Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-02-15
Fight on Board of Educa-
tion Heard by Lawmak-
ers Yesterday When Ire
win and Others Speak.
CONCESSION MADE
TO SECURE PEARSON
Spokesman for University
Declared That Head Of
Ames Demanded Engin-
eering School.
[BY ORA WILLIAMS.l

[BY ORA WILLIAMS.l
Des Moines, Feb. 14.-Big doings at
the much advertised bout between the
college board and the anti-coilege COM
mittee at the hearing on what to 90
with the board Of education and the
state educational institutions. Legis.
lature highly entertained by great
lawyers: much word thrusting and
quite lot of personality; some mighty
clever things said in interesting way;
some bald accusations and strenuous
denials; fine line of going around in
circle and not getting very far.
This was the hearing on the college
scrap. The joint session was attended
by most Of the members. Some sat
upright and others dozed. Galleries
half filled, and galleries voted 1t not
half as good a show as a debate on
Miller bill. Pretty vigorous applause
from the huose side for the antis, but
no great demonstration nor any thing
to show the leanings of the senate
members.
Practically nothing new came out
In the discussion. All has been writ
ten or said that could be said. The
only new feature was reading some
letters and documents by Mr.. Weaver.
and especially putting together OF
information regarding the position
taken at different times by the board
members to show their inconsistency.
That the action retaining the engi-
neering school at Ames was taken uDcn
the insistent demand of President
Pearson before he would agree to come
at ALL was brought out.sA1d the letter
of Pearson to that effect was read,
showing that he forced the board to
define itself before be would make a
move. Mr.. Weaver also attacked Tre-
win and Boyd most savagely and
brought back the retort from Trewin
that Weaver had obeyed the familiar
Injunction to the young lawyer who
has bad case to Jump onto the
lawye:' for the other side.
Discussion BY Three.
The discussion was by D. D. Muir
ply and J. H. Trewin for the colleges
and James B. Weaver for the alumni of
the university opposed to the board Of
education.
Some points made by Mr.. Murphy:
Higher education is supported by
taxation and the funds are not un-
limited; the public demands that the
funds be so used as to secure the
highest degree of efficiency possible
Investigation by competent COM
mission showed that there is in the
Iowa institutions rivalries and jeal-
ousies and duplication Of work, and
the committee placed on record years
ago it's condemnation Of the duplica-
ton in engineering and liberal arts.
There is need in Iowa of but one
college of liberal arts, one college Of
law, one Of medicine, one of pharmacy,
one of gineering, one of preparing
teachers for secondary school work,
etc. There are differences as to where
each should be located but no differ
ence as to the fact Of one of each be-
ing enough.
The very purpose of the organiza-
tion of the board was to remedy the
evils pointed out in the Whipple re.
port, and the board has merely done
its duty in preparing plan for avoid
arce of the duplication.
AS to preparation for teaching the
teachers in the elementary and rural
schools. comprising 80 per cent OF all,
are entitled to their proportion Of the
funds used for normal work, as COM
pared with the 10 per cent who are en-
gagged g e IN l,o.o work in the secondary schools
There never was any need for the
school at Cedar Falls entering upon
the preparation of teachers for the
secondary school work, with the uni
versity and twenty private colleges al
ready engaging in that work Cedar
Falls had 1902 students before it be.
came college, all in preparation for
rural end elementary school work; and
In no year since has it had so large
number of students. In 1904 it had
forty-eight instructors and 1900 stu.
dents; last year with 1OS instructors
It had 1850 students.
A teachers college apart from a col
lege of liberal arts is an unthinkable
proposition.
This is and always must be rural
state and we know that our highest
duty is help In making rural life con-
ditions the best possible; so that we
should place the emphasis in our nor
NAL school on the preparation Of teach
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