Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1913-05-06

elected for term of four years. the
terms Of one-half to expire every
two years; and the division board Of
education reorgan;zsd every two
years?
l need not state to you that | ap-
proach this discussion with some
diffidence. as | am unaccustomed to
public speaking. ! should not have
come here except for the deep inter-
est feel in the public schools Of
Kentucky. have been q Trustee
in my county for more than quart
er of a century; and this experience
has given me ample opportunity to
know the workings of cur public
school system. You might say /
have lived with it and have been q
part of its progress; but have at
times felt deeply. as most all of you
have felt. the Shameful neglect of
educational matters by the Legisla-
tive department Of our beloved Com.
monwealth. | have forgotten the
exact year. but early in the seven
ties l commenced taking the census
of school children in my home dis
trict. For long time it was with
great difficulty that we could get
suitable men to act as one of the
three Trustees who then controlled
our District Schools. 1t is to be
profoundly regretted that our law
makers were so slow in changing
that Anticipated system. No wonder
Kentucky has stood so many years as
the 43rd state in iliteracy. The old
cumbersome Three Trustee system
did much to place her in that I'M
enviable position. Those of US who
had lived in hope, and have so long
wished for an educational revival to
come, possibly expected too much of
the new law. and the new system
which went into effect in 1908. AS
we have followed its workings-some
of the time in deep anxiety-but al
ways hopeful that in the end it would
in the fullest measure meet the needs
of cur people. and now having seen
it tested, and knowing that it has
lived through the experimental
stage, we are ready to soberly con-
slider 1t and to discuss it.
| We feel that we can congratulate
ourselves that Kentucky will never
take the backward step and repeal
liz. but to be just with ourselves we
must admit that it contains much
THAT could be improved. / shall not
tax your patience with enumerating
its faults or suggesting the numer-
Gus remedies which might occur to
my mind. Under the subject as
signed me | am to discuss one of its
important provisions. namely: The
one relating to the Sub-district Trus-
tee and his relation to the Division
or District Board and the County
Board of Education.
Cnder the present Law the term of
office of the Sub-District Trustee is
fixed at two years. one-haIf of whom
shall be elected each year. During
recent years. in Cnristian county. it
has been our custom to elect a chair
imam of the Division Board who be-
comes M mber of the County
Board, each year; the effect of this
system is to require reorganization
of the County Board of Education
each year. If there is any public
official whose term of Office should
continue during life or good behav-
Tor, it should be the Public School
Trustee and County Superintendent.
To be a good County Superintendent
requires ptcOliar fitness or adapt
ability 70 the discharge of the duties
of that office that few possess ia an
eminent degree. All politics should
be eliminated from the election of
the County Superintendent This
can be essiy and satisfactory y ac-
complished by having the members
Of the County Board elect the Coun-
" Superintendent every four or six
years | would much prefer every
SIX years and earnestly hope that
Mr.. Gates and others. who are bet
ter p,sted on such matters than /
am. WI take it up and if favorably
considered nave our next Legislature
nnao o,,oh a lam The oor.,o hfr~h