The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-12-29
II. S. Commissioner of Education
Makes the Suggestion at Con
ventiol Here.
OR COMPULSORY SYSTEM
Declares $70,000,0O0 Is Expended
Each Year for Construction of
Schools.

More capable school teachers. di-
vision OF the large counties into smaller
units OF supervision and assistant coun-
all of the time. were suggestions for the
bettermcnt Of the public school system
OF the United States made In an inter-
Wow with The Tribune Wednesday
night by Elmer E. Brown. commissioner
of education OF the United states. Dr.
Brown asserted that rigidly enforced
laws regulating child labor and provid-
ing for compulsory education are essen
tlal to the best system OF education in
any state,
The public school situation in some
states is gradually improving" declared
Or. Brown. II find that where close and
extensive supervision obtains there Is
the most advancement. The supervision
of the schools has everything 10 do With
bettering conditions, Many OF the coun-
so that more careful supervision can
be made. II these counties We're d.
vlded into small districts they could be
covered In a manner satisfactory To the
county superintendent and also in way
much more beneficial to tho teachers and
the students.
Conference a Good Thing.
THE conference Of superintendent
held I'm Salt Lake City "A few weeks ago,
at which our specialist was present
proved TO be very usefui We are tght-
ing for more cooperation among the
various states and these conferences. as
we'll those Of the governors OF the
states. are Of untold benefit to the coun-
try There is great deal to be gained
bv an agreement between states. cspe-
cially along educational lines. When
these agreements are stronger VIC VIII
most likely have "A uniform certificate
fnr f.ana gar
tifcatc permitting the teachers to work
In the various states Will not come. 1
believe. until the states arc In closer
touch with each other.
Some day there probably vii! be II
separate federal educational department
as strong as any department In the GOV
crpmcut This is taking hop. skip
and jump into the future. however. The
work OF the commissioner OF education
is principally TO further cooperation
and TO uphold the hands OF the state
Superln ntendents.
Millions in School Buildings.
I'VE have in hand large Illustrated
bulletin on the construction of school
houses which We will send about the
country. It will show 400 views OF ground
floor plans for u better class of school
buildings About $40 900. 000 is being eX-
pended in--thc construction OF school
buildings in the United States annually.
Utah ranks well In almost all things
educat tioDal, I have not been here long
enough to say a great deal about this
state. however. other than IL Is improy-
Ing along all educational lines and is
attracting attention throughout the coun
try
mo. do not think there are as many
boys and girls attending the public
schools as there should be. One reason
for this is that there are not enough
truant officers. and another reason is
that We have not enough compulsory at
tendance laws well enforced"
DIR. Brown arrived in Salt Lake City
late Wednesday afternoon. lie was the
guest of +, NJ. briggs, SUPERINTENDENT OF
the state school for the deaf and blind.
at dinner at the Commercial club at
o'clock Al this dinner also was DIR.
John NJ. Cook. dean OF the normal school
men Of the Untod states, who at one
time was a professor at the normal
school at Normal, ILL.,. where Dr. Brown
was student.