The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1913-05-12
President Kelly of Earlham,
Thinks Candidate For Lo-
cal SUPPLEMENTARY Not
Man For Place.
GIVES OBJECTIONS
TO THE CANDIDATE
He Thinks Lebanon Man
Places Too Much Value on
the Benefits of Vocational
Education.

A vigorous protest has been filed by
President r. w. Kelly of Earlham col
lege with the Richmond board of edu-
cation against the appointment of II.
G. Brown of Lebanon as superinten-
dent of the Richmond schools. Mr..
Brown is superintendent of schools at
Lebanon, Ind, one of the best known
educators in the state and was recent
ly appointed as the Progressive mem
ber of the state board of education by
his fellow townsman, Governor Rails
ton. 1t is understood that Mr.. Brown
was one of the four or five applicants
for the superintendency of the local
schools the school board was seriously
considering offering the appointment
to. Mr.. Browns activity in the inter
ests of the promotion of vocational
training appears to be the reason fol
Mr.. Kellys protest.
When Mr.. Kelly. was questioned this
morning regarding his reported objec
tions to the appointment of Mr.. Brown
as head of the local school system he
at first declined to make any state
ment on the ground that he had nc
desire to become involved in any con
trOverSy, but later he consented tC
make statement in the presence Of
one of the members of the schoo
board SO in company with a newspa
per man, he called upon Charles w
Jordan, junior member--of the board
and then declared that the appoint
ment of the Lebanon man was objec
tionable to him because of Mr.
Browns intense advocacy of the voca
tional educational system.
Would Cause Racket.
President Kelly after outlining hi:
objections to Mr.. Brown heatedly ex
claimed, Il tell you, if you appoin
that man you will stir up an awfu
racket"
Governor Ralston was strong advo
cate of vocational education and tha
the appointments of Mr.. Brown ant
Pettis A. Reid of this city as mem
bers of the state board of education
of which Mr.. Kelly is also a member
Eere for the reason that he knew botl
| men to be in thorough sympathy will
! this new educational movement.
81 object to having vocational train
ing made the dominant feature of edu
cational work." the Earlham executiv,
then added
Mr.. Kelly also stated that he did no
think both of the leading advocate
of vocational training on the stat
board of education should be from tn.
same place. When asked what differ
ence it would make il they lived il
the same city, or each man came from
a different section of the state, he re
piled that he based his objection ol
the fact that if both Mr. Reid and MI
Brown resided in Richmond they woul
concentrate their vocation work in thi
city, which Mr.. Kelly intimated woul
be Objectionable to Earlham college.
There is pending in congress a bill
appropriating several million dollar
for the establishing of vocational edu
cational institutes in various states
and from the statements made by MI
Kelly the impression was gained tha
his fear that Mr.. Reid and Mr.. Brow
might concentrate their vocational &c
ucational work in this city" meant tina
in the event of the passage of the bi
referred to they might use their il
| f1uence to have one of the four inst
tutions proposed for Indiana establish
ed in Richmond, which might have a
undesirable effect on Earlham college
| which merely offers classical and Ell
gineering courses.
Not Enemy of Plan.
| After his meeting with Mr.. Jordan
| Mr.. Kelly stated that he did not wis
TO be shown in the light of an enem
of vocational education, but that he
not in favor of making it the dominan
| feature of educational work.
Il am in favor of vocational trainin
| but not TO the exclusion of all othe
branches of educational work I thin
my position on this question is su
fciently we'll understood" he said. Tn
Earlham executive then stated tha
his objection to the appointment c
Mr.. Brown as superintendent of tn
local schools was for the reason tha
Mr.. Brown laid entirely too muc
stress on vocational work
| What effect President Kelly's prt
test against the appointment of NJ
Brown will have is not known. but
is stated that no one has yet been d,
cided on for the office, and. as far a
known. Mr.. Browns candidacy for tn
Office is still under consideration. br
the virtual threat of the Earlham e,
ecutive that the college will seve
! friendly relations with the local scho<
authorities in the event of his appoin
tment may act against him