The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1912-11-28
ONE BIG UNIVERSITY
FOR STATEPLAN Of
REGENT HITCHCOCK
Would Make Three In
%stitutions Co Or
dinate to This
TALK TO
Would End Implications and
Competition in States
Big Schools.
TALK TO TEACHERS
At the opening session of the South

At the opening session of the South
Dakota Educational association this
afternoon, Mayor A. r.. Hitchcock,
delivered a characteristic address of
welcome, in which he presented some
advanced views with reference to
providing funds for the state educa-
tional institutions, and advocating a
wide department from the usual
method of securing appropriations
through the state legislature by urg-
ing the levying of a special tax on the
property of the state for this purpose.
Mr.. Hitchcock is the president OF the
State Board of Regents, which has
control of the state educational insti-
tntions and the board has already
taken some action looking to the
better conditions which are to sur
round these institutions in the flu
ture.
Mr.. Hitchcock stated that he be
lieved that the time had come when
these educational institutions should
more closely perform the functions
for which they We're intended and to
keep them within the range of the
WIN W Oc DCIlO llltd lOI tIe DcllG
fit of the student body. 1t is his am
bition to reorganize three of the state
institutions, viz: %Brookings Agricul-
tural college, the state University at
Vermillion and the Sch DOL of Mines
OF Rapid City, by combining them
into n great university. In this re.
spect he is receiving the cooperation
of the other members of the board,
and the position has been endorsed
by leading educators of this state, and
of Iowa.
Scores Log Rolling.
Mr.. Hitchcock stated hat one OF
the abuses in the administration of
the state government is the ann
of arriving at the amount and kind OF
appropriations needed for the various
state institutions, and that it has be-
come a fixed policy of the state leg
islature that a large part of the inn
portant business or legislation is di-
rectly affected by "log rolling" in or.
red to obtain special appropriations
in behalf of state Institutions. He as.
serted that nothing con be done by
the board toward making contracts
or improvements until after the leg
iSlature has made it's appropriations
and in a way it is badly handicapped.
He suggested and urged as a solu-
ton of this condition that it is de-
sirable that a permanent fund be
created by an annual levy by which
the board can be assured of the am
cunt of funds to, be raised from yeal
to year without doubtful contingent
cies which arice from political agita.
ton in a session of the state legisla-
ture, which often works in opposition
to the educational needs OF the state
The mayor urgently recommended an
amendment to the state constitution
be submitted to the people of tho
state, by which such a provision can
mbe Incorporated into organic law.
Mr.. Hitchcock spoke with some
emphasis in defining the scope of the
normal schools of the state and re-
ferred to the action of the board O
which requires a closer following OF
the law and that also a~bridges the
efforts of these schools to grow into
universities.
From an investigation of the cour-
ses.of study it was ascertained that
the normal schools we're getting be-
yond the real duties by not equipping
the teachers with the knowledge nee
essary to go into the rural schools
and impart the instruction which is
desirable in that line of educational
work, and the president cited the in
stance OF the case of Iowa, where al
Cedar Falls and Iowa City, both OF
which were conducting schools of lib
eral arts. The board in Iowa held that
the most potent educational duty in
that state was the supply of properly
trained teachers for the rural and
elementary schools, and Mr.. Hitch
cock found the SAME need in this
state. He outlined what would have
to be done with the lands of this
state to reach the desired end, and
while admitting that it would take
some time to accomplish all this, yet
in the end the board believed that
the development of the institutions
will be much greater and more salts
Factory than in he past. He declared
that is 1t a common thing for county
superintendent to say that after a
teacher has attended a normal school
he is untitled to do further work in
the rural schools. This idea of the
state board has received the unquali-
fled endorsement of State Su%perinten-
bent Lawrence.
MIR. Hitchcock took up the matter
OF the readjusment of the three state
schools, viz: State University, Yer
million. State College, Brookings, and
the School of Mines, Rapid City. In
his official and personal work Mr..
Hitchcock said that wherever he has
been in a group of men, he has found
the idea expressed that there should
be a change in the location or scope
of one of more of the institutions nam
ed. The changes which have been
suggested to him are given under two
headings. CD To consolidate the
three institutions into one university.
q To separate the work of each in
stitution and maintain institutions at
the present location, but the course
1of study to be co-ordinated so, as a
whole, to make one university. After
outlining the work of each college in
which each o%verlapped the other in "a