The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-10-20
OUT OF POLITICS.
Mayor Billiard Issues Plea to
Kansas School Teachers.
Asks That City School Boards
Be Abolished at Once.
IN HANDS OF A FEW.
Topeka Executive Points Gut
Advantages OF a Commission.
New Plan Is Attracting Atten-
ton All Over the West.
N HANDS OF A FEW.

In 4ass of the approaching conven-
ton of the school teachers of Kansas
and the educational gathering in To-
peka, Mayor Billiard has issued a
statement for the benefit of the Wis
itors in regard to the proposition of
establishing in the cities of Kansas a
school commission of few members in
stead of the old political school board
gangs that are in every town at this
time.
The mayor has made several sug-
gestions that will apply to cities under
the commission form of government
and municipalities under the old coun-
Gil form. To handle the affairs of
the schools with a few business men
instead of leaving the education of the
Kansas children to political parties, is
the scheme brought forth by Mayor
Billard-a matter that has attracted
state wide attention and discussion.
The mayors plan in full is as fol-
lows:
81 am glad my suggestion, made
some time ago, relative to the change
in the management of our schools,
has brought out discussion of the
question by prominent educators which
is likely to produce much good. Have
received a long letter from Prof. Clar-
ence J. Smith, of the Western State
Normal, on the subject, and, while he
does not concur entirely with my
views, he is strongly in favor of smaller
school boards and a change in our
present system. Even Supt. Fairchild,
while he made light of my suggestion,
really concurred with my ideas to a
great extent.
Il do not care so much whether our
schools are placed under the city COM
missioners or whether a different
board is established, but I feel that a
reform is needed and I would be per-
fectly satisfied if smaller school boards,
of say three members, should be sub
stituted for our present large and I'M
satisfactory boards in the cities. Such
boards to receive fair salary for their
services so as to secure good men,
However, see no reason why, in cities
that have adopted the commission
form of government such commission
could not act as school boards, one of
such commissioners to be designated
as the commissioner of schools and
the whole commission to control the
schools.
1.-THE immediate control of the
teachers and the educational features,
of course, would remain under the
present school superintendent, but the
financial part would be Immediately I'M
der the school commissioner and the
commission at large. Just the same as
any other department of the city is
now controlled. Our waterworks is
under the direct management of our
superintendent; the electric light
plant also, and it not necessarily re-
quires that every commissioner should
be an expert in either WaterWorks or
electric lighting. The only reason that
I favor putting it under the city COM
is the economy. If we Gre |
ate a separate board of only three or
five members and they are each paid
a salary, it will make a, quite an addi- |
tiOnal expense.
''While the city commissioners now
receive a fair salary and they are sup
posed to devote all their time to their |
public duties in Topeka, and believe |
it is the same in other cities that are
now under the commission form of
government, such commissioners have
time to attend to the school matters |
in addition to their other duties, es-
pecially the commissioner of finance, |
who is not engaged all the time and
would be the most proper one to be
commissioner of schools.
1.-The finances of the school boards
now pass through the city treasurer's
hands. The city clerk could well per-
form the duties of the clerk of the
board of education with one additional
assistant in his office for a few months
of the year, and that would be the
most economical plan to manage our
schools.
81 do not wish to be understood that
am in favor of eeonomizing in the
management of our schools to their
detriment I am in favor of raising, |
if possible, the efficiency and high
standard of our public schools, but |
believe the same can be dom in a more
economical and businesslike manage
ment of the finances We are spend |
ing large sums of money for our
schools annually and the public, as a |
rule, are very willing to pay that ex-
pense, but at the same time that
Sbnr1Id he -,
as to secure the greatest results pos
sible. I hope our next legislature viii
carefully consider the subject and
make some reform in this respect