The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-07-06
HAVE CHANCE TO
Be PRESIDENT
But Public Schools Are Not
Training Boys With That
End in View.
MOST OF THEM MUST WORK
so THEIR EDUCATION SHOULD BE
ALONG MECHANICAL LINES.


course to the presidency is not the OBJ
ject Of the public school system Of the
United States, OF. rather, it should not
be, in the opinion of the leaders Of the
National Council of Education, who
spent today in a discussion Of conditions
that must rule the twentieth century.
The final session Of the council. pre-
HminaTy to the sessions of the National
Educational association, the first Of
which was held tonight in the Denver
auditorium, took place this afternoon,
and twentieth century conditions re-
ceived much attention. Edwin G.
Cooley, formerly superintendent of the
Chicago public schools, led the discus
sion of what the American boy needs in
the way Of education.
Should be Fitted for Work.
while it is the privilege of the Amer
ican-bOrn boy to become president
of the United States" said Mr.. Cooley,
cit does not follow that il becomes the
business Of the public school system to
fit him for that position. Some day this
boy is going TO be a labOrer, a me-
chanic, an artisan. something besides
president, and right now he is being
neglected"
University of Idaho, agreed with Mr.
Cooley that in the future boys must be
trained for the positions they will be
called upon to hold in various social or
political groups.
The question of school administration
with respect to the scope which should
be given state school executives occu-
pied most of the afternoon session of
the council. Homer H. Seerley, presi-
dent of the Iowa State Normal school,
advanced the proposition that uniform
ity should exist among the states in the
government Of the schools, and that
much better progress viii be made in
the future if the superintendent Of edu-
cation be given wider powers.
Too Many Officials.
This view was furthered by Edwin T.
Fairchild, superintendent Of public in
struction of Kansas, who said that in
the United States there are now 100000
teachers managed by 100000 officers.
This state Of affairs, he said, could best
be regulated by the commission plan,
which, he believed, is coming to be the
accepted plan Of centralized govern
ment. One other suggestion by Mr.
Fairchild proposed the appointment of
the state superintendent by the board
of education, with the power retained by
the directors of removal of the super
intendent. This. he believed, would OBJ
viate the possibility of an incompetent
official holding Office. This view also
was accepted by Nathan c. Srhaeffer,
state superintendent of Pennsylvania.
Indian School Lauded.
In the morning, DIT. Nicholas NJ But
Ter, president of Columbia university,
made q few extemporaneous remarks
lauding the work of the Indian schools.
particularly that at Haskell institute at
Lawrence, Kan. H. n. PEARS, superin-
tendent Of the Haskell school, also spoke.
Late this afternoon the board Of di-
rectors met and chose the members of
the nominating committee, which on
Wednesday will meet TO make nomina-
tons for the officers of the association.
The political side of the teachers gath
ering has been felt but little thus far.
except that an attempt has been made
to throw politics out of the association.
A few leaders believe this can be
brought about by taking the Office to
the man. instead of making the race
a free-fOr-all.
To this end il is proposed 10 nom
mate Elmer Z. Brown. commissioner of
education, who, il is said, is not an ac-
tive candidate. Thus far it seems as if
Mr.. Brown would receive the nomina-
ton. It is not believed there will be
any opposition to Irwin Shepherd Of
WnOna, Mimi, for secretary.