The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-03-22
POLITICS IN EDUCATION.

After seventeen years of service on
the Agricultural college board, Hon.
". s. Mccormick has refused TO serve
any longer, although re-appointed and
urged by the governor to reconsider his
resignation. AT the same time Presi-
dent Kerr of the same institution re-
signs, and. although he refuses to dis
cuss his reasons now, it is understood
perfectly that he retires because the
board has been packed with new
trustees, who were named for the ex-
press purpose Of making it impossible
for him to remain and preserve his
self-respect.
The significance of these two resig-
nations is plain enough one of the
states two greatest educational in
situations has been turned over to the
Republican machine to be used as
political annex. The governor and his
chief advisers, Spry and CaIlister and
Anderson, have pursued President
Kerr ever since the governor came into
office because Kerr was not in accord
with them politically. and would have
none of their interference in educa-
tional affairs. Like any other educa-
tor of ability and conscience, he was
against political methods In college
matters. and his resignation is the
sequel.
That the Agricultural college will
suffer goes without saying. No such
institution can retain the confidence of
the people or attract desirable instruc-
tors when it is known the tenure Of
office and possibility of promotion de-
pend upon political pull. No man can
give a successful administration of the
college who is dependent upon poIiti-
cal favor for his appointment and re-
tention. and is therefore obligated to
manage. the institution in accord with
the instruction of politicians.
There has been no question of Pres
ident Kerr's ability as an educator or
of his extraordinary executive capac-
ity. His administration has been sue
cessful, aggressive, Untarnished: the
college under his direction has estab-
AAoAtN1 a A4cAtAtA4e1A reputation IOI
high-class work, and its exhibits
have won distinction for the school
in competition with the work of
other institutions at the great
est Of international exhibitions.
The people of Cache county and the
students Of the college who know him
most Intimately. have supported him
al IL
fidelity; and those elsewhere
who have had occasion TO know
his record have nothing but
praise for the man. His only offense
was a determination to keep the col
lege out Of politics and TO assert his
authority when necessary to preserve
discipline and achieve results in the
school for which he was responsible.
1t is more than a shame that the
mad desire Of the Republican machine
10 punish Mr.. Kerr and establish
political machine in the school should
have been so successful. 1t is a calam-
ity that a man of Mr.. McCornick's
standing. ability. devotion to the COL
lege and knowledge of its affairs should
be forced to relinquish his connection
with the board because a lot of
pin-headed politicians had to crafty
a political grudge at the expense of the
college.
Having succeeded in this disorganiza-
ton OF one state institution it is only
short cry TO the decentralization of
others. The governor as a party to
the plan is chiefly resporsiBle: and it
is worth noting that he has establish
ed one practice which exists in no other
state in the country. One of his ap-
polntees to the Agricultural college
board is also. a member of the Brigham
Young university board at Provo; still
another of his appointees, a regent of
the university, is a member OF the
boards OF the Brigham Young univer-
sitv at Provo, of the Brigham Young
academy at Logan, and still retains his
regency of the university. A third and
new appointee is named for the Agri- |
cultural college board while he is re-
gent of the university: and this ap-
pointee is supposed TO be slated to sue