The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-30
POLITICS BLAMED
FOR POOR SCHOOLS
Kansas Women Aroused
Following Address
STANDARD TOO LOW
vomen Condemn New Textbook Law
R,ouiring Works Written by
Naire Authors-To Have
System Changed

Topeka, Kas, November 29.-(Spe-
,ciaL mo utterance by a public Off
cial in Kansas for 20 years has 50
stirred the people of this state as
the speech by State Superintendent of
Schools w. D. Ross, before the recent
State Teachers association.
1t came as a distinct shock to the
5000 teachers who met here when Su-
perintendent Ross told them that the
efficiency of the rural schools. which
represent more than 60 per cent of the
states population, stood twenty-fourth
among the states of the union. 1t did
not require two weeks time which
has elapsed since Mr.. Rosss statements
were made public to stir the people
living out on the farms, for within
week his office was deluged with let
ters expressing the gratitude of the
taxpayers for placing before them the
!. facts.
Business men and farmers are writ
ing in to ascertain what is wrong with
the Kansas system of rural education
that has for 10 years graded Kansas
down to the standing of the black belt
of Mississippi.
Not Pleasant Task
ut is not a pleasant task to state
facts that must come as a shock to ey-
cry Kansan, for they have believed our
educational system is the best in the
world" Superintendent Ross says.
'sHere is what the Russell Sage foun-
dation composed of such women as
Mrs. Russell Sage and Mrs. Shepard,
/, formerly Miss Helen Gould, and such
! men as Cleveland II. Dodge and Robert
c. ogden, found out about our schools
as compared with the schools of, other
states.
I'm efficiency, Kansas is twenty
fourth; in literacy. sixth; in school ex-
penditures compared to wealth. twelfth;
in children in school and average daily
attendance, eighteenth; in pupils IN
high school, twenty first, and in mat
ters of organization and government
we are in the same class with the solid
south, for we are twenty fifth in sal
aries paid to teachers; twenty ninth
in value of school plan; twenty ninth
in expense per child and twenty ninth
In daily cost"
: Capper Blames Schools
Men and women of prominence in the
state not connected with school WORK
have taken note of these startling
statements by Superintendent Ross.
Governor Hughes, Arthur Capper, Con-
gressman Anthony and others were
quick to feel the shock and TO urge
that a system that produces the re-
suits shown be changed
Complaint has been made that farm
ers do not continue their sons and
daughters in the rural schools, and III
this is true the fault is not with the
farmers" Mr.. Capper said. In this
day and age IL there is no demand
for any commodity the reason is the
commodity is inferior; and so it is with
1,a n
rural schools-the schooling provided
is not worth it, Let the rural schools
furnish a superior brand of education.
and the boys and girls VIII remain
In the school to the last day OF the cur
riculum.'
Congressman Anthony confesses that
the revelations made by the Russell
Sage foundation are humiliating.
1--WE have boasted of our intelligence
and have been proud of our school sys-
tem," he said, "but our boastlns mas
been without knowledge and our pride
has been that of a people who have not
compared their work with that of 9TH
Il ers. Here comes along this high-class
Il and unbiased board and classes us In
Il educational matters away down among
the states of the south upon wh1ch We
have been taught to consider the ABODE
of Ignorance and darkness"
If was emphasized by leading teach
ers who followed superintendent Ross
in his address before the state asso
ciation. that down in the black belt OF
Mississippi in. schools provided for
! negroes, better and higher class text
hooks are used than have been pros
yided for Kansas schools in more than
Is years.
Women to Take Action
The women of Kansas especially feel
the humiliation reflected upon the
state by the Russell Sage foundation
report as analyzed by superintendent
Ross Many of these have written to
him expressing their gratitude for his
timely disclosure of the Kansas 'sys-
tenn. In Federation club meetings, over
the state the standing of Kansas
schools has been freely discussed. and
not a few of these women have declared
that with the power of the ballot they
will lift the schools from the slough of
politics into a plane of higher useful
ness
..you can be assured that the schools,
our most sacred trust VIII not longer
be the football of the politicians Mrs.
LILA Day Monroe said. Mrs. Monroe
is a leader in e,>sry movement for the
hetterment of Society and of the
schools. and she with other women who
have successfully fought the battle for
| woman suffrage, are promising to raise
the Kansas educational grade.
The women who are leading In this
movement, and who will have the votes
to back their Judgment are determined
that school management shall be taken
| out of party politics from the local
| district up to state affairs. They de-
,nand that the people in each locality
shall be given the right to buy their
| books as well as to employ their teach
| ers and to exercise the same judgment
| IN getting the best books as they would
| employ the best teachers-the open mar
ket for both What is to be gained. they
ask. If Kansas communities continue to
L,;,a cnaI,, ,nnointed buildings and then