The Blackfoot optimist. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1907-1918, 1913-11-06

On the 9th Of November year age
the people Of Idaho voted ovcrwhelm
1ngly for constitutional amendment
placing all the educational affairs Of
the state In charge of single Board
OF Education. A bill giving effect to
the new provision was passed by the
last legislature with large majorities
was signed by the Governor, and be-
came law. Governor Haines appoin
ed on the new Board, Walter S. Bruce
Boise, Herman J. Rossi, Wallace, H.
Harland, Payette, d. L. Evans, Malad,
Evan Evans, Grangeville. The State
Superintendent Of Public Instruction,
Miss Grace M. Shepherd, is ex-officio
IA member Of the Board. Her large
knowledge Of educational affairs, AMI
hearty cooperation in all tho affairo
OF the Board have been an invaluable,
asset
The officers Of the Board arc: Wal
ter S. Bruce, president, H. Harland
vice president, and Herman j. Rossi.
secretary.
Immediately upon Organization the
Board began their work by acquaint
ing themselves with the institutions
under their charge. They visited the
University, the two Normal Schools,
the State Industrial Training School,
the Academy of Idaho, and tho School
for the Deaf and Blind. At each OF
these institutions they based their
actions upon the plans already laid
by the outgoing trustees, and at the
same time began a careful study of thu
whole educational machinery of the
state, to the end of increasing har.
mony and efficiency throughout the
whole system.
One of the first tasks of the Board
under the law was the selection of \
State Commissioner of Education, to
act as their professional adviser and
chief executive. They sought the
Acounsel of educators and other lead.
ers in the state and throughout the
country, and canvassed carefully the
qualifications of great number of
persons. Their final choice was DR..
Edward O. SissOn, at the time pro-
lessor Of education in Reed College,
previously for some years director
of the department of education at the
University Of Washington, and at one
time director of Bradley Polytechnic
Institute, at Peoria, Illinois. DIR. Sis.
son was elected on July 16, and began
active service on September LIST.
The commissioner has already visit
ed all the state educational institutions
although these visits were necessar
lily short. At each place conferences
were held with the. head of the
school, and recommendations were
made to the Board, based on these
conferences. He has also attended the
sessions of number of the larger
joint Institutes, addressing the teach.
ers and also the general public at
Boise, Twin Falls, Occur d'Alene, Ida.
no Falls and Pocatello. By means
of these institutes he has met the
teachers of twenty-five counties.
The most important immediate task
of the Board is the selection Of
president for the State University,
which has been without an official
head for some months. Dean w. L
Carlyle, as acting president, has con
Quoted the affairs of the institution
with admirable skill and energy, but il
justice to the exceedingly important
work of his own department, the Col
lege of Agriculture, and for the sake
of the Institution as whole, tho
Board earnestly desires to fill the va
cant place. On the other hand, they
realize the immense Importance Of
the choice, both to the University
and to the state, and do not intecd
to risk ar error by making hasty
choice
AS soon as he was appointed, DR.
Sisson began an extensive CORES
pondence with educational leaders
throughout the whole country. BY this
and other means a large number OF
available names have been collected.
At the last meeting of the Board, on
October II and 10, the whole matter
was discussed thoroughly and the com
missioner was instructed to meet per
sonally some of the most promising
men. He is now on trip for this
purpose and for other business con.
nected with the work of the Board.
The work Of the Board involves large
finance and much accounting and re-
cOrding. For this part Of the work,
Mr. Ralph T. Bickell has been appoint
ed auditor. He is an experienced &C.
countant, and has special knowledge
of educational finance, having been for
some years secretary and purchasing
) agent for the Boise schools. The COM
missioner and Mr.. Bickell are con
Quoting careful study Of the expendi'
lures and other statistics Of the state
institutions, in comparison with other
states.
The Board plans to publish series
of bulletins containing Information CON
corning educational matters in the