The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-03-19
Superintendent Fairchild Would
Raise Plane of Schools.
Objects to Political Qualification
for Superintendents.
KEEP GOOD MAN In.
Two Term idea Should Not
Apply to Him.
How Other States Are Helping
in the reform.

LII
Elimination of politics from the man
agement of the public schools of the
state Is the plea which State Superin-
tendent of Education E. T. Fairchild
makes today in an interview.
Mr Fairchild believes that so long as
county superintendent of education
is giving good service, the voters should
retain such superintendent in office
Heretofore it has been the custom to
put the county superintendent in the
same class with all other county offices.
and place an arbitrary limit of two
terms, or four years, upon the tenure
of Office.
Il have hesitated somewhat about
expressing disapproval of this Gus
TOM, said Superintendent Fairchild
TO-DAY, because I suppose my motives
will be misconstrued. However, I be-
heve am right, and I believe it is
my duty to overcome a custom which
In my Judgment is Injurious to the pub
nc schools OF the state. The character
Oh tne puphc schools in county de-
pends In great measure upon the char
acter OF the county superintendent"
Super1ntendentS of city schools are
chosen by the city boards of education.
aud usually hold office as long as they
| tics does not enter into the case,
| Superintendent Fairehild SAYS:
! "A great need in the state of Kan
| sas, educationally speaking, is that
school matters. especially with regard
to county superintendent, should be ta-
ken as far as possible out of politics.
| In the fall of 1906 because of the
| theory Of passing political Office around.
probably 80 or 40 county superintend-
| ents were retired who were really Inst
| haQinninQ of
| their respective counties From the
| standpoint Of an educator. it seems to
| me, that the one consideration in Sc
| lectfng superinten lent should be the
question OF quahhcation and fitness.
| Many states have ceased entirely to
| select such officer by popular vote and
| have resorted to the plan of annoint-
ment rather thar undergo frequent
| changes.
TN our OWN st.-sss<ts eat MANY ca,,n-
! ties have ignored the traditional two
term Idea and have Reelected countv
superintendents, and, I am frank to
say, I wish such a custom might be-
come universal. In Marion county
! Superintendent Knowles held the nosi.
I ton of county superintendent five
| terms. Superintendent Law of Me-
| Pherson county also held the position
| five terms. Superintendent Thompson
| of Wabaunsee county was in office five
| terms. Superintendent Pierce of Doug
| las county. five terms. Superintendent
! Swingle of Riley county, six terms
John Macdonald of Shawnee county
| held the office number of terms; at
! one time three terms successively I
have no doubt that other counties have
equal or longer records.
| mo board of education of any CITY Of
| any size or Importance, would think of
selecting its superintendent with the
| distinct understanding that he could
not serve more than four years. The
one test in all such cases is that of
satisfactory service
1.-THE county superintendent has
large number of children under his
supervision: he becomes familiar with
| the boards and the districts and their
needs; he comes in touch with other
county superintendents; learns the pe-
| culiar requirements of the office: and
| II he has the right spirit, soon comes
to be one of the most valuable officers
| OF the county. His administration of
the office is, or should be, absolutely
non-political. If the superintendent
proves himself incapable or unsuited to
I the work, certainly a prompt change
| should be made but it is difficult to see
upon what ground rational argument
can be advanced for the removal of
| county superintendent at a time when
| he is rendering complete satisfaction
and excellent service to the county.
TN my Judgment wherever the super
| intendent is discharging his duties well
| the state by helping to break down the
| purely political notion that the effec-
| tiveness of a superintendent ceases af-
| ter four years Of service. If we can but
| lift our schools and everything connect
ed with them out Of politics, we shall
! have done most valuable thing for the
; educational interests Of our state
| "At a recent session of the legislature
of Ohio a law was passed providing
that the county superintendents shall
be elected by the chairman of the sew
| eraI township school boards. It is also
| provided that they shall be elected for
| a period Of not less than three nor
more than five years at time. In 9TH
/ er words the county superintendents
| of Ohio are selected much in the same
| way as the city superintendents. Such
| q plan tends to remove the selection
| from politics.
IAN article in the March number of
the Pennsylvania School Journal reveals
/ a most interesting situation as to the
| tenure of office of county superintend-
ents of that state where law similar
| to the Ohio law is in operation. Since
| the institution of the office of county
/ the counties various superintendents
| have held office for period of nine
years In eight counties, superintend-
1 ents have held the position from nine
/ to twelve years. In nineteen counties,
| superintendents have served periods of
| twelve years. In two counties, between
/ twelve and fifteen years. In nine coun-
j ties, fifteen years. In two counties be-
| tween fifteen and eighteen years. In
| four counties. eighteen years In three
| counties, twenty-one years. In four
/ counties twenty-four years or more"
| neafT, of a fcorty-niner