The Marshall republican., 1910-09-09
SCHOOLS OF MISSOURI
PREF. EVANS SUGGESTS 4 NEW
CONSTITUTION.

Republican nominee for State Super
intendent of Schools, says:
My trips through the state this sum-.
mer visiting about one-third OF the
counties, has been a revelation TO me.
i a v known many of the school men
and have watched their growth with
interest, but to see their local sur
roundings, the men who back them
and urge them on, to learn OF the bur-
dens the communities cheerfully pear
in order to improve the school build.
ings and equipment, Is to better appre-
ciate the reason for the rapid strides
Missouri has been making IN school
matters. The throngs of teachers at
the various summer, schools is an
other evidence OF the great interest
created by increased pay and increas-
ing opportunities. In every place I
found pride In the schools and teach.
ers and a strong determination to get
the best buildings and best teachers
the people can afford. The buildings
are generally a credit to the commu.
nifty and the effort to retain worthy
teachers gradually forces the salary
UP.
The increasing sums spent on the
state educational institutions is an.
other evidence that the people Of our
state are willing to spend money lib
orally for the training of the next gem
GRAFTON. Two Of the amendments to
be voted on this fall pertain to schools
and both deserve success One is to
extend in q degree to smaller cities
the right already possessed by the
large ones. Three cities may levy for
school purposes a tax of sixty cents
on the hundred dollars. but Joplin
must vote by popular election each
year IL she wants to levy more than
forty cents. Nearly all the smaller
cities must use this cumbersome
method each year to raise sufficient
school money.
An eminent M~issourian asked me
recently what ! wanted to do as SUI
perintendent of Schools. / said / was
looking for a new State Constitution
and ! wanted to. be In a position to in
fiuence the chapter ON schools. The
numerous constitutional amendments
submitted by each legislature empna-
sizes the need for q new garm ent In.
stead Of a Jacobs coat. Mr.. Eliot,
Mr.. Judson and Superintendent Sol
dan, together, prepared a plan of or
ganization for the st. Louis schools
that has since served as a model to
other cities the country wide. Mis-
souri, needs a modern scheme fixing
responsibility 30 that when anything
goes wrong the blame can be brought
home.
There was once 9 school fund in
vested In state bonds. These bonds
have disappeared and perpetual Ger
tifcates of indebtedness" have taken
their place. Wherefore? What is a per-
petual certificate Of indebtedness"
Is 1t a new kind of bond? Apparently
not, for in recent years the state has
been reported to be out of debt. This
seems to be a new form of the shell
game. You guess which shell the
school fund is under. II there is a
debt of the state to the school fund
how can the state be out Of debt? II
there is a debt why not In the usual
form, as bonds, instead of this new
evidence Of debt? This condition
could only have arisen because there
was M determined voice raised to
warn the people, and whatever has
been written into the organic law to
legalize this high-handed despoiling
should be erased. The sooner 1t Is
erased the better.
There are several other needs OF
the schools that may well be incor-,
porated in the provisions of a new
Constitution. The ones named will
serve to illustrate them. ! have 30 far
failed to find any n who does not
agree that an effort for a new Consti-
tuition should be made. Has not the
time come to make this an issue? Can
1t be that any minority interest is SO
well organized as to defeat the peo-
pies will?
rU aa -.f" Il