The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1912-11-22
Officials Exchange Warm Letters Owe
School Board situation-Eleetion
Suggested.

The marked difference OF opinion be-
tween Governor Cruce and State Su-
perintendent r. II, Wilson over the
state board of education resulted
Thursday in the exchange of some
very pointed correspondence
Superintendent Wilson wroper the
governor that he wanted to make some
changes in his recommendations as to
legislation which had been sent
over to the gubeiuatorial once some
time before, and suggests bipartisan
board of six members to be elected by
the people, two of whom shall be elect
ed every two eegars after the board
lis once organized. The superintend-
ent's letter is a pointed thrust at Gov
ernor CUrcess ASTON in removing three
Iof the members of the hoard of edit
cation, and infers indirectly that these
members were arbitrarily removed be-
cause they would not yield to pres
sure from the governor and vote lrs
viii.
Governor Cruce replied with equal
plainnsss ;ana in a VERY polite way
|says that Mr.. Wilson'S letter is both
idle and silly" He also tells stne
state superintendent tthat he IS large
ly responsible for the present tangle
|in the board feducation, and says:
"YOu have sxsed all tine power of guur
Office in q vain enaaavor To tfrwart
the efforts 'of the governor TO purge
the bOardfC1 political influence"
The correspondent is given Eeaow
in full: First the superintendent let
ter, and then the governors reply:
Tive Wilson Letter
-F8un. Lee Cruce,
Governor of oklahoma
.E3ear Sir Since making nay recom-
mendations to you for school 1egisla-
tion, developments IN the conditions
relating ito the state board of ef1uca-
'tion. thorough reflection therxpon, lead
nae TO alter the recommendation then
made respecting said board, and 3 ac-
recommend as follows:
THAT the statutes SHOULD be aG4end-
ed making membership upon said
board elective by tine people instead
of appointiFe by the governor or any
other authority. Such amendment to
be framed that the board shah be BIZ
partisan, SIX members to be elected
at a special election to be called inn
mediately upon the adjournment of
the legislature, two Mf such members,
one from each of the TWO dominant gpo-
litical parties, to be elected for term
of two years; two, one from each domi-
nant party, no be elected for term
of four years; and two, one each of
the dominant parties, 10 be elected at
each bi-annual election thereafter, TO
fill vacancies. The six members 50
chosen, together with the superintend-
ent OF public anstruction, who by the
constitution, is a member fthe board
to constitute the entire membership of
the board
Reasons for Ptssa.
MY reasons TO rthis recommenda-
ton are TO relieve the board from pos
sibility of political coercion or control,
either by fte present apposntive pow
er, the governor, or by the superin-
tendent, who is a constitutional mem
Der of such board, or by q eombina-
ton Of both such officers, and 10 make
the members of the board responsible
for their official copduct directly to
the people who elected them and not
to the governor who appointed them.
The law should contemplate, and the
practical working out of the plan
would result in the exercise of the
Independent Judgment OF the entire
membership of the board instad of
having them mere voting proxies and
echoes of one will and determination.
While the law at present contemplates
the exercise of Independent judgmnt
OF the seven mmbers of the board, act
ing as deliberative body, for the in
terests of education in the state. yet
the practical working out of the pres
ent legislation has brought about a.
where one of these two al
ternatives confronts member:
"(a) Either the appointiye mem
Der. shall yield to pressure of the
governor who appointed him and
vote his will; or,
"(b) They shall subject theh-
selves to arbitrary attempts at re-
moyal and the ignomy attaching
thereto.
The plan suggested would render
the recurrence OF the pres
of the demise We're sent to the absent
Of the family and to the ex-
mmbers of the Coal Chute Gang, who
have scattered to all parts of. tho conn