing not for preparing young men and
women for high school or university
work, but to prepare them for the
work of teaching in the common
schools. The function of the agricul-
tural college is held to be Of a special
character and of such a nature that
it should not be expected that the
work Of the high schools should be
planned to lead up to it.
This is held to be the case with the
manual training school and with such
other schools of a special character as
the state sees fit to maintain. Gen
orally speaking, the advocates of the
present system hold that the high
schools and the state university are
engaged in the work of education in
it's broad sense, while the other col
leges are doing special work useful
and necessary to those who expect to
take up certain lines Of work, but not
required in the general system and
not properly a part of it. 1t is illog-
ical, they say to place the general
work of the schools in charge of men
of workwho are doing a special work
and who do not come in touch with
the work of the other character. The
subject has been vigorously debated
and at every session of the legislature
there has been some proposition look
ing toward a change in the direction
suggested b. Mr.. Carhart. The ques-
ton was the subject of a lively debate
at the last session of the state associ-
alton. and a plan %embodying some Of
the ideas now presented by President
Carhart failed to receive the approval
of the association. These facts give
to the present recommendations I'M
usual interest, as there is involved a
change in the entire basis Of handling
the educational work Of the state.